Royalty Watching - July 19, 2006
This past March, Edmund Andrews of the New York Times uncovered a potential windfall for oil and gas companies that bought leases in the Gulf of Mexico between 1996 and 2000. The federal government could forfeit approximately $80 billion in royalty payments over the next 25 years, because of the Deepwater Royalty Relief Act.

Summer Dieting - June 21, 2006
In Washington, the arrival of summer marks the beginning of the appropriations season. And like most of us, Congress routinely pledges to slim down for the season by cutting the fat from its pork diet. This year, facing a $300 billion deficit, the pressure is on for Congress to make serious attempts to tighten its fiscal belt.

The Oil Royalty Rip-Off - April 4, 2006
Even as they wallow in record oil prices, the oil companies' top executives are trying to swindle the federal taxpayer for billions more in handouts.

No Sweets for Sugar Land - March 16, 2006
For most of us, Halloween trick-or-treating only comes once a year. On Capitol Hill, however, lobbyists and lawmakers can knock on doors all year round and expect handouts.

Paving Over Old Smoky - March 1, 2006
With all eyes recently focused on "bridges to nowhere," it's easy to forget that pork-paved transportation projects aren't a native species of Alaska, but an infestation plaguing most of Congress. Case in point: the North Shore Road in North Carolina.

President's Budget: Another Season, More Reruns - February 14, 2006
Like a bad sit-com, the President's recently released 2007 budget feeds the public little more than worn-out storylines dressed up with a few new gimmicks and gags, most of them predictable and bad.

Salmon Insanity - December 9, 2005
Over the past two decades, the federal government has squandered more than $3.3 billion on salmon recovery efforts

Budget Re-Corn-ciliation - November 10, 2005
When it comes to congressional spending, there's no holier sacred cow than farm subsidies.

The Fat of the Land - November 3, 2005
As Congress scrambles this week to trim the budget and battle the fiscal pressures caused by the Iraq war and hurricane relief, it might want to start with one of the oldest boondoggles on the books: the wasteful way we manage grazing on our public lands.

Pombo's Fools Gold Budget - October 28, 2005
Representative Pombo (R-Calif.) is at it again.The champion of the $10 billion road known as "Pombo's Folly" (see previous Chopping Block), is now trying to balance the budget by practically giving land away to the mining industry.

The Return of a Radioactive Idea: Nuclear Reprocessing October 20, 2005

Pombo's $10 Billion Folly - Mt. Hamilton Range Freeway October 13, 2005

When We Were Kings - Royalty Relief for Big Oil October 6, 2005

Oil Refineries: Rigging the Profits September 29, 2005

Nuclear Power in the Energy Bill July 2005

Sowing the Seeds of Reform June 2005

Transportation Pork May 2005

The Energy Bill April 2005

Introduction to the Chopping Block April 2005