The myth of the San Francisco mouse

by Jackie Speier

San Francisco Chronicle

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Record unemployment. Neighborhoods in foreclosure. Charities going bankrupt while those needing help multiply. So what occupied my colleagues while Congress debated the recovery package? A fairytale about a mouse.

On Thursday, Rep. Mike Pence from Indiana insisted on the House floor that the bill contained "$30 million for San Francisco mice." My fellow Northern Californian, Rep. Dan Lungren, supported the claim, calling it "Nancy Pelosi's mouse."

Being from San Francisco, a tightwad with taxpayers' money and no fan of mice, I had to look into it.

Turns out, there isn't a penny in the bill for mice. A Republican staffer claims someone at an unnamed agency said $30 million might go to federal wetlands restoration. Since San Francisco Bay has wetlands and some are home to an endangered species called the salt marsh harvest mouse, he naturally concluded, "The bottom line is, if this bill becomes law, taxpayers will spend 30 million on the mouse."

Politicians of all stripes - myself included - are prone to hyperbole. But does anyone want his or her representative wasting time and money debating something they know isn't true?

Texas Rep. John Carter said the bill contained "a $30 million earmark for a mouse in California." Iowa Rep. Steve King provided a poster of the furry little fellow for the benefit of his television audience. California's Tom McClintock piled on with, "(this) is about to be a very wealthy mouse."

Here's the thing: The mouse in question is found in Contra Costa, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Everywhere around the bay except San Francisco.

What is it about my hometown that frightens members of Congress? Is it simply shorthand for attacking Speaker Pelosi when they have nothing constructive to offer to fix our economy? Or is San Francisco somehow less American than Fort Worth or Memphis or Council Bluffs, Iowa.?

Maybe my colleagues should come visit. They likely won't meet a salt marsh harvest mouse, but I bet they meet people from each of their districts - patriotic Americans, raised on solid moral values, who chose San Francisco because of its diversity, good jobs, respect for the environment and - perhaps most important - generous, tolerant and accepting San Franciscans.

Jackie Speier represents San Francisco and San Mateo County in the U.S. House of Representatives.