Construction Kicks Off in Arkansas, Thanks to Don Young Earmarking

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Rep. Don Young (R-AK) didn’t just look out for Alaska when he chaired the House transportation committee. He saw the big picture, keeping in mind the myriad of needs across the country, particularly in those districts that hosted fundraisers for Young’s campaign fund. For example, after voters in Arkansas donated thousands to him and his PAC, he helped channel some $415 million in earmarks to the state, situated about 4,000 miles away from his district.

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports that this week the town of Pine Bluff kicked off construction of a highway interchange project. Pine Bluff residents donated $66,000 to Young’s campaign fund just before their needed-earmark appeared in the pork-filled highway bill of 2005:

…the connector has seen more than its share of congressional attention over the years. It started with a $ 100 million earmark in 1998 as well as an additional $ 40 million six years later. In 2006, Congress set aside $ 72 million more for the project.

Many credit U. S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., and his predecessor, Rep. Jay Dickey, R-Ark., as well a grass-roots lobbying effort that included throwing fundraisers for a former influential chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska.

When Young’s tenure as transportation committee chair ended, he offered the Anchorage Daily News his thoughts:

“Now I can say this is for Alaska and not have to be worried about, you know, Arkansas,” said Young with a grin.

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