{"id":46985,"date":"2021-05-04T17:22:07","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T23:22:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/colorado-democrats-in-u-s-house-seek-200m-for-projects\/"},"modified":"2021-05-04T23:22:07","modified_gmt":"2021-05-04T23:22:07","slug":"colorado-democrats-in-u-s-house-seek-200m-for-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/colorado-democrats-in-u-s-house-seek-200m-for-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado Democrats in U.S. House seek $200M for projects"},"content":{"rendered":"3 Republican representatives oppose using earmarks\n

\"Several
Several Front Range transportation projects are among the earmarks Colorado\u2019s four Democratic members of the U.S. House have requested as part of the Biden administration\u2019s $2 trillion infrastructure bill. The three GOP members of the U.S. House from Colorado oppose the earmarking system.<\/span>Associated Press file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The four Colorado Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have assembled a list of nearly $200 million in special spending on transportation initiatives and community projects in their districts as Congress reopens the door to the controversial practice of earmarking.<\/p>\n

The Colorado projects in an expected $2 trillion infrastructure bill range from $20,000 for Denver\u2019s Mi Casa Resource Center to $29.2 million to rebuild the Interstate 70 and Airpark Road interchange east of the city.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been 10 years since Congress ended earmarks, the practice of allowing individual members to designate funding for projects in their districts. Scandals and controversy surrounding the spending practice led to its demise, and conservatives remain skeptical of earmarks.<\/p>\n

Republicans in conservative districts have disavowed the practice, including the three GOP U.S. representatives from Colorado. That could mean Colorado Springs and the state\u2019s rural areas lose out on some funding opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a party-line thing, where if you want to show you\u2019re a good GOP member you denounce earmarks,\u201d said Kevin Kosar, a scholar specializing in governance for the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. \u201cIf they go after earmarks, they may hurt their small-government cred.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the projects may be key to getting Democratic President Joe Biden\u2019s $2 trillion infrastructure plan through Congress.<\/p>\n

The House adopted earmark guidelines for community projects and transportation projects prohibiting conflicts of interest and money going to for-profit organizations. Those rules require House members to post information about their projects on their official webpages, which all the Democrats have done.<\/p>\n

Kosar praised those measures. \u201cI think this system, assuming they continue to roll it out well, is going to be so much better than the old system, not least because it requires transparency.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Senate has yet to create guidelines for projects, so Colorado\u2019s Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet have yet to identify any they\u2019ll include in infrastructure bills. Both Democrats are expected to have earmarks, too.<\/p>\n

There are no guarantees the designated projects will be included in final spending bills. But the earmarks are a good start toward funding.<\/p>\n

Kosar said the projects will be reviewed by the Government Accountability Office \u201cto see if there are boondoggles in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is going to force members of Congress to be selective,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Earmarks heavy on road projects<\/div>\n

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Aurora, has the most costly list of projects, including a $29.2 million request to rebuild the Interstate 70 and Airpark Road interchange near Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

\"Crow\"
Crow<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Crow is also requesting $22.4 million for the Interstate 76 and Bridge Street interchange in Brighton and $10 million for the Interstate 25 and Belleview Avenue interchange in Arapahoe County.<\/p>\n

Transit and homelessness is a focus for U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver. She\u2019s asking for $13.5 million to renovate Broadway Station at I-25, and $7.9 million for central corridor rail replacement on behalf of RTD.<\/p>\n

Another $10 million requested by DeGette would go toward rebuilding a shelter for Urban Peak, an organization that serves homeless youths in Denver.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe funding requests we\u2019ve made this year focus on several important issues facing the district \u2013 including homelessness and improvements to our light rail,\u201d DeGette said in a written statement. \u201cIf approved, this funding will have a significant impact on our community in a wide range of ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

The top project for U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Arvada, is $10 million to widen Wadsworth Boulevard in Wheat Ridge between West 35th Avenue and I-70.<\/p>\n

\u201cCongressionally-directed spending provides an opportunity to advocate on behalf of the cities, counties and nonprofits in my district and work to secure the funding they need to make critical investments in our community and better serve Coloradans,\u201d Perlmutter said in a written statement.<\/p>\n

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Lafayette, asked for the least amount of funding, at $27.6 million. His most expensive request is $6.7 million for a transit center in Frisco.<\/p>\n

Republicans disavow earmarks<\/div>\n

Republican U.S. Reps. Doug Lamborn of Colorado Springs, Ken Buck of Windsor and Lauren Boebert of Garfield County didn\u2019t submit earmarked projects.<\/p>\n

\"Boebert\"
Boebert<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Buck and Boebert signed a pledge against earmarks, along with 27 other Republicans, calling them a \u201ccorrupting practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCongressman Buck does not support carving out earmarks for special interests,\u201d Buck\u2019s spokeswoman, Lindsey Curnette, said in a written statement. \u201cStakeholders in Colorado\u2019s 4th District are able to submit requests under the regular appropriations process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Boebert\u2019s been a frequent critic of the spending practice, signing on to another letter in March with 24 House members and 10 senators to emphasize her opposition.<\/p>\n

Lamborn didn\u2019t sign either anti-earmark letter. But he also didn\u2019t designate any projects.<\/p>\n

The Sun inquired with Lamborn\u2019s office about a blank webpage on his official website titled \u201cCommunity Funded Projects.\u201d The page changed to say \u201cPage Not Found\u201d after The Sun\u2019s inquiry.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs of now, Congressman Lamborn\u2019s office will not be working on community-funded projects,\u201d Cassandra Sebastian, Lamborn\u2019s spokeswoman, said in an email.<\/p>\n

That may disappoint some of the Republicans\u2019 constituents.<\/p>\n

Cathy Shull, executive director of Pro 15, a group that advocates for northeastern Colorado, said rural counties expect to get some benefits from the infrastructure measures being pushed by Democrats. But getting earmarks would provide even more help, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur group is not a big fan of earmarks, but we hate being left out,\u201d she said. \u201cSomebody\u2019s going to get them. A little extra boost from the federal government would have been really nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to covering Colorado issues. To learn more, go to coloradosun.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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