The Heritage Foundation - Leadership for America

How can Congress both fight wasteful pork barrel spending and support our troops all at the same time? By backing Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R-SC) new bill the Semper Fi Act of 2008 which rescinds over $2 million in hidden earmarks for Berkeley, California in the 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill, and transfer the funds to the Marine Corps.

DeMint’s bill restores sanity to our nation’s priorities by denying $243,000 in taxpayer dollars to the five star restaurant Chez Panisse to prepare gourmet organic lunches for the Berkeley School District. Among other gourmet items on the French restaurant’s menu: “Grilled Wolfe Ranch quail with wild mushroom bread pudding, broccoli, and gremolata” priced very reasonably at $25. DeMint is targeting Berkeley related earmarks in response to the city council calling the Marines “uninvited and unwelcome intruders” and giving the protest group Code Pink a free weekly parking space and sound permit to protest in front of the Shattuck Avenue recruiting station.