Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. press release, June 22, 1995

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Richard Cross June 22, 1995 202-225-3061 EHRLICH ASSAILS IMPROPER LOBBYING ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL GRANTEES Washington, D. C. — Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (R-MD) today criticized private sector organizations that accept billions of dollars in federal grants for “lobbying on the taxpayers’ dime.” “More than 100,000 private organizations received an estimated $39 billion in federal grants. Due to shoddy accounting practices, we have no way of knowing what percentage of the monies appropriated to them are used to fund their lobbying activities,” Congressman Ehrlich explained. “This whole practice is little more than a high stakes shell game. Special interests get to play, while taxpayers merely wind up footing the bill.” Among the examples of abuse cited by Ehrlich is a 1993 grant from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to The Nature Conservancy. The grant’s stated purpose was to “support volunteer, outreach, and public affairs programs for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.” According to a performance report issued by The Nature Conservancy, the funds were used instead to develop and direct a “plan to counter opposition’s push for a county- wide referendum against the Sanctuary.” The report states that the plan was “successful in blocking referendum . . . and generated many positive articles and editorials using many of the messages