Sen. Inouye a master at milking the federal budget

By Frank Oliveri
Advertiser Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — The task of securing money in the federal budget for projects in a particular state involves an intricate dance among the president, federal agencies, lobbyists and lawmakers.

Few work the system as well as Sen. Dan Inouye.

As a first step, agencies make proposals to the president's Office of Management and Budget, which sets spending limits. The president then sends his budget request to Congress.

The chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations committees then determine how much money each appropriations subcommittee will have to work with. The defense subcommittee, for instance, is assigned a dollar amount and works within that amount in deciding which defense projects should receive money.

Then, Rep. Neil Abercrombie said, officials from individual federal agencies approach lawmakers and tell them, "Here is what we'd really like to have."

But more experienced Capitol Hill staffers do research. They try to find out which programs need expanding and which research and development opportunities exist.

In the case of military budget requests for Hawai'i, they track down companies in the state that can provide services to the military establishment, said Michael Fulton, executive vice president of the Golin-Harris International lobbying firm in Arlington, Va.

"Find out what the agency's needs are, and that translates into more benefits for your home state," Fulton said. "I can tell you, those members of Congress that work with the agencies and find out what is going on before it happens ... to the victor goes the spoils."

Fulton, who was a Capitol Hill staffer for 10 years, said Inouye is virtually alone in his ability to detect opportunities in seeking military project money for Hawai'i.

"If staffers are telling lobbyists and constituent organizations to see the chairman and ranking member, and Inouye's name is on the top of the list because (he) is easy to work with, they are going to steer business to that state and that number," he said. "You can't buy that. You earn it. Inouye has earned that reputation."

For his part, Inouye said, "I have the most senior staff on the Hill."

In fact, Inouye said, other senators often seek tutorials from his staffers to better understand the issues and the process.

"I find if you have any sense in your cranium, you try to be close to your friends and your colleagues," Inouye said. He noted that he enjoys a close relationship with GOP Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, who heads the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"I look upon Ted Stevens as a brother," he said.

Inouye brings in millions in military spending to Hawai'i

Some of the biggest federal spending projects Sen. Dan Inouye helped steer to Hawai'i between 1998 and 2003:

1998
$13,000,000	Pearl Harbor Naval Complex, Family Housing
9,500,000	Fort DeRussy, Asian Pacific Center
8,000,000	Pacific Disaster Center
7,400,000	Pearl Harbor Naval Station, Advanced SEAL Delivery System Facility
7,000,000	Center of Excellence for Researching in Ocean Sciences
1999
$23,500,000	Army, Schofield Barracks, Land Acquisition, Kahuku Training Area
20,000,000	Pacific Missile Range Facility
18,000,000	Akamai (Army)
15,000,000	Navy, Kane'ohe Bay Marine Corps Air Station, Bachelor Enlisted Headquarters
12,000,000	Littoral surveillance system
2000
$24,137,000	Navy and Marine Corps, Family Housing, Pearl Harbor Naval Complex
21,990,000	Navy, Pearl Harbor Naval Submarine Base, Berthing Wharf
21,295,000	Navy and Marine Corps, Family Housing, Kane'ohe Bay Marine Corps Air Station
15,336,000	Navy and Marine Corps, Family Housing, Pearl Harbor Naval Complex
14,483,000	Navy and Marine Corps, Family Housing, Pearl Harbor Naval Complex, Hospital Point
2001
$39,260,000	National Guard: 4 UH-60L aircraft
35,000,000	Payment to Kaho'olawe Island Conveyance, Remediation, and Restoration Fund
24,000,000	Ship depot operating support Pearl Harbor Shipyard
20,000,000	Warfare tactics, Pacific Missile Range Facility
17,000,000	Capital purchase plan (Pearl Harbor) (Operating Forces IPE)
2002
$42,500,000	Payment to Kaho'olawe Island conveyance, remediation, and environmental restoration fund
35,500,000	Tactical component network/Pacific Range Missile Facility
23,800,000	Pacific Range Missile Facility upgrades
20,400,000	Warfare tactics, Pacific Range Missile Facility
17,400,000	Maui space surveillance system increase
2003
$21,300,000	Pacific Missile Range Facility Upgrades
19,700,000	Hawaii Federal Health Care Network
19,400,000	Site Improvements, Navy, Ford Island
18,500,000	Waterfront/Mechanical Shop (Bravo Pier), Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard
17,000,000	Pacific Missile Range Facility

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Source: Gannett News Service