1. Read the "Background" below. How much of the defense spending bill was earmarked by senators for their home states?

2. From what part of the defense spending bill did the senators take most of the money for their pet projects, according to analyst Winslow Wheeler?

3. What are the O&M accounts, and how are they used?

4. How did Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (Democrat-Hawaii) defend his earmarks?

5. Under "Background" below, read the explanation of how the defense appropriations bill is used.
a) Re-read paragraphs 12-15 for the explanations given by Senators John Kerry, Mary Landrieu and David Vittter for their earmarks in the defense bill. What do you think of their explanations?
b) Should the projects above and the others described in para. 16 be included in the defense spending bill? Explain your answer.