Plunderbund

Sen. David Vitter ( of D.C. Madam phone list fame ) pulled the $100K he was trying to give to a religious group to develop a plan for science-based education in his Louisiana.

From the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:

Madam President, I rise
today to discuss a project I sponsored
in the fiscal year 2008 Labor, Health,
Human Services and Education appropriations
bill. The project, which would
develop a plan to promote better
science-based education in Ouachita
Parish by the Louisiana Family
Forum, has raised concerns among
some that its intention was to mandate
and push creationism within the public
schools. That is clearly not and never
was the intent of the project, nor
would it have been its effect. However,
to avoid more hysterics, I would like to
move the $100,000 recommended for this
project by the subcommittee when the
bill goes to conference committee to
another Louisiana priority project
funded in this bill.

Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State commented:

“If Sen. Vitter’s aim was to improve science education in Louisiana, I have to wonder why he did not direct these funds to a scientific group or a museum.” He added, “Boosting science education is an odd task for a religious group.”