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Chart: Tech-related pork

From no-flush toilets to spray paint simulators, local businesses and organizations are jockeying for spot at trough.

4 min read

Silicon money: How do tech firms buy influence in Washington?

Tech-related pork

March 29, 2006 4:00 AM PST

How does Congress spend money on technology research, development and education? As with traditional "pork barrel spending," much money gets earmarked for projects of the home districts of politicians who head the right subcommittee. From no-flush toilets to spray paint simulators, local businesses and educational organizations are jockeying for their place at the trough.

Selected Pork 2006 (Defense Department only)

Cost Description
$20,500,000To test applied counterspace technology.
$15,000,000To upgrade Maui High Performance Computing Center technology for the military.
$11,800,000To research, develop, test and evaluate sensor technology for Army camera-assisted monitoring system.
$11,000,000To research, develop, test and evaluate nanotechnology initiatives for the Air Force.
$10,200,000To research, develop, test and evaluate spintronics memory storage technology.
$7,000,000To fund a missile simulation and rapid-assessment initiative for the Army.
$5,000,000To fund military initiatives through California Manufacturing Technology Consulting.
$5,000,000To maintain and replace Golden Hour Containers (for transporting blood) for the Army.
$4,300,000To fund a pilot port security sensor technology initiative in Tampa Bay for the Army.
$4,250,000To research, develop, test and evaluate international technology transfer for the military.
$4,250,000To research, develop, test and evaluate semiconductor photomask technology for the military.
$4,200,000To research, develop, test and evaluate advanced demining technology for the Army.
$3,750,000To fund the Center for Minimally Invasive Technology at Massachusetts General Hospital for the Army.
$3,500,000To research, develop, test and evaluate VTDP helicopter technology for the Army.
$3,500,000To research, develop, test and evaluate tissue and limb transplantation medical technology for the Army.
$3,500,000To research, develop, test and evaluate reactive-materials technology for the Army.

Selected Pork 2005

Cost State Department Description
$35,000,000AL Transportation/Treasury To fund the Transportation Technology Center at Auburn University.
$14,000,000n/aHomeland Security To buy covert surveillance aircraft for the U.S. Coast Guard, even though it doesn't plan to procure new planes until 2016.
$9,350,000n/aDefense To research, develop, test and evaluate sensor technology for Army protection.
$6,400,000HI Defense To digitize technical and operations manuals for the Marine Corps.
$5,000,000NH Commerce To fund the Institute for Security Technology Studies at Dartmouth College.
$5,000,000n/aDefense To research, develop, test and evaluate night vision technology for the Army.
$4,000,000MS VA/HUD To improve Stennis Space Center's commercial technology program.
$3,500,000NV Energy and Water To develop state-or-the-art chemical, biological and nuclear detection sensors at University of Nevada at Reno.
$3,000,000SC Commerce To improve the South Carolina Judicial Department case docket system.
$2,600,000n/aDefense To research, develop, test and evaluate advanced battery technology for the Army.
$2,000,000NC Commerce To upgrade law enforcement technologies for the Asheville Police Department.
$2,000,000n/aTransportation/Treasury To fund the Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center in Washington, D.C.
$1,789,000IA Agriculture To fund the Iowa Biotechnology Consortium.
$1,500,000VA Commerce To create a statewide records management system for Virginia law enforcement.
$1,500,000NV Commerce To upgrade the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's communications system.
$1,500,000CA Defense To fund undislosed defense missions for the Allen Telescope Array, part of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI).

Selected Pork 2004

Cost State Department Description
$11,000,000TX Defense To provide training and technology in Texas in preparation of trauma and terrorism.
$6,100,000KY Labor/HHS/Education To build facilities and buy equipment for the University of Louisville's Science and Technology Research Center.
$6,100,000KY Labor/HHS/Education To fund construction and supply equipment for the University of Louisville Science and Technology Research Center.
$3,400,000n/aDefense To expand rural access to broadband technology. Measure added by the House of Representatives.
$3,400,000n/aDefense To expand rural access to broadband technology through the Army National Guard.
$3,000,000n/aDefense To implement automated identification technology/radio frequency identification for the Army.
$2,125,000n/aDefense To fund R&D, testing and evaluation of battery-charging technology.
$2,000,000NH Commerce To provide digital radio equipment and technology to the New Hampshire Department of Safety.
$1,400,000n/aDefense To fund an advanced-technology demonstration for the Navy's Center of Excellence for Small Robots.
$1,250,000n/aCommerce To fund a rural law enforcement technology and training center.
$1,000,000IA Labor/HHS/Education To expand the Iowa Communications Network statewide fiber-optic demonstration program.
$1,000,000KY Labor/HHS/Education To fund the University of Kentucky's Center for Technology and Learning in Lexington.
$1,000,000KY Labor/HHS/Education To fund the electronic-access project of University of Kentucky's Law School.
$1,000,000CA Commerce To fund the Bay Area law enforcement technology system.
$1,000,000FL Labor/HHS/Education To upgrade educational computing and technology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg.
$1,000,000MA Labor/HHS/Education To fund technology upgrades and equipment for the National Center for Technology Literacy at the Museum of Science in Boston.
Source: Citizens Against Government Waste analysis performed for CNET News.com.
n/a = "not available"

Silicon money: How do tech firms buy influence in Washington?

Tech-related pork

March 29, 2006 4:00 AM PST

How does Congress spend money on technology research, development and education? As with traditional "pork barrel spending," much money gets earmarked for projects of the home districts of politicians who head the right subcommittee. From no-flush toilets to spray paint simulators, local businesses and educational organizations are jockeying for their place at the trough.

Selected Pork 2006 (Defense Department only)

Cost Description
$20,500,000To test applied counterspace technology.
$15,000,000To upgrade Maui High Performance Computing Center technology for the military.
$11,800,000To research, develop, test and evaluate sensor technology for Army camera-assisted monitoring system.
$11,000,000To research, develop, test and evaluate nanotechnology initiatives for the Air Force.
$10,200,000To research, develop, test and evaluate spintronics memory storage technology.
$7,000,000To fund a missile simulation and rapid-assessment initiative for the Army.
$5,000,000To fund military initiatives through California Manufacturing Technology Consulting.
$5,000,000To maintain and replace Golden Hour Containers (for transporting blood) for the Army.
$4,300,000To fund a pilot port security sensor technology initiative in Tampa Bay for the Army.
$4,250,000To research, develop, test and evaluate international technology transfer for the military.
$4,250,000To research, develop, test and evaluate semiconductor photomask technology for the military.
$4,200,000To research, develop, test and evaluate advanced demining technology for the Army.
$3,750,000To fund the Center for Minimally Invasive Technology at Massachusetts General Hospital for the Army.
$3,500,000To research, develop, test and evaluate VTDP helicopter technology for the Army.
$3,500,000To research, develop, test and evaluate tissue and limb transplantation medical technology for the Army.
$3,500,000To research, develop, test and evaluate reactive-materials technology for the Army.

Selected Pork 2005

Cost State Department Description
$35,000,000AL Transportation/Treasury To fund the Transportation Technology Center at Auburn University.
$14,000,000n/aHomeland Security To buy covert surveillance aircraft for the U.S. Coast Guard, even though it doesn't plan to procure new planes until 2016.
$9,350,000n/aDefense To research, develop, test and evaluate sensor technology for Army protection.
$6,400,000HI Defense To digitize technical and operations manuals for the Marine Corps.
$5,000,000NH Commerce To fund the Institute for Security Technology Studies at Dartmouth College.
$5,000,000n/aDefense To research, develop, test and evaluate night vision technology for the Army.
$4,000,000MS VA/HUD To improve Stennis Space Center's commercial technology program.
$3,500,000NV Energy and Water To develop state-or-the-art chemical, biological and nuclear detection sensors at University of Nevada at Reno.
$3,000,000SC Commerce To improve the South Carolina Judicial Department case docket system.
$2,600,000n/aDefense To research, develop, test and evaluate advanced battery technology for the Army.
$2,000,000NC Commerce To upgrade law enforcement technologies for the Asheville Police Department.
$2,000,000n/aTransportation/Treasury To fund the Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center in Washington, D.C.
$1,789,000IA Agriculture To fund the Iowa Biotechnology Consortium.
$1,500,000VA Commerce To create a statewide records management system for Virginia law enforcement.
$1,500,000NV Commerce To upgrade the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's communications system.
$1,500,000CA Defense To fund undislosed defense missions for the Allen Telescope Array, part of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI).

Selected Pork 2004

Cost State Department Description
$11,000,000TX Defense To provide training and technology in Texas in preparation of trauma and terrorism.
$6,100,000KY Labor/HHS/Education To build facilities and buy equipment for the University of Louisville's Science and Technology Research Center.
$6,100,000KY Labor/HHS/Education To fund construction and supply equipment for the University of Louisville Science and Technology Research Center.
$3,400,000n/aDefense To expand rural access to broadband technology. Measure added by the House of Representatives.
$3,400,000n/aDefense To expand rural access to broadband technology through the Army National Guard.
$3,000,000n/aDefense To implement automated identification technology/radio frequency identification for the Army.
$2,125,000n/aDefense To fund R&D, testing and evaluation of battery-charging technology.
$2,000,000NH Commerce To provide digital radio equipment and technology to the New Hampshire Department of Safety.
$1,400,000n/aDefense To fund an advanced-technology demonstration for the Navy's Center of Excellence for Small Robots.
$1,250,000n/aCommerce To fund a rural law enforcement technology and training center.
$1,000,000IA Labor/HHS/Education To expand the Iowa Communications Network statewide fiber-optic demonstration program.
$1,000,000KY Labor/HHS/Education To fund the University of Kentucky's Center for Technology and Learning in Lexington.
$1,000,000KY Labor/HHS/Education To fund the electronic-access project of University of Kentucky's Law School.
$1,000,000CA Commerce To fund the Bay Area law enforcement technology system.
$1,000,000FL Labor/HHS/Education To upgrade educational computing and technology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg.
$1,000,000MA Labor/HHS/Education To fund technology upgrades and equipment for the National Center for Technology Literacy at the Museum of Science in Boston.
Source: Citizens Against Government Waste analysis performed for CNET News.com.
n/a = "not available"