Billy Long Appears to Breaking His No-Earmark Pledge

Billy Long said he was fed up with earmarks? Earmarks are government appropriations (grants) placed within legislation that funds pet projects within a Congressman's district. Billy Long ran on the promise if no earmarks if he was elected. Well, unfortunately, he was elected, and it appears the no earmark promise is now broken. However, you won't hear the words earmark come from Long or his staffs' mouths. It appears the special word carefully chosen by Long's staff to avoid any earmark controversy is "grants."

Now we already know last week, Long's office is fighting for a "grant" which was probably an earmark so Drury University could build a storm shelter in their new O'Reilly Arena. The word grant was used, but the 435 members of the House don't just sit and write bills that specific. Pet projects like a storm shelter, which the federal government has no Constitutional authority to spend taxpayer's dollars on, are often earmarked through bills that apply to FEMA. The grant supposedly came from money appropriated to FEMA.

Just a few days later, Long's office is promising the return of federal money to the district using this word "grant." Some of his promises are Constitutional and others are not. From the Springfield News-Leader:


Commissioners spent a few days in Washington D.C. two weeks ago meeting legislators, then met with local representatives' staffers last week to talk about the county's biggest needs -- and how federal funding could play a part in the years ahead.

"It looks like now and for the foreseeable future, the help we see from Washington will be grants," said Commissioner Harold Bengsch, during a Tuesday meeting with Rep. Billy Long's staffers in Springfield.

Some projects they hope could be funded through grants. Others they hope just don't get cut.

"As those cuts are being made, we want to make sure the congressman is aware of what those programs do ... when he makes those decisions," said Royce Reding, one of Long's field representatives.

So Long thinks he can fool Southwest Missouri on earmarks by using the word grant. However, it didn't get past Busplunge blogger Jim Lee. He responded to the News-Leader story:

What's the difference between a grant and an earmark?

Ain't it funny how Billy had no qualms about voting to continue spending gov't money to sponsor Ryan Newman's #39 NASCAR race car but wants to the county to get by on grants?