WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- The practice of "pork-barreling," or earmarking pet projects within U.S. congressional bills has skyrocketed to surpass $27 billion in 2005.
Among the projects identified by the non-partisan Citizens Against Government Waste group in 2005, attached to an agricultural spending bill, was $242,000 for an educational allocation for wild turkey enthusiasts, the Boston Globe reported.
In 1995, Congress spent $10 billion on 1,439 such earmarks, but last year ran up $27.3 billion for a record 13,997 projects.
The jump in spending is reflected in the soaring number of lobbyists who are registering in Washington, the report said.
Senate records show the number of firms that registered for the first time to lobby on budget and appropriations issues grew from 388 in 1998 to 1,263 last year.
Under congressional rules, earmarks are impossible to trace, but Rep. Roy Blunt, Missouri Republican and the acting House majority leader, has called for a more open process. He said earmarks should be identified by the lawmakers asking for the money, the name and address of the intended recipient and a justification for the spending.
