There is a growing list of Web sites with valuable resources for readers who want to know more about federal spending in general and earmarks in particular, and who want to do something about them.
Although it’s not fully operational yet, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 mandated creation of a Google-like Internet database of most federal spending.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget is building the FFATA spending database. A preliminary informational Web site is up now at www.federalspending.gov/comments/comments.do.
In the meantime, OMB Watch, a Washington-based liberal nonprofit, has created FedSpending.org, which is viewed by many as a precursor to the coming government Web site.
FedSpending.org captures federal contracts and grants and organizes the data in an easy-to-use format that allows users to search federal spending by querying for specific agencies, programs, states, companies, kind of service or products purchased and many more factors.
» Tip: Want to have some fun? Do searches in FedSpending.org on “party,” “entertainment,” “beauty,” “sports” and “consult.” Other search terms of interest will quickly come to mind.
Other Web sites of interest include:
» Office of Management and Budget: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/earmarks/index.html
» Citizens Against Government Waste: councilfor.cagw.org
» Porkbusters: www.porkbusters.org
» Sunlight Foundation: www.sunlightfoundation.com
» Americans for Prosperity: www.americansforprosperity.org
» National Taxpayers Union: www.ntu.org/main
» The Sam Adams Alliance: www.samadamsalliance.org
