Summer means many things.  For kids, school has let out, for friends and family it means many backyard barbeques, but for Congress it means one thing….Pork.

This morning Citizens Against Government Waste released its preliminary report of 6 of the House’s appropriations bills, and already earmarks are at a higher level than that of last year.  But you don’t have to take my word for it, look for yourself.

Commerce, Justice, Science:  CAGW has documented 1,123 projects at a cost of $409.8 million.

Energy & Water:  CAGW found 655 projects at a cost of $821 million.

Financial Services:  There are 197 projects costing $57 million, which represents a 45 percent increase in projects and an 84 percent increase in dollar amounts from CAGW’s calculation for the fiscal year 2008 House bill.

Interior:  For fiscal year 2009, CAGW has enumerated 247 projects at a cost of $134.9 million.  In fiscal year 2008, CAGW found 226 projects worth $111 million in the House bill.  The 2009 totals represent a 9.3 percent increase in projects and a 21.5 percent increase in dollar amount from 2008.

Labor/HHS:  For fiscal year 2009, CAGW calculated that there are 1,370 earmarks at a cost of $618.8 million.  In fiscal year 2008, CAGW found 1,305 projects costing $277.9 million in the House bill.  The number of projects increased by 5 percent, but the dollar amount jumped by a whopping 122 percent.

Military Construction:  CAGW found 102 earmarks costing $621.3 million.