Billy Long Fights for a Grant That May be an Earmark or a Similar Pet Project: Drury University Storm Shelter

Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, was promised $200,000 in federal money in a grant form from FEMA to build a storm shelter in the new O'Reilly Center. However, the $200,000 was never delivered by the Federal Government. While, I am still asking what Constitutional authority the federal government has to build storm shelters, officials at Drury College are trying to recoup their $200,000 from the federal government.

This story may give us insight about Billy Long and pet projects. No doubt, federal money such as the money promised to Drury often arises from those nasty little things Billy Long ran against called the earmark. You know,  the funding for projects hidden in a bill that has nothing to do with the actual project that is being earmarked.

The Springfield News-Leader reports today:

Representatives from the Greene County Commission, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt's office, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill's office, U.S. Rep. Billy Long's office and the Springfield-Greene County office of Emergency Management have now joined officials at Drury in seeking the grant.

The News-Leader fails to mention how this grant came about? Was it an earmark? I ask Congressman Long's office again, what part of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to build storm shelters?

Oh yes, I understand Long is all for "public safety" as he has co-sponsored a few bills now justifying his position with "public saftey" without considering the harm it does to the public and their safety.

From the Springfield News-Leader on Sunday:

The amateur radio enthusiasts have [sic] for the most part spend their own money, use their own equipment, and spend hours of their time training and volunteering during emergencies. They say that losing this frequency would require costly changes to their infrastructure and equipment, and could jeopardize their ability to assist during emergencies…

…when asked about the provision in the bill that would sell off the frequency used by amateur radio operators, Long said that was news to him. He said he co-sponsored the bill because [Peter] King, the homeland security chairman, asked him to and because the bill is supported by many organizations that are committed to public safety, something he values.

So is this Billy Long's transition into accepting another status quo in Washington--the pet project? The News-Leader owes readers an explanation of how this grant was funded? If it was an earmark, then it needs to be exposed since Long said he was going to Washington to fight meager earmarks.