Congressman Flake Files Amendments To Stimulus Bill

Press Release

Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona's Sixth District, today filed several amendments to the economic stimulus that the House of Representatives will consider this week.

Recognizing that funding from the bill will be wasted, the stimulus includes a provision that precludes casinos, aquariums, zoos, golf courses, and swimming pools from receiving funds from the bill.

Congressman Flake has drafted an amendment that would expand the list to include duck ponds, museums, skate parks, equestrian centers, dog parks, ski hills, historic homes, ice rinks, splash playgrounds, and speaker systems.

The list was created using the U.S. Conference of Mayors' wish list of pork projects that are "ready to go" when they receive funding from the stimulus.

"The inclusion of the original provision preventing zoos and swimming pools from getting money is an acknowledgement that a lot of the money going to local governments will be wasted on pork," said Flake. "Why not expand the list to include many of the other pork projects on the mayors' wish list?"

Congressman Flake also has filed amendments to limit funding in the bill for Amtrak, AmeriCorps, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Congressman Flake does not support the stimulus as currently drafted. He favors an alternative offered by the Republican Study Committee which relies on tax cuts, rather than government spending, to stimulate the economy.

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