To My Constituents:

The Constitution of the United States vests in the Congress of the United States the power and responsibility of the public purse. Our founding fathers believed that Congress could best steward public funds in an open and transparent process because they were directly accountable to the people. However, the "Earmark" practice in today's Congress can actually facilitate corrupt intent on the part of those members of Congress who serve their own interests more than those of the country and the people. In recent years, spending earmarks have been placed in appropriations bills without even disclosing the name of its sponsor. Even worse, sometimes the spending earmarks were inserted during the conference committee process which often prevented members from even knowing that the earmark was in a particular appropriation bill before the vote was taken.  This is a process that invites corruption.

It is important to remember that the entire federal budget is a long series of individual budget designations.  The power to decide the specifics of those budget designations is granted to the Congress by the United States Constitution.  To abrogate that power or to use it for personal gain is to diminish the Constitution itself.  I believe the time has come to reform this process into the one envisioned by America's Founding Fathers and the authors of our Constitution.  Our Founders knew that members of Congress would far better understand the needs and priorities of their own congressional district more than a bureaucrat who had never set foot in that district, and had no accountability to any person in it. Consequently, we have adopted a policy in our office as follows: 

1. Any and all budget requests made by this office will be fully disclosed and be made public online. That disclosure shall include the specific purpose of a request, the provision of the Constitution covering the request or granting the federal government the power to make an appropriation in the nature of the subject request, and the exact amount, along with my name and office phone number to allow any input or comments from constituents or the general public.   

2. Any and all budget requests made by this office will be submitted both to the authorizing committee and the appropriating committee to allow complete transparency as well as the opportunity for other members to openly and publicly support or challenge any such request in committee or on the floor.  

3. This office will never ask for a budget request to be “an airdropped earmark” except in the rare case of a national security emergency. Even then, the public disclosure policies mentioned above will still be applicable.  

4. Any and all budget requests made by this office shall be accompanied by a sworn affidavit that no known conflict of interest exists which would be a personal financial benefit to me or my family members. 

My commitment is to openly, honestly and conscientiously fulfill my responsibility as a Member of the United States Congress carry out my Constitutional responsibility to help compose the federal budget, while making that process transparent, and holding myself accountable to the American people.  

Trent Franks
Member of Congress

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*Update:

FY2010 Budget Designation Requests

1) Proposed Recipient:  City of Glendale, Arizona, 5850 W. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, AZ  85301

Amount of Request:  $1,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  To upgrade and enhance the computer aided dispatch and records management system that is used by law enforcement to respond to emergencies in the Glendale community.  These upgrades will include modules for booking, records management, dispatch, homeland security, court / prosecutors and wireless ticketing, as well as automatic vehicle location, a system that is currently used by the fire department which results in a much quicker response to calls and includes mapping so that officers can be directed to the call location.  Over the past several years, the City of Glendale has become an entertainment and sports destination. The City is home to the University of Phoenix Stadium, a 73,000 seat multi-purpose facility which hosts the NFL Cardinals football games, the Fiesta Bowl, an annual BCS Game and just hosted the 2008 Super Bowl.  The adjoining Jobing.com arena is home to the NHL Phoenix Coyotes and hosts numerous events and concerts. The national and regional events held at these facilities have significantly increased the public safety needs and demands on the City of Glendale. In order to protect the public that attends these events, the City of Glendale is pursing the acquisition of infrastructure equipment that will enhance emergency response time.  The Glendale Police Department currently uses a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management System (RMS) which was built in-house in the mid 1980s.  The system is difficult to work with and sometimes it is not possible to make changes that reflect the current needs of the Police Department.  This project will make the technology improvements necessary to meet the Glendale area’s increasing public safety needs.

2) Proposed Recipient:  Lake Havasu City, Arizona, 314 London Bridge Rd, Lake Havasu, AZ  86403

Amount of Request:  $2,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  Since the first high levels of fecal coliform bacteria were measured in public beaches and shoreline areas on Lake Havasu in 1994, the City has worked aggressively to eliminate the pollution and prevent groundwater contamination from conventional septic systems. 

The City has taken extreme measures starting with the 2001 voter approved bond election of a $463 million Wastewater System Expansion Program to construct a new sewer system to eliminate 25,000 septic systems over an 11-year period.  While the City has been successful in their efforts to lower the overall cost of design and construction, the cost is still estimated at well over $400 million. The current average sewer bill is approximately $52 per month, although 743 residences report sewer bills in excess of $100 at this time.  Further, and according to the most recent sewer rate study the average sewer bill for residential properties will be approximately $80.00 at the conclusion of the expansion in just a few short years.   These costs do not include any other utility or municipal service fees such as water, electric, gas, communications, cable, and trash and the fees for those services are in addition to the sewer fee.  The excessively high sewer bills place a significant and sometimes untenable burden on the residents of Lake Havasu City, particularly those with fixed income, and in the future will be unaffordable to many residences.  The $2 million to construct wastewater improvements requested by Lake Havasu City will assist in mitigating the significant increases in the monthly sewer bills to the residents that are projected over the next few years.

The Lake Havasu City project must move forward in order to continue retiring septic tanks from service and reduce nitrate contamination of the aquifer.  Monitoring well samples have found nitrate levels four times the allowable maximum for drinking water.  The program cost is supported by the City and this project represents the largest successful bond election for this type of project in the State of Arizona.  It equates to $12,000 per equivalent user in an area where per capita income is only $20,400 per year.

3) Proposed Recipient:  Bullhead City, Arizona, 2355 Trane Rd, Bullhead City, AZ  86442

Amount of Request:  $1,851,850

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  Bullhead City has contributed over $150 million to upgrade their wastewater system over the past 11 years.  This has included wastewater treatment plant expansions and upgrades, construction of new lift stations, construction of collection systems, elimination of septic systems, and expansion of effluent reuse programs.  The City continues to take steps to remove septic systems from their service area.  They recently completed a major project to provide a collection system to remove 2,800 septic systems from use, and began construction in January 2009 to construct a collection system to remove 350 septic systems as one of the last collection system/septic tank elimination projects in the community.  To accommodate the increased wastewater flows, a 2 million gallon per day expansion (8 MGD ultimate capacity) to one of the City’s two wastewater treatment plants was completed in 2007.  The other wastewater treatment plant requires the construction of various structural and facilities upgrades, including a screening headworks facility to enhance the capacity and reliability of the wastewater treatment plant so it can achieve its full current capacity of 5.6 MGD (8 MGD ultimate capacity).

4) Proposed Recipient:  City of Surprise, Arizona, 12435 W. Bell Rd, Surprise, AZ  86442

Amount of Request:  $864,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  The City of Surprise Police Department has grown significantly over the past few years, both in personnel and in service provided to the community.  In 2008, an increase was experienced of over 12% in total incidents, increasing from 81,332 in 2007 to 92,596 in 2008.  Citizen calls for service made up a total of 41,372 of the 2008 total incidents. Total incidents include the public calls for service, but also the activities of officers such as on viewed crimes and arrests, traffic enforcement and other community contacts.  The money would be used to upgrade 75 mobile data computers and purchase in-car cameras to help keep the West Valley safe from criminal predators.

5) Proposed Recipient:  Arizona Department of Transportation, 206 S. 17th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Amount of Request:  $1,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  $1 million for Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge bond repayment.  This project was authorized by Congress in P.L. 98-381. 

6) Proposed Recipient:  Arizona Department of Transportation, 206 S. 17th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Amount of Request:  $5,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  The Hassayampa Study corridor is located in the Phoenix West Valley.  The request would fund an Environmental Impact Statement of the Hassayampa Freeway and the Hassayampa Study Region.  This project holds tremendous potential for the West Valley and will eventually link the Phoenix region to Las Vegas through the proposed Interstate 11 corridor.

7) Proposed Recipient:  Operation Smile, 6435 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk, VA 23509

Amount of Request:  $2,500,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  Operation Smile has a presence in 51 countries around the world and has taken care of more than 130,000 patients since its beginning in 1982.  Over 4,000 volunteers give generously of their time to provide surgery for children with cleft lips and cleft palates and to conduct training on a variety of medical treatments. Operation Smile has executed several humanitarian activities in partnership with various DOD health assets in the PACOM , SOUTHCOM  and CENTCOM area of operations.  These range from support of the USNS Mercy and Comfort missions, to specialized reconstructive programs at Tripler Army Medical Center to a recent historic effrot begun in 2005 where Operation Smile, in concert with DOD and the Department of State, bring needy children from throughout Iraq to Amman Jordan where we have a specialized care center. We look forward to sharing this expertise and experience with AFRICOM as they expand their HA portfolio. The OSMDI will build upon current cooperative programs implemented by Operation Smile that have the approval and support of the Department of Defense.  Winning “hearts and minds,” in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean through medical diplomacy is the goal of the OSMDI.  The program will especially aide in winning “hearts and minds” in the Philippines, Iraq, Jordan, Kurdistan and the West Bank, as there are current Operation Smile activities in these countries that may be expanded through federal funding.  Operation Smile will expand its program to bring needy Iraqi children to Amman, Jordan for reconstructive surgery.  In addition, this service will expand under the Operation Smile Medical Diplomacy Initiative to provide initial and follow-up treatment for children from Kurdistan, West Bank and Jordan. In addition, Operation Smile will identify children for care throughout the southern Philippines where the terrorist organizations Abu Sayyaf and Jamal Islamiyah actively recruit new members.This effort resonates goodwill and champions US concern from family to village to region. Other regional DOD nonmedical assets will be better positioned for success because of this initiative.

8) Proposed Recipient:  Boeing Company, 1200 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209
 
Amount of Request:  Last year's President's Budget (PB), $423,927,000 $237,230,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds: The ABL provides the nation with the capability to shoot down ballistic missiles in their boost phase of flight and perform additional missions such as air-to-air, counter SAM Protection and cruise missile defense.

9) Proposed Recipient:  Boeing Company, 1200 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209

Amount of Request:  Not less than $1.748 B (as projected in FY09) in order to maintain and expand GMD capability $982,922,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds: The Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element is a key component of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). This element consists of multiple sensors, a complex communications system, fire control capability, and ground-based interceptors capable of intercepting intermediate and long-range ballistic missile threats in their midcourse phase of flight.

10) Proposed Recipient:  Raytheon, 1151 East Hermans Road, Building 807, Tucson, AZ  85706

Amount of Request:  No less than last year's president's budget, $488,300,00.

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds: The mission of the Multiple Kill Vehicles (MKV) program element is to counter complex missile threats during the mid-course phase of flight with multiple kill vehicles launched from a single interceptor. 

11) Proposed Recipient:  Raytheon, 1151 East Hermans Road, Building 807, Tucson, AZ  85706

Amount of Request: $45,000,000    $0.0

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  David's Sling is a joint Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) program to develop and deploy a cost-effective, broad-area defense for the State of Israel against short-range ballistic missiles, large-caliber rockets, and cruise missiles.

12) Proposed Recipient:  General Dynamics, 8201 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

Amount of Request:  $9,700,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  This funding would enable accelerated fielding of improved capability and provide and a complementary smaller, lighter, lower cost JTRS alternative for Ground Vehicle programs and dismounted operations.  It also fills a pending gap for light forces to be deployed into Afghanistan.  Porting WNW onto the HMS Manpack will provide network connectivity for light forces and Infantry Brigade Combat Teams operating in mountainous terrain which will not allow heavy vehicles carrying network radios.  WNW on the HMS Manpack will provide an economic alternative vehicular radio for platforms (Abrams, Stryker, Bradley, etc) that are having significant issues with the size, weight, and power issues of the current program.  HMS with WNW provides equal, or in some cases better capabilities (with MUOS) at significantly lower cost than planned alternatives.

13) Proposed Recipient:  Raytheon Company, 1151 East Hermans Road, Building 807, Tucson, AZ  85706

Amount of Request:  No less than amount planned by previous administration, $96,000,000. $46,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  Land Based SM-3 if integrated with an indigenous or U.S. developed Fire Control System and the AN/TPY-2 radar provides a significant upper-tier BMD capability in terms of range, battle space, shoot-look-shoot opportunities and overall performance/reliability.  LB SM-3 system could benefit U.S. objectives, such as defense of Southern Europe, Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska.

14) Proposed Recipient:  Raytheon Company, 1151 East Hermans Road, Building 807, Tucson, AZ  85706

Amount of Request:   $50,000,000  $0.0

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  The Joint Capabilities Mix (JCM) II study, completed by U.S. Strategic Command in CY07, indicates that combatant commanders require twice as many SM-3 missiles than the 147 that are currently planned.

15) Proposed Recipient: Luke Air Force Base, Glendale, Arizona

Amount of Request:  $11,600,000.00

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  Luke Air Force Base's runway is worn out and needs to be repaired. This money will go toward removing damaged asphalt and installing a standard Portland Concrete Cement runway.

16) Proposed Recipient:  Northrop Grumman Corporation, 1840 Century Park East
Los Angeles, California 90067-2199

Amount of Request:  $150,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  Introduction of KEI capability significantly improves the Ballistic Missile Defense System’s (BMDS) probability of engagement success and cost effectiveness against the most sophisticated classes of threats.  MDA should retain a viable KEI option until the new Administration's BMD policy posture is clear Requested funds are not adequate to complete required testing to achieve knowledge point and continue Weapon System requirements work beyond FY09 Increase to the FY10 PB will stop layoffs and stabilize the engineering talent needed for KEI objective system engineering. Without additional funding in FY10, the planned program test schedule will force all program funding to run out by mid-2010.

17) Proposed Recipient:  Robertson Aviation, 1024 E Vista Del Cerro Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281

Amount of Request:  $5,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds: Generally, ground platforms are protected from post event fire by adding armor; sometimes including fire suppression and/or retardant systems, but lack advanced fuel containment technology. Application of mature technology for concussion resistant, ballistically tolerant, self-sealing ground platform fuel tanks that contain fuel to maximize survivability has been successfully demonstrated and is widely used in military aircraft today. 

18) Proposed Recipient:  Robertson Aviation, 1024 E Vista Del Cerro Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281

Amount of Request:  5,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  Internal Auxiliary Fuel Tank System: A 194 gallon crashworthy, ballistically self-sealing, single-point pressure refuelable internal auxiliary fuel system has been developed and fielded to H-60 helicopters operated by the U.S. Army Special Operations, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force Combat Search and Rescue, and certain units of the U.S. Army National Guard. The installation of this system in H-60s operated by the Army National Guard provides significant added flexibility and range/endurance capability in carrying out both disaster and homeland security missions and combat missions overseas.

19) Proposed Recipient:  Raytheon Company, 1151 East Hermans Road, Building 807, Tucson, AZ  85706

Amount of Request: $45,000,000    $41,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  Network Centric Airborne Defense Element (NCADE) is an air launched, boost and assent phase low cost interceptor of short and intermediate range ballistic missiles.  Because of its AMRAAM form/fit, NCADE can be employed from high altitude, long endurance airborne platforms such as Reaper (Predator B), tactical aircraft (F/A-18, F-16, F-15, F-22 and F-35) as well as the Navy's UCAS X-47.

20) Proposed Recipient:  Iridium, 6707 Democracy Blvd. Suite 300, Bethesda, MD 20817

Amount of Request:  $4,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds: There are many initiatives within the US Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) focused on providing visibility into a medical patient's condition within the golden hour, a term used to describe the critical amount of time that passes from when an accident takes place involving severe trauma until irreversible damage sets hold. These initiatives include remote diagnosis's (battle field triage), patient tracking and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) enablement. Many remote medical initiatives are currently constrained as they are required to operate in a forwards area while in motion but lack the requisite satellite communication for real time reach back. This system would provide that "reach back."

21) Proposed Recipient:  Southwest Gas Corporation, 5241 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas, NV 89193

Amount of Request:  $5,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  This project delivers a variety of public goods including increased energy efficiency, reduced peak electricity demand, costs savings to the US military, resource reductions (water), and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It additionally diversifies summer energy sources and provides the foundation for grid independence in electricity production and space conditioning.

22) Proposed Recipient:  Luke AFB, Glendale, AZ 85309

Amount of Request:  $9,760,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds: GBAFAF is the auxiliary airfield for Luke AFB which is USAF's F-16 major training base. The GBAFAF provides an emergency alternative landing site for Luke pilots as well as a sight to conduct take-off and landing practice runs. Replacement of the asphalt runway with concrete is imperative given the stress which the asphalt endures due to the high operations tempo and environmental (heat) conditions which can generate FOD. Conversion to a concrete runway will sustain operations at GBAFAF and eliminate the spall potential.

23) Proposed Recipient:  Advanced Ceramics

Amount of Request:  $15,000,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds: Support efforts at the US Army Battle Command Battle laboratory at Ft. Huachuca to aggressively pursue experimental deployment efforts and spiral development of sensor and
micro-transponder technologies using the Silver Fox and Manta unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Further it will support all-weather and high altitude capabilities for the Silver Fox and Manta UAS.

24) Proposed Recipient:  USAF, Luke AFB, Glendale, AZ 85309

Amount of Request:  $4,400,000

Explanation of Request, including purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds:  The funding request is for Air Education & Training Command (AETC) upgrades.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Programmatic Funding Adjustment Request

 
                                      April 3, 2009
 
 
The Honorable Nita Lowey          
Chairwoman                                 
House Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations
Room HB-26, The Capitol                                                          
Washington, D.C. 20515
 
The Honorable Kay Granger
Ranking Member
Committee House Appropriations
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations
320 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
 
Dear Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger:
 
               As you prepare the FY10 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, I write to request that you reduce the President's budgetary request for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) by $2,000,000.  In addition, I recommend adding language to direct $2,000,000 of the amount provided for in the Human Rights and Democracy Fund to go toward the promotion of international religious freedom through groups that are able to develop legal protections and promote cultural and societal understanding of international norms of religious freedom.
              
               As you know, according to the authorizing legislation, the USCIRF will sunset on September 30, 2011.  In anticipation of this sunset, I recommend a phasing out of the Commission's funding and redistributing these funds to the promotion of the international standard of religious freedom, as originally designed under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA). 
              
               The IRFA established that U.S. diplomatic missions and foreign aid should promote respect for religious freedom in countries where governments engage in or tolerate violations of religious freedom.  To ensure this, Congress amended the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (see below). 
 
SEC. 501.  ASSISTANCE FOR PROMOTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
(a)  Findings [21 USC 2151n note.].‑‑Congress makes the following findings:
(1)  In many nations where severe violations of religious freedom occur, there is not sufficient statutory legal protection for religious minorities or there is not sufficient cultural and social understanding of international norms of religious freedom.
(2)  Accordingly, in the provision of foreign assistance, the United States should make a priority of promoting and developing legal protections and cultural respect for religious freedom.
              
               The FY10 report language for the  Human Rights and Democracy Fund should read:
 
"The Committee recommendation includes XX for the Human Rights and Democracy Fund.  The Committee further directs $2,000,000 of this amount be provided for the promotion of international religious freedom through groups that are able to develop legal protections and promote cultural and societal understanding of international norms of religious freedom."
 
               I look forward to working with you to maintain support for the promotion of this foundational human right through U.S. foreign assistance programs. 
 
                                      Most sincerely,
 
                                      Trent Franks
                                      United States Congress