Jeff Flake: “I put this next one after the last one because they kind of are similar. Again, the argument has to be why aren't we…”

“I put this next one after the last one because they kind of are similar. Again, the argument has to be why aren't we debating this in the Labor-HHS bill? If we are debating it at all, it should be debated in the Labor-HHS. This earmark that we are seeking to strike is $1 million for the JASON Education Foundation in Ashburn, Virginia. Again, it seems like something that ought to be in the Labor-HHS bill. The mission of the JASON Foundation, and this is from their own Website, is to ``inspire in students a lifelong passion for learning in science, math and technology through hands-on, real-world scientific discovery.'' That is a wonderful mission. I am glad kids are getting the opportunity, but we shouldn't be funding it in the defense bill. Dr. Robert Ballard has already been referenced here. He is the world's foremost ocean archeologist, and is its founder. They have good leadership. This is the same Dr. Ballard who collocates his ocean exploration operations out of the Mystic Aquarium, the recipient of $1.4 million in earmarks so far this year. With corporate sponsorship and support from the likes of Oracle, Sun Microsystems, EDS, Shell, and Texas Instruments, the JASON Foundation has very good backing. However, this earmark raises questions that apply to too many other earmarks: Why is it in the defense bill? Should it receive any earmark funding at all? Who requested it? We don't know. I to this moment do not know who requested this earmark.…”