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it comes to federal spending. The Depart-

ness, earmarks and add-ons can be particu-

ment of Defense is also by far the biggest

larly controversial. They take money that

source of federal funding for private compa-

might have been used for readiness and allo-

nies. The department writes contracts for

cate it instead to the pet projects of particular

roughly $120 billion per year to purchase

members of Congress and companies. The

goods and services for everything from cruise

contradiction between congressional prerog-

missiles to paper clips.59

atives and the priorities of the armed forces

The sheer size of the Pentagon's budget

erupted in a congressional hearing in the fall

for contracting virtually ensures that military

of 1998. Gen. Henry Shelton, the head of the

spending will be a political football. Com-

Joint Chiefs of Staff, chastised members of

panies, constituencies, and members of

Congress for forcing the military to buy air-

Congress attempt to tilt the department's

craft and ships that the Pentagon had not

budget toward programs that benefit them.

requested in lieu of other higher-priority

The pork-barrel politics of defense spending

items.62

has been particularly egregious since the

Now that President Clinton has agreed to

Republicans took control of both houses of

add at least $112 billion to the Pentagon bud-

Congress in January 1995. Over the past four

get over the next six years, public bickering

The Pentagon

years, Congress has added a cool $30 billion

between the Joint Chiefs and key members of

predicted a few

to the Pentagon budget beyond what the

Congress has subsided for the moment. But

department requested--mostly for big-ticket

the question raised by General Shelton

years ago that

weapons systems built in the districts or

remains a valid one: does it make sense to let

U.S. companies

states of congressional leaders or members of

members of Congress front for their favorite

are likely to domi-

key committees.60

home-state contractors in the Pentagon bud-

get process? And--to go beyond General

The most conspicuous examples of pork-

nate the world

Shelton's point--if a program is inserted in the

barrel spending are congressional add-ons and

arms market for

budget primarily to help the fortunes of a par-

earmarks. An add-on is a project that the

ticular company, is that not corporate welfare

Department of Defense or the military services

years to come with

at its worst?

have not requested but is included in the

or without special

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a decorated mil-

defense budget at the request of a specific

government financ-

itary veteran and a recognized expert on securi-

member of Congress. Add-ons often appear as

ty matters, has provided a useful, albeit narrow,

part of catchall supplemental appropriations;

ing arrangements or

definition of military pork: anything Congress

for example, the $8.3 billion that was added to

tax breaks.

adds to the military budget that has not been

the Pentagon budget as part of the omnibus

requested by the Pentagon or the military ser-

appropriations bill agreed upon by the White

vices in their budget submissions. (That defin-

House and congressional leaders in October of

ition excludes huge amounts of pork already

1998. An earmark is a project that is usually

built into the Pentagon submissions, for exam-

inserted by a senator or representative in an

ple, weapons that are unneeded or left over

armed services or appropriations committee

from the Cold War.) McCain argued that the

markup of the Pentagon budget. The main dif-

last few years have been plagued by the "worst

ference between an earmark and an add-on is

military pork" that he had seen during his

the effect on the rest of the Pentagon budget:

tenure in the Senate. McCain estimates that his

an add-on is added to everything else for which

colleagues on Capitol Hill added at least $4.5

the Pentagon has requested funding; an ear-

billion in unnecessary spending to the FY99

mark usually comes at the expense of other

military budget.63

Pentagon projects.61

At a time when the Pentagon and the

Pork-barrel politics is a bipartisan pursuit.

armed services are seeking additional fund-

In the deliberations over the FY99 budget,

ing for military pay, increased training, and

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.)

other expenditures to improve military readi-

inserted $94 million for a space-based laser

20