Citizens Against Government Waste Names Sen. Susan Collins June 2024 Porker of the Month

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Maine) its June 2024 Porker of the Month for receiving 231 earmarks costing $575.6 million, the most of any member of Congress.

Sen. Collins secured a shocking 23.5 percent more in earmarks in fiscal year (FY) 2024 than the legislator in second place, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who received 185 earmarks costing $466,370,279. There are many egregious earmarks that Sen. Collins is bringing in, including $20.4 million for the Presque Isle International Airport, $10 million for New England Plant, Soil, and Water Laboratory, $2 million for the Portland Museum of Art, and $239,000 for the Bangor Opera House. It is no surprise that Sen. Collins received The Whole Hog “Oinker” Award in the 2024 Congressional Pig Book.

CAGW President Tom Schatz said, “The 2024 Congressional Pig Book exposes 8,222 earmarks costing $22.7 billion. Legislators like Sen. Collins are responsible for this out-of-control spending spree. Earmarks are the most corrupt, costly, and inequitable practice in the history of Congress and should be permanently eliminated rather than celebrated. For receiving the most earmarks out of any member of Congress, Sen. Collins was an easy choice for this month’s Porker.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government. For more than two decades, Porker of the Month is a dubious honor given to lawmakers and government officials who have shown a blatant disregard for the taxpayers.