Jeff Flake: “this amendment would strike all funding in the bill for Concurrent Technologies Corporation. As you may recall, I…”

“this amendment would strike all funding in the bill for Concurrent Technologies Corporation. As you may recall, I offered an amendment last month during consideration of the Energy and Water appropriations bill to cut funding for something called the Center for Instrumental Critical Infrastructure in Pennsylvania. We did not know whether the center existed. I had a colloquy with the chairman of the subcommittee in that time. But we learned that the money is actually going to Concurrent Technologies Corporation based in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Concurrent Technologies has been a leading earmark recipient in multiple appropriations bills over the years. In the Energy and Water bill, Concurrent received $1 million in earmarked funds. In this bill, Concurrent is due to receive $11 million in the form of four earmarks. Concurrent Technologies was the focus of an October 2, 2006, story in the New York Times titled, ``Trading Boats for Pork Across the House Aisle.'' According to the article, Concurrent Technologies Corporation was created by an earmark in 1988. Back then, the corporation was called the Center for Excellence in Metalworking. The New York Times stated that the military and other Federal agencies have paid Concurrent nearly $1 billion in grants and contracts since 1999. That is $1 billion in taxpayer funds to an entity created with an earmark. That does not include the $12 million Concurrent is receiving in earmarks this year alone.”