Some local pork headed our way in the Defense Appropriations Bill...

The Toledo Blade has an article about yesterday's Senate vote that contains this:

There is also a stack of pet projects for lawmakers' homes states and districts, including $372 million obtained for Hawaii, home of Daniel Inouye, top Democrat on the defense appropriations panel.

When I took a look at this monster of a bill, this caught my eye:

S.AMDT.4867- AMENDMENT PURPOSE:
To provide that, of the amount appropriated or otherwise made available by title II for the Army National Guard for operation and maintenance, up to $7,500,000 may be available to renovate and repair existing barracks at Camp Perry, Port Clinton, Ohio.

The Amendment was sponsored by Sen. Byrd and co-sponsored by Sen. DeWine.


S.AMDT.4797- AMENDMENT PURPOSE:
To provide that, of the amount appropriated or otherwise made available by title IV for the Army for research, development, test and evaluation, up to $1,000,000 may be available for the Portable Battery Operated Solid-State Electrochemical Oxygen Generator project.

Was sponsored by Sen. Voinovich and co-sponsored by Sen. DeWine also

S.AMDT.4801 - AMENDMENT PURPOSE:
To make available from Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy, up to $10,000,000 for the Carrier Replacement Program for advance procurement of nuclear propulsion equipment.

Sen. Dewine was the sponsor, Sen. Voinovich the co-sponsor

Some other "earmarks" of interest in this bill which as quoted in the Washington Post:

"There are 2,000 earmarks in the bill directed by Members of Congress somewhere around $8 billion and a large portion of those don't have anything to do with the mission of the Defense Department," said Tom Coburn, R-Okla.

S.AMDT.4788 - AMENDMENT PURPOSE:
To provide $1,829,000,000 for the Army National Guard for the construction of 370 miles of triple-layered fencing, and 500 miles of vehicle barriers along the southwest border.

S.AMDT.4759 - AMENDMENT PURPOSE:
To make available from Other Procurement, Army, up to $2,600,000 for the Virtual Interactive Combat Environment for the New Jersey National Guard.

It should however be pointed out that when it comes to most of these pork projects? The Senate manages to agree as a good majority of these amendments state:

agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent, which is exactly how this bill passed as well.