Jeff Flake: “None was intended. I was just hoping to shorten the conversation here. But this museum began as a Works Progress…”

“None was intended. I was just hoping to shorten the conversation here. But this museum began as a Works Progress Administration project in 1942. It's an old New Deal program. It's still around, and one might question why the museum is still receiving Federal funds, even though the Depression era has come and gone, and the WPA has long since closed up shop. I spoke to the author of this amendment. I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Manzullo, and he explained some of the things I had a question about. One was a question about where the funding actually goes, was it to the Burpee Museum or was it to Northern Illinois University that has a paleontology department, and as I understand it, is lending staff to the museum. He clarified that, and I think I understand how that goes now. My question is, and the gentleman points out as well and I'm sure he will in defense of this earmark, that this is an economically distressed area. There are many around the country, in every district in the country. If the entire district is not economically depressed, certain areas of it are, and it would be difficult, if not impossible, to try to discern by Members of Congress where funding should go and where it should not. And I simply believe that it's not our place here to do this. In many cases, the accounts that we're earmarking are accounts that there is a competitive process at the Federal agency for the funds to be given out.”