WASHINGTON — Interrupting his hibernation, the world's most famous groundhog cast a shadow Tuesday over a Capitol Hill debate about wasteful government spending.

Punxsutawney Phil, noted seasonal prognosticator, was awakened and hauled before the TV cameras in an attempt to rebut charges that $100,000 in federal funds for a weather museum in his hometown amounted to pork barrel spending.

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Rep. John Peterson (R-Pa.) gets a closer look at Punxsutawney Phil as Bill Cooper holds him. Tuesday's event in Washington defended a $100,000 grant for a weather museum.
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The weather museum project is not "pork," said its congressional benefactor, Rep. John Peterson (R-Pa.). And as a former owner and operator of a supermarket, he said, "I have a lot of experience with pork."

In its political context, "pork" is a derogatory term used to describe government spending intended to benefit constituents of a particular lawmaker in hopes of gaining their support.

Along with $25,000 for mariachi music education and $100,000 for the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, funding for the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center was among about 12,000 grants for special projects — called "earmarks" on Capitol Hill — that lawmakers inserted into the the $388 billion spending bill that Congress sent to President Bush on Tuesday. It covers spending for every federal agency except the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security for the 2005 fiscal year, which began Oct. 1.

By driving Punxsutawney Phil down from Pennsylvania and pulling him out of his cage for a news conference, supporters of the weather museum sought to show that their project was not a waste of taxpayer money. The museum will be located in an abandoned, historic post office building that has been restored by a small town in need of jobs.

"For our community, this is about economic development. It is not frivolous," said Marlene Lellock, a spokeswoman for the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce. "We thank our congressman. And we don't feel like this is pork."

But congressional watchdog groups charge that such "earmarked" projects, even if worthwhile, bypass the normal budgetary process. These special grants are not requested by federal agencies nor vetted through committees.

"The bottom line is that every congressional district in the nation would love to have a federally funded museum," said Keith Ashdown, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan group that advocates fiscal restraint. "However, the districts that get them are the ones that are represented by powerful politicians. . . . From his seat on the Appropriations Committee, Representative Peterson was able to secure $100,000 for the Weather Museum that neither the administration nor the Senate requested."

Peterson was unapologetic about his actions and unfazed at being upstaged by a groundhog. Federal agencies and the Office of Management and Budget request funds to pay for the president's priorities, he said. Special grants are a way to pay for congressional priorities.

"I'm proud of all my earmarks," he said, describing himself as a fiscal conservative. "I have none that I'm ashamed of."

The $100,000 will go to buy displays for the educational museum, which will tell about the history, science, technology and folklore of weather, said Peterson. The amount — $100,000 — "was my figure — they wanted more, he said.

The town of 6,200 needs an attraction to bring in tourists, supporters said.

"If you've got any more pork, send it our way," laughed Jack Lingenfelter, a local booster.

Phil is normally aroused on Groundhog Day — Feb. 2. If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter will follow.