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In 2001, Senator Robert C. Byrd managed to claw $232 million in pork for West Virginia, or $128 for every single resident, using his privileged position as ranking chairman of the Appropriations Committee. After he secured $97 million in fiscal 1999, Byrd became the first person in CAGW's Congressional Pig Book history to obtain more than $1 billion in pork for his state. In honor of this fiscal incontinence, we dedicate this page to Senator Byrd.

Projects Named For Senator Byrd

Sen. Byrd has set a new standard for taxpayer-funded narcissism by convincing the West Virginia Legislature to erect a statue of himself in the state Capitol. The statue's completion violates state law prohibiting statues of government officials until they have been dead for half a century.

Byrd's statue is currently housed in the Capitol Rotunda, and it is said if you stand under the statue the senator's hand points directly at your pockets.

Sen. Byrd sometimes claims that he is in favor of fiscal restraint. However, the senator currently has over 20 public works named after him - seriously undermining his pleas for budget responsibility.

The projects include a Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam (pictured above), Byrd Aerospace Tech. Center, Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope , Byrd Industrial Park, and various other projects proving how he really sees government coffers.

Other Byrd Projects

Robert C. Byrd Drive, from Beckley to Sophia (Byrd's hometown)
Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia
Robert C. Byrd Cancer Research Center
Robert C. Byrd Technology Center at Alderson-Broaddus College
Robert C. Byrd Hardwood Technologies Center, near Princeton
Robert C. Byrd Bridge between Huntington and Chesapeake, Ohio
Robert C. Byrd addition to the lodge at Oglebay Park, Wheeling
Robert C. Byrd Community Center, Pine Grove
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships
Robert C. Byrd Expressway, U.S. 52 near Weirton
Robert C. Byrd Institute in Charleston
Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing
Robert C. Byrd Visitor Center at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park
Robert C. Byrd Federal Courthouse
Robert C. Byrd Academic and Technology Center
Robert C. Byrd United Technical Center
Robert C. Byrd Federal Building
Robert C. Byrd Hilltop Office Complex
Robert C. Byrd Library and Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center
Robert C. Byrd Rural Health Center
Robert C. Byrd Clinical Addition to the veteran's hospital in Huntington
Robert C. Byrd Industrial Park, Hardy County
Robert C. Byrd Scholastic Recognition Award
Robert C. Byrd Community Center in the naval station, Sugar Grove

Given CAGW's long history of chronicling and criticizing Byrd's prolific spending, CAGW was not surprised when he contemptuously referred to the group as "a bunch of peckerwoods" on National Public Radio in the summer of 2001. Remember, this is the same man who said "you might as well slap my wife as take away my highway money." That must be especially true regarding the Robert C. Byrd Highway.

In an interview with George magazine about loan guarantees for steel companies, Sen. Byrd claimed that "he has no apologies to make" to the American people for the more than $1 billion in taxpayer money he has wasted.

Wouldn't it be sweet justice after Byrd's death if his KKK affilitiation was the reason his name was removed from all his projects?

Just like removing the names of Thomas Jefferson, etc. because they once owned slaves.

Did that list include another of his crowning achievements, the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center in Wheeling, W.Va.? (Psst! It's a parking garage - don't let the fancy name fool you).

As for the deck, I don't think Byrd or the building trades have anything to do with it. Probably just another case of college students renting a rundown, poorly remodeled house.