Agriculture
Commerce, State, & Justice
Defense
District of Columbia
Energy & Water
Foreign Operations
Interior
Labor, HHS, & Education
Legislative Branch
Military Construction
Transportation
Treasury, Postal, and General Govt
Veterans, Housing, & Indep. Agencies

IV. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

On the front lines of war on terror, the District of Columbia (D.C.) has countless vital needs.  Since members of Congress work in D.C., they should be especially sensitive to this appropriation.  In fact, the D.C. Appropriations Bill in 2000 was entirely pork free.  Not this year.  In fiscal 2003, D.C. pork increased from $10.1 million to $87.7 million, or 769 percent.  Education pork totaled $31.5 million, or 36 percent of the bill.

$19,000,000 for D.C. public charter school facilities, including $2,000,000 for the SEED Foundation Charter School to construct an academic center.

$12,500,000 for education studies and programs, including:  $2,000,000 to expand the Voyager Universal Literacy System to all kindergarten and first grade classes; $1,000,000 for Real World Schools to implement advanced technology and learning reforms; $500,000 for the Caribbean American Mission for Education Research and Action to build linkages between Caribbean education entities and regional higher education institutions; $500,000 for the American Cities Foundation to collect data on innovative approaches to K-12 education; $500,000 for Reach for Tomorrow to support a multi-dimensional approach to working with middle school students; $250,000 for the Washington Opera Education and Community Program for music education; $250,000 for Values First to implement a values infusion program; $200,000 for the National Maritime Heritage Foundation to create a new maritime education program; and $100,000 for Project Reality for the Game Plan abstinence program.

$100,000 for Friends of Fort Dupont to upgrade unused baseball fields.