Pork highlights -- with beef and potatoes

By the CNN Wire Staff

Beef improvement research in Texas won the "Steak Through the Heart of Taxpayers Award"

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Democrats Tom Harkin and Robert Byrd were co-winners of The Narcissist Award
Three Kansas Republicans were cited for $3.5 million in pork for an aviation research
$4.8 million went to wood utilization research in 11 states, requested by 23 lawmakers
Potato research in four states, requested by 10 lawmakers, cost $2.6 million

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(CNN) -- Here are so-called "Oinkers" of the year, listed in the "2010 Congressional Pig Book Summary," which was released on Wednesday by the nonpartisan group Citizens Against Government Waste.

• The Dunder-head Mifflin Award (from the fictional paper company of the sitcom "The Office") -- Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pennsylvania, and Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pennsylvania, for $200,000 for design and construction of a small business incubator and multipurpose center in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

• Thad the Impaler Award -- Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, for $490 million in pork, including $200,000 for the Washington National Opera for set design, installation and performing arts at libraries and schools, and $500,000 for the University of Southern Mississippi for cannabis eradication.

Other awards:

• The Hal Bent on Earmarking Award -- Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers, R-Kentucky, for $10 million for the National Institute for Hometown Security.

• The Little Engine That Couldn't Award -- $465 million for the Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine.

• The Narcissist Award -- Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, for $7.3 million to continue the Harkin Grant program and to Sen. Robert Byrd, D-West Virginia, for $7 million for the Robert C. Byrd Institute of Advanced Flexible Manufacturing Systems.

Watchdog group: Congressional pork getting leaner

• The Steak Through the Heart of Taxpayers Award -- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-Texas, for $693,000 for beef improvement research.

• The Sapping the Taxpayers Award -- $4.8 million for wood utilization research in 11 states requested by 13 senators and 10 representatives.

• The Jekyll and Hyde Award -- Rep. Leonard Lance, R-New Jersey, for his ever-changing stance on earmarks. He first signed a no-earmark pledge, then received $21 million in earmarks, then supported the Republican earmark moratorium.

• The Kick in the Asp Award -- Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, for $500,000 for control and interdiction of brown tree snakes in Guam.

• The Plane Waste Award -- Sens. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, and Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, and Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kansas, for $3.5 million for the National Institute for Aviation Research.

• The Do You Want Fries with That Award -- $2.6 million in potato research in four states requested by five senators and five representatives.

• The Putting on the Pork Award -- Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-New York, for $400,000 for restoration and renovation of the historic Ritz Theater in Newburgh, New York.

• The Lights! Camera! Earmark! Award -- Rep. Diane Watson, D-California, for $100,000 for career exploration and training for at-risk youths for jobs in filmmaking at the Duke Media Foundation in Hollywood.

• The An Earmark Grows in Brooklyn Award -- Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-New York, for $400,000 for construction and renovation for safety improvements at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.