- Well despite efforts to cut back on

wasteful federal spending

a new report shows the pigsare still at the trough.

CBN Capitol Hill correspondentAbigail Robertson

shows us some of thisyear's biggest projects

charged to the American taxpayer.

- Republicans are supposedly the party of

fiscal responsibility

yet the 2018 Congressional Pig Book

shows that ear marksand pork barrel spending

are dangerously on the rise

and costing taxpayers billions.

- The cost of earmarksdoubled in fiscal year 2018

from $6.8 billion to $14.7 billion.

- [Robertson] Americans thoughtthe practice of lawmakers

using federal funds forpet projects back home

like the infamous $398 millionAlaska Bridge to Nowhere

ended in 2011.

- They're simply lesstransparent and more secretive.

Rather than listing the namesof the members of Congress

they just add a huge amount of money

and then divide it upprobably behind closed doors,

calling the agencies.

- [Robertson] This year'ssummary exposed things

like 65 million for the Pacificcoastal salmon recovery fund

and 13 million going to local museums,

opera houses, and theaters.

- It is very frustrating.

We need to do better for our taxpayers.

- [Robertson] Congressman Mark Walker says

this practice leads to shady favors,

a corrupt government,and wasteful spending.

- I find it and I believe a lot of people

that I talk to in North Carolina

one of the mostfrustrating things is using

the taxpayers' dollars to arrange deals

or get things to voteone way or the other.

That's what we've gottacontinue to prove on here in DC.

- [Robertson] Some lawmakerswanna lift the earmark ban

to ease the gridlock of spending bills.

But Senator Jeff Flakecalls that a terrible idea.

- This notion that if youhave a bunch of earmarks

you can speed the appropriations process

just doesn't wash.

All it does is leverage more spending.

It is the gateway drugto spending addiction.

- These lawmakers argueearmarks are the antithesis

of draining the swamp andthey're fighting to see them

banned once and for all.

Reporting from Washington,Abigail Robertson CBN News.