Congress approves millions to revamp the Eisenhower Library. What else did Kansas get?

Congress likes Ike.

The Eisenhower Presidential Museum and Library is set to receive $17.5 million to upgrade its campus and exhibits, courtesy of the latest $1.2 billion spending bill that cleared Congress early Saturday morning.

The project, which will make the Abilene campus more compliant with the American Disability Act, modernize the auditorium and visitor center and will improve the exhibit displays, was backed by Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican.

“Not only is President Eisenhower Kansas’ favorite son, his influence and admiration for him extends around the world,” Moran said in a statement. “...These new resources will help the library continue to be one of the leading Presidential Libraries in the country and bolster the Abilene community for many years to come.”

Moran was able to secure more than $79.5 million in earmarks in the most recent spending package. It comes on top of more than $160.7 million in earmarks that Moran secured in the spending bill that passed March 9.

The millions Moran secured for the Eisenhower library were not his largest haul. Many of his earmarks, called Congressionally Directed Spending, were focused on Kansas’ aerospace industry.

Kansas State University Salina will get $28 million for its Aerospace Innovation and Training Hub. Wichita State University and the National Institute for Aviation Technology will get $10 million for equipment upgrades. And the New Century AirCenter in Johnson County will get $15 million for its Air Traffic Control Center.

There are other large money projects as well – the University of Kansas is getting $22 million for its National Security Innovation Center. And the University of Kansas hospital system is getting $20 million – $10 million of which will go straight to its cancer center.

Both Reps. Sharice Davids and Jake LaTurner used earmarks to secure projects in the first funding bill. LaTurner secured around $22.4 million and Davids secured around $15.8 million for their respective districts. The two teamed up on $3.5 million to completely restructure the Kansas Avenue Bridge.

“My job is to advocate for the Third District in Washington and make sure the priorities of folks in our community are being addressed,” Davids said in a statement. “Our team worked in tandem with local officials and conducted detailed reviews of each proposal to ensure they met strong standards with a high return on investment.

Missouri did not get any earmarks in the most recent spending bill because neither of its senators – Eric Schmitt and Josh Hawley – requested earmarks. The recent legislation only included requests made by senators, not House members.

So while Kansas received more than $269 million in earmarks for the 2024 fiscal year, Missouri only received $95 million, based on requests from Republican Reps. Blaine Luetkemeyer and Sam Graves and Democratic Reps. Emanuel Cleaver and Cori Bush.

There was a temporary ban on earmarks between 2011 and 2021, after they became associated with corruption and wasted government spending.

Even after earmarks were re-instituted – with mandatory transparency requirements – some Republican members still choose not to participate.