Appropriations Requests

Congressman Ruppersberger serves on the Appropriations Committee. The Committee writes the twelve spending measures that fund the federal government and related agencies including:
 

• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
• Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
• Defense
• Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
• Financial Services and General Government
• Homeland Security
• Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
• Labor, Health, Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
• Legislative Branch
• Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies
• State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies

Congressman Ruppersberger works with local and state officials to understand their funding priorities. The Appropriations Committee then crafts 12 separate spending bills that reflect the needs of the nation and individual Congressional districts. The Congressman works within the Committee to ensure that Maryland’s priorities are fully considered.

The 2nd District of Maryland includes BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport, the National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), the Port of Baltimore and the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay. It also includes neighborhoods in Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Harford County, and Baltimore City.

Maryland is a dynamic and active state. Two of the state’s largest economic engines, BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Port of Baltimore, are in Maryland’s 2nd District. In addition, 60,000 high-paying jobs are heading to the area through the Base Realignment and Closure Process (BRAC). Congressman Ruppersberger’s priorities on the Appropriations Committee are to help improve economic conditions, meet health care demands, address infrastructure needs, expand educational opportunities, promote environmental protection, enhance transportation and military advancements, and strengthen intelligence capabilities in Maryland and across our nation.

In order for the government to operate, Congress must pass appropriations bills. The regular budget process uses the President’s Budget as a blueprint. From that blueprint, Congress can add or subtract federal funds as necessary to meet the needs of American citizens. The budget funds many vital programs and activities, from national defense to health care. Congress may also provide funding for specific projects, which are often requested by individual members. These specific projects are often called earmarks, but are more accurately called Congressionally directed spending.

There have been abuses in Congressionally directed spending. Directed spending has received negative publicity because of recent scandals like Duke Cunningham’s bribery conviction. As a result, the important needs of Maryland will be put under the political microscope. This heightened scrutiny of government spending is good for our nation.

However, so-called earmarks are nothing more than targeted spending on specific projects. When the federal government allocated money to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, it was in the form of an earmark. When the government gave New York $20 billion after 9/11 to rebuild, it was an earmark.

Without Congressionally directed spending, the decisions on how to spend money is left to government bureaucrats instead of elected officials. Members of Congress are elected because they are experts on what their districts need. The earmark process will allow the Maryland Delegation to get the resources Maryland needs.

Fiscal Year 2011 Spending Requests

Fiscal Year 2010 Spending Requests

Fiscal Year 2010 Surface Transportation Projects

Fiscal Year 2010 Water Resources Development Act

Fiscal Year 2008 Spending Requests