Mule Museum Was A Republican-Requested Earmark Supported By Huge Bipartisan Majority In House

Mule Museum Earmark Requested By GOP Rep. McKeon. From CNN: “In tiny Bishop, California, Rep. Buck McKeon, R-California, wants to build a museum honoring the mule. McKeon has requested a $50,000 earmark to explore the possibility of building a museum in the town that every Memorial Day weekend holds the biggest mule celebration in the United States.” [CNN.com, 10/31/07]

Shea-Porter Voted With Vast Majority Of Both Republicans And Democrats Against Prohibiting Museum Funding. According to the Congressional Record, the vote cited by the ad was an “amendment that sought to prohibit the use of funds for the National Forest Recreation Association in Woodlake, California.” Shea-Porter voted against the amendment, which failed 352-69, along with 225 other Democrats and 126 Republicans. [Congressional Record via GPO.gov, 7/24/07; Flake of Arizona Amendment to H.R. 3074, Vote #700, 7/24/07]

McKeon: Mule Museum Would Aid Western Town, Which Survives On Tourism. From CNN: “McKeon defended the earmark in a statement sent to CNN as supporting economic development in his district. ‘Bishop is a classic western frontier city which survives on tourism. Adding a museum to its community will increase tourism by bringing sightseers and visitors to Bishop year-round, benefiting the area economy,’ McKeon’s statement said. ‘If CNN chooses to make a mockery of small-town, western heritage, that’s its prerogative, but I’m going to remain focused on the economic development of my district.’” [CNN.com, 10/31/07]

‘Shrimp Study’ Earmark Funded Institute Geared Toward Aiding Major Louisiana Industry

Earmark Funded Creation Of Institute To Study Seafood – A Major Industry In Louisiana. From the Daily Comet: “More than $325,000 has been set aside in the federal government’s latest spending bill to help create a seafood institute at Nicholls State University. U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said the planned Institute for Seafood Studies would aid studies of seafood species, coastal restoration and protection, as well as development of local fisheries and industries connected to them. […] The institute is designed to work hand-in-hand with the state’s commercial seafood industry, said biology professor Marilyn Kilgen. For Kilgen, who has been pushing the project for years, it is a validation of the state’s importance as a seafood-producing powerhouse. ‘Other states have some type of research institute, those states that have a seafood industry,’ Kilgen said. ‘We supply a third of the nation’s seafood. It’s a huge industry here. We need to have an institute for seafood studies.’ […] The planned institute’s research will focus on scientific and biological problems faced by the industry. Mike Voisin, vice president of Motivatit Seafood in Houma and chairman of the Gulf Oyster Task Force, said the research center could help develop new products. […] Another problem the research institute could address is food safety, which Voisin said is a top fear among consumers.” [Daily Comet, 12/11/09]

Shea-Porter Voted With Large Majority Against Prohibiting Funding Of Seafood Institute And Against Decreasing NOAA Funding. According to the Congressional Record, the vote cited by the ad was an “amendment (No. 84 printed in the Congressional Record of June 15, 2009) that was debated on Wednesday, June 17th that seeks to prohibit the use of funds for the Institute for Seafood Studies project of the Nicholls State University Department of Biological Sciences, Thibodaux, Louisiana, and to decrease the appropriations for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Operations, Research, and Facilities by $325,000.” Shea-Porter voted against the amendment, which failed 303-124. [Congressional Record via GPO.gov, 6/18/09; Flake of Arizona Amendment No. 84 to H.R. 2847, Vote #382, 6/18/09]

Plan Would Have Balanced Budget By Letting Bush Tax Cuts Expire

House Budget Plan Would Have Let Bush Tax Cuts Expire In Order To Get Government “Back Into The Black.” From the Associated Press: “The House passed its $3 trillion budget plan by a 212-207 vote. It would provide generous increases to domestic programs but bring the government’s ledger back into the black, but only by letting all of Bush’s tax cuts expire at the end of 2010 as scheduled.” [Associated Press via USAToday.com, 3/14/08]

Expiration Of Bush Tax Cuts Would Have Raised $683 Billion Over Two Years. From USA Today: “House Democrats would allow all of Bush’s tax cuts to expire, effectively raising taxes by $683 billion from 2011 through 2013.” [USA Today, 3/14/08]

In 2010, Shea-Porter Signed Letter Supporting Extension Of Bush Tax Cuts For All But Super-Wealthy. From a December 9, 2010, letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) signed by Rep. Shea-Porter and 53 other House Democrats: “We oppose acceding to Republican demands to extend the Bush tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires for two reasons. First, it is fiscally irresponsible. […] Second, it is grossly unfair. This proposal will hurt, not help, the majority of Americans in the middle class and those working hard to get there. […] We support extending tax cuts in full to 98 percent of American taxpayers, as the President initially proposed.” [Letter To Speaker Pelosi, 12/9/10]