Richard Shelby actually said...

Mr. Chairman, while there are signs of improvement in the economy, conditions remain weak, especially in labor markets.

His office insists the tactic is not about pork-barrel spending in his state. Instead, the issue is national security, specifically getting ...

He says give me my pork, or I will bring the government to a halt.

If they have the authority, then it is a question of do they have the will to use their authority. Is that right?