Posted by Gregness at 11:16am Feb 3 '09(CNN) -- On Monday, House Republican leaders put out a list of what they call wasteful provisions in the Senate version of the nearly $900 billion stimulus bill that is being debated:
⢠$2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.
⢠A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.
⢠$650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.
⢠$88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).
⢠$448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.
⢠$248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.
⢠$600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
⢠$400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.
⢠$1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.
⢠$125 million for the Washington sewer system.
⢠$150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
⢠$1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.
⢠$75 million for "smoking cessation activities."
⢠$200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.
⢠$75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.
⢠$25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.
⢠$500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.
⢠$10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.
⢠$6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.
⢠$500 million for state and local fire stations.
⢠$650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.
⢠$1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.
⢠$88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.
⢠$412 million for CDC buildings and property.
⢠$500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.
⢠$160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
⢠$5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.
⢠$850 million for Amtrak.
⢠$100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.
⢠$75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.
⢠$110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.
⢠$200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.
Overall, I think that, while most of these things are important(not all...$650M on discounts for the Digital Converter Boxes??), they really aren't going to help create jobs.
I counted about $19 billion in wasteful provisions.
Does anybody have a link to the full listing of all programs in the plan?
⢠$2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.
⢠A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.
⢠$650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.
⢠$88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).
⢠$448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.
⢠$248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.
⢠$600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
⢠$400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.
⢠$1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.
⢠$125 million for the Washington sewer system.
⢠$150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
⢠$1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.
⢠$75 million for "smoking cessation activities."
⢠$200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.
⢠$75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.
⢠$25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.
⢠$500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.
⢠$10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.
⢠$6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.
⢠$500 million for state and local fire stations.
⢠$650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.
⢠$1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.
⢠$88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.
⢠$412 million for CDC buildings and property.
⢠$500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.
⢠$160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
⢠$5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.
⢠$850 million for Amtrak.
⢠$100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.
⢠$75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.
⢠$110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.
⢠$200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.
Overall, I think that, while most of these things are important(not all...$650M on discounts for the Digital Converter Boxes??), they really aren't going to help create jobs.
I counted about $19 billion in wasteful provisions.
Does anybody have a link to the full listing of all programs in the plan?
Link: Link