Economy & Budget

Eight Democratic lawmakers and three activist groups will use tax day to call attention to the cost of the Iraq war, ceremonially presenting taxpayers tomorrow with a jumbo-sized IRS 1040 form showing how much each American family owes for the war.

Participating lawmakers are Reps. Jan Schakowsky (Ill.), Jim McGovern (Mass.), Peter Welch (Vt.), Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Keith Ellison (Minn.), Barbara Lee (Calif.), Dennis Kucinich (Ohio), and Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas). The groups are USActon, Americans United for Change, and Iraq Campaign 2008. The lawmakers and groups will gather on the Cannon terrace at 10 a.m.

According to Schakowsky's office, the war has cost $526 billion directly with a $1.3 trillion on the U.S. economy. When that sum is divided, Schakowsky's office says, it leaves the average American family with a $16,500 cost for the war.

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) successfully attached an anti-earmark amendment Thursday to the Beach Act by a vote of 263-117.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) voted present while 103 Democrats and 14 Republicans voted against it.

In a release, Flake said, "Supporters of [the Beach Act] have said that they have no intention of earmarking funds authorized under it. However, we

UPDATED 1:14 P.M.:

Citizens Against Government Waste released its annual Pig Book Tuesday.

Earmarks from both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made the book. Obama helped secure $1.6 million for the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Three Clinton projects made the list including money for jazz at Lincoln Center, a non-profit development company and the FDR Presidential Library in New York.

Here are some more of the highlights:

• The number of pork projects rose by 337 percent


• Alaska leads all states in pork per capita. The state lawmakers bring in $556 per resident


• $211,509 was spent on fruit fly research in France


• $460,752 was spent on hops research


• The top 3 pork recipients were Sens. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) bringing in over $1.8 billion combined

The Hill's Managing Editor Bob Cusack gives a preview of the week ahead in Congress.