Federal Appropriations Requests

Click here for a list of Rep. Israel's FY2010 appropriations requests

Each year, Rep. Israel is able to requests funds for important projects in his district. These funds, known as “earmarks,” give Members of Congress a chance to have a say over how taxpayer dollars get directed toward the needs of their district. Below are some commonly asked questions about federal funds for local projects.

Q. Who can request federal funds?
Anyone is welcome to submit a request for federal funds. The application process for FY2010 is currently closed. Requests for FY2011 will begin early next year. Please check our website http://israel.house.gov for the application.

Q. I heard Rep. Israel won’t request corporate earmarks this year, is that true?
This year, Rep. Israel announced that he would not seek corporate earmarks until the earmark reform efforts underway are in place and proven effective at ensuring the best possible use of taxpayer funds.

Rep. Israel will continue to seek earmarks for local non-profit and government initiatives. Rep. Israel is also fighting aggressively to ensure Long Islanders are getting their share of the federal economic recovery funds approved by Congress and the President earlier this year.

Q. I’ve heard some people don’t request earmarks at all, why does Rep. Israel?
New Yorkers pay a disproportionate share of federal taxes and Rep. Israel is fighting to ensure New Yorkers are getting their fair share back from the federal government. In 1976, former Sen. Moynihan created something called the “Fisc Report,” which researched how much each state contributed to the federal budget verses how much it got back. This report, published until Sen. Moynihan retired, found that New Yorkers don’t get nearly as much back from the government as they put in. Last year, Rep. Israel secured federal funds to revive the Fisc Report.

Requesting funds for projects in the Second Congressional District is a way to ensure Rep. Israel’s constituents are seeing a return on their federal investment.

Rep. Israel is also fighting against this imbalance by introducing the Tax Equity Act of 2009, which would adjust federal tax rates to account for the actual cost of living in high-cost areas like Long Island.

Q. How does Rep. Israel decide which requests to submit?
Rep. Israel and his staff carefully review each earmark request to determine whether it meets federal requirements, whether it is a good use of taxpayer funds and whether it will provide a benefit to the people of New York’s Second Congressional District.

Q. I requested federal funds, but I don’t see it on the Congressman’s list of requests. Why not?
Sometimes earmarks don’t meet federal requirements or no federal program exists to fund the request. This year, federal funds available for local projects have been greatly reduced, therefore Rep. Israel was not able to submit as many requests.

Rep. Israel’s staff is available to help local organizations and governments with federal grant requests, which is another way to get funding for local projects. It is also possible that your request could be eligible for funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. If you don’t see your request on this list but you would like to seek federal funds in other ways, please contact Rep. Israel’s Hauppauge office at 631-951-2210.

Q. My request is on this list. Does that mean I’m going to get funded?
No. This list comprises all of the requests the Congressman was able to make to the Appropriations Committee. Not all of these requests will be funded.