Senators Tom Coburn and Barak Obama have proposed S.2590, legislation that would create a single website with access to information on nearly all recipients of federal funding. The bill cannot proceed, however, because one or more Senators placed a "secret hold" on it. 
Ted Stevens
Judd Gregg
Orrin G. Hatch
Robert Bennett
Claire McCaskill
Bob Corker
Benjamin L. Cardin
Bernard Sanders
Jon Tester
John Barrasso
Sherrod Brown
Robert P. Casey Jr.
Amy Klobuchar
Sheldon Whitehouse| Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) | From Porkbusters reader Ryan: "I spoke with Margaret, who said that while Shelby was still "reviewing" the bill (i.e., she wouldn't tell me whether he supported it yet or not), that he definitely was NOT holding the bill." |
| Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) | From Alan Hanson, Legislative Director for Senator Sessions (emailed to porkbusters@porkbusters.org): "Senator Sessions is a Co-Sponsor of S. 2590. As such, I can assure you that he does not have a Hold on the legislation..." |
| Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) | Porkbusters reader Heidi reports "John Michael in Murkowski's D.C. office says she didn't place hold..." |
| John McCain (R-Arizona) | Senator McCain is a co-sponsor of the bill. McCain spokesman Joe Donoghue issued the following statement in response to an inquiry from N.Z. Bear: "For the Record - Sen. McCain is not holding S. 2590." |
| Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) | Porkbusters reader David reports "I've just received a phone call from Sen. Jon Kyl (r) Arizona about this hold. His office states that he is not involved in the hold on this bill and does in fact support S.2590 and will vote for it when it comes up." |
| Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas) | Porkbusters reader Hannah reports "i just got called back from Blanche Lincoln. Her staffer says that a "secret hold" is a misnomer and that the better term is a unilateral objection to a bill, but that the Senator is not the one who placed the unilateral objection to S.2590." |
| Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas) | A Porkbusters reader reports: "Just got off the phone with Pryor's office and aid said he supported the bill and did not put secret hold on it." |
| Dianne Feinstein (D-California) | Porkbusters reader Greg reports that a Feinstein aide told him Feinstein did not place the hold. |
| Barbara Boxer (D-California) | Porkbusters reader Keith reports: "Sen. Barbara Boxer's office reported to me today (8/22/06) that Sen. Boxer has NOT put a hold on the subject bill." |
| Wayne Allard (R-Colorado) | Porkbusters reader Matt reports "Sen. Allard's staff issued a firm "No" that he didn't place the secret hold on the bill." |
| Ken Salazar (D-Colorado) | Porkbusters reader William reports: "I just spoke with an aide in Senator Salazar's office. She stated that he supported transparency in government spending, and she said that he has NOT placed a secret hold on this bill." |
| Christopher J. Dodd (D-Connecticut) | TPMmuckraker reports Dodd in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Connecticut) | Porkbusters reader Alvin reports: "The office of Senator Lieberman of Connecticut states that it is NOT Senator lieberman who has this bill on hold." |
| Joseph Biden (D-Delaware) | From Porkbusters reader Doug: "'Eric' [from Senator Biden's office] said Senator Biden did NOT put a hold on this legislation." |
| Thomas Carper (D-Delaware) | TPMmuckraker reports: "Sen. Carper's spokesman tells me 'We have no hold on the bill.'" |
| Bill Nelson (D-Florida) | Porkbusters reader Alvin reports: "The office of Senator Bill Nelson of Florida states that Senator Nelson did NOT put this bill on hold." |
| Mel Martinez (R-Florida) | Via TPMmuckraker: "TPMm Reader Mike: 'Cindy at Sen. Martinez office told me she could guarantee that Sen. Martinez did NOT put a hold on S2590.'" |
| Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) | Porkbusters reader Mike reports: "Spoke to Lee Bogle in Saxby's office and she said her boss was not the one responsible for the hold." |
| Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia) | Porkbusters reader Alvin reports: "The office of Senator Isakson of Georgia states that the senator is a co-sponsor and does NOT have this bill on hold." |
| Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) | TPMmuckraker reports Inouye in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) | TPMmuckraker reports Akaka in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Larry Craig (R-Idaho) | TPMmuckraker reports Craig in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) | Porkbusters reader Randy reports: "I just got off the phone with 'Tim' (who refused to give me his last name) from Senator Mike Crapo's DC office who said that Senator Mike Crapo is absolutely not the one putting a secret hold on S. 2590." |
| Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) | Joe Shoemaker, Communications Director for Senator Durbin, reports directly to Porkbusters: "Senator Durbin is a cosponsor of S. 2590 and does not have a hold on that legislation. Furthermore, Sen. Durbin makes public every dollar he secures for projects in the appropriations process and will happily defend these projects." |
| Barack Obama (D-Illinois) | Sponsor of the bill |
| Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) | TPMmuckraker reports Lugar in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) | Porkbusters reader Kathy reports "I contacted Sen. Bayh's office and the aide told me he was a co-sponsor and did not put the hold on the bill." |
| Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) | TPMmuckraker reports Grassley in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) | TPMmuckraker reports Harkin in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) | From Porkbusters reader Bill: "Talked with both Roberts and Brownback , Senators from Kansas, both press folks denied anyone on their end has a secret hold on the Bill." |
| Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) | Porkbusters reader Natalie reports "I just spoke with Jennifer Cook in Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) office and she said that they do not know who has the hold on the bill, but it is not Senator Roberts. While he has some security concerns about the bill, he is confident that those will be resolved and he generally supports the idea behind the bill of greater transparency and making that information more accessible to the public." |
| Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) | A Porkbusters reader reports "I contacted Mitch Mcconnel who's office denies having been the one to stop the bill... s. 2590" |
| Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky) | A Porkbusters reader reports "I contacted Mitch Mcconnel who's office denies having been the one to stop the bill... s. 2590. Bunning denies it also..." |
| Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) | From Porkbusters reader Laura: "I called both my La. Senators and their staffers deny that it’s them, and made a point of saying that they cosponsored the bill." |
| David Vitter (R-Louisiana) | From Porkbusters reader Laura: "I called both my La. Senators and their staffers deny that it’s them, and made a point of saying that they cosponsored the bill." |
| Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) | Porkbusters reader Lance reports "I just spoke with Snowe's Washington Office, they told me Snowe is a co-sponsor of 2590 and most certainly did not put a stop on it..." |
| Susan M. Collins (R-Maine) | From WWW.GOPPROGRESS.COM: "In a voicemail, a member of Sen. Susan Collins' press shop stated that the Senator wanted to deny that she was the issuer of the anonymous hold." |
| Paul Sarbanes (D-Maryland) | Porkbusters reader Ed reports "I just got off the phone with my Senators re: S.2590 - Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006. The offices of both Mikulski and Sarbanes of MD flat-out deny involvement in the annonymous hold." |
| Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) | Porkbusters reader James reports speaking to a Mikluski staffer who reported definitively that she had not placed a hold on the bill. |
| Edward M. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) | TPMmuckraker reports Kennedy in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| John F. Kerry (D-Massachusetts) | Porkbusters reader Jeremiah reports: "Senator Kerry - the staffer immediately knew of the bill and was emphatic that the senator is a co-sponsor of the bill and is not blocking it." |
| Carl Levin (D-Michigan) | Via Pursuing Holiness Porkbusters reader Terri reports "Levin's office said it wasn't him" |
| Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) | Porkbusters reader Virginia reports "Stabenow's office said she just released a statement and she did not place the hold." |
| Mark Dayton (D-Minnesota) | TPMmuckraker reports Dayton in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota) | From WWW.GOPPROGRESS.COM: "Sen. Norm Coleman's Legislative Director emailed to say 'Not Coleman.' " |
| Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi) | TPMmuckraker reports Cochran in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) | Porkbusters reader M reports "I talked to Mr. Rossman in Senator Lott's office and he said that Lott does not have a hold on this bill and is in favor of the bill" |
| Christopher S. Bond (R-Missouri) | A Porkbusters reader reports: "I called Jim Talent and Kitt Bond's offices and both Senators deny it." |
| James Talent (R-Missouri) | A Porkbusters reader reports: "I called Jim Talent and Kitt Bond's offices and both Senators deny it." |
| Max Baucus (D-Montana) | Porkbusters reader Kirk reports: "Just called their DC office and a female staffer answered with a 'No.' " |
| Conrad Burns (R-Montana) | Porkbusters reader Alvin reports: "The office of Senator Conrad Burns of Montana states that it was NOT Senator Burns who put that on secret hold." |
| Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) | TPMmuckraker reports Hagel in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) | Porkbusters reader Alvin reports "The office of Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska states that Senator Nelson did NOT put this bill on hold." |
| Harry Reid (D-Nevada) | Porkbusters reader Rick reports "I have spoken with staffers from both of Nevada's senators, Ensign and Reid, and they have told me that neither of them have placed a hold on this bill." |
| John Ensign (R-Nevada) | Pam Thiessen, Senator Ensign's Legislative Director reported directly to Porkbusters that Senator Ensign does not have a hold on the bill. |
| John E. Sununu (R-New Hampshire) | WWW.GOPPROGRESS.COM: "Sen. Sununu's Press Secretary just emailed to say 'Senator John Sununu is a co-sponsor of S. 2590; he has not placed a hold on the legislation.' " |
| Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey) | Porkbusters reader Harvey reports: "I just spoke to Regis in Senator Robert Menendez's office and he told me that Senator Menendez has not placed a hold on S-2590." |
| Frank Lautenberg (D-New Jersey) | WWW.GOPPROGRESS.COM: "a friendly GOPPROGRESS.COM reader has just emailed me to say, 'We can take Senator Frank Lautenberg of NJ, and Senator Brownback of KS off the list. Both their offices just called me and confirmed that they are definetely not the ones with the hold and both support the bill.' " |
| Pete Domenici (R-New Mexico) | TPMmuckraker reports Domenici in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) | Porkbusters reader Michael reports: "Just talked to NM Senator Jeff Binagaman's office and they definitely said that he's not the culprit!" |
| Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) | Porkbusters reader Mare reports "Chuck Schumer's office says he's not the guilty party." |
| Hillary Clinton (D-New York) | Porkbusters reader Tony reports: "Calling Senator Clintons office, I was told she was not the anonymous holder, and that she was a cosponsor of the bill." |
| Elizabeth Dole (R-North Carolina) | Porkbusters reader Hirsh reports: "Ryan Miller with Sen. Dole's office said they are not the ones placing the hold." |
| Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) | Porkbusters reader Hirsh reports: "Charles at Sen. Burr's office said that they are not the ones placing the anonymous hold." |
| Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota) | TPMmuckraker reports Conrad in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota) | TPMmuckraker reports Dorgan in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| R. Michael DeWine (R-Ohio) | Porkbusters reader Jeanene reports "I spoke with a Peter Sellsman (not sure of correct spelling here.), he works in Senator DeWine - Oh., and he said that Sen. DeWine was not one of the Senators who has a hold on this bill. " |
| George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) | Porkbusting blogger Dan at Wizblog received the following reply from Voinovich staffer George: "First, Senator Voinovich is a co-sponsor of the bill... second, we definitely do not have a hold on the bill... and third, we have no idea who has a hold on the bill." |
| James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) | Porkbusters reader Jerry writes: "I called Senator Jim Inhofe's office and spoke to a lady named Sandy ... [she] said that Senator Inhofe denies putting a hold on this bill. |
| Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) | Sponsor of the bill |
| Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) | From Wyden spokesman Joshua Sheinkman via Porkbusters reader Kristina: "I can confirm that Senator Wyden does not have secret hold on the Coburn. Obama bill." |
| Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) | From WWW.GOPPROGRESS.COM: "In an email, Sen. Gordon Smith's Press Secretary confirmed that Sen. Smith was not the one who placed the hold." |
| Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) | Porkbusters reader Duane reports "I spoke with 'Regan Lewitt' (spelling uncertain) in Senator Specter's office (R - PA) today, and she assures me that Senator Specter is not holding the bill." |
| Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) | Porkbusters reader Al reports: "I met Senator Santorum yesterday at a luncheon, and asked one of his assistants about this. He said that Sen. Santorum was a co-sponsor of the bill, and definitely is not the one holding it up." |
| Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) | TPMmuckraker reports Reed in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Lincoln Chafee (R-Rhode Island) | TPMmuckraker reports Chafee in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) | From Kevin Bishop, Communications Director for Senator Graham, direct to Porkbusters: "Senator Lindsey Graham does not have a hold on S.2590." |
| Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) | Porkbusters reader Teddy reports "Senator DeMint's office reported that he, of course, is one of the sponsors of S 2590 and he is *not* putting a "secret hold" on this legislation." |
| Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota) | TPMmuckraker reports Johnson in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| John Thune (R-South Dakota) | Porkbusters reader BL reports "Brendan from Sen Thune's office returned my phone call and [said] ... Sen Thune does not have a hold on S.2590." |
| Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) | At WWW.GOPPROGRESS.COM, Stephen Smith, online communications coordinator for Sen. Frist's political action committee (VOLPAC) states: "I can verify that the Majority Leader does not have a hold on S. 2590. Senator Frist is a co-sponsor of the legislation, attempted to bring the legislation up for the vote it deserves before the August recess, and will continue to press for a vote as soon as the Senate reconvenes." |
| Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) | WWW.GOPPROGRESS.COM: "Sen. Alexander's Legislative Director just emailed to say 'Sen. Alexander is a cosponsor of the bill,' and 'He has no hold on the bill.'" |
| Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) | A Porkbusters reader reports: "Called senator Hutchison's office and was told she did not put a hold on s 2590. FYI- I was treated very politely. " |
| John Cornyn (R-Texas) | Brian Walsh, Communications Director for Senator Cornyn, issued an official statement direct to Porkbusters stating clearly that he did not place the hold, and is in fact a co-sponsor of the bill and strongly supports it. |
| Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) | Zephyr Teachout from Sunlight reports: "Chuck Ross, the Vermont Director of Leahy’s office, confirms that Leahy is not the secret holder." |
| James Jeffords (I-Vermont) | TPMmuckraker reports Jeffords in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| John Warner (R-Virginia) | From Porkbusters reader Dave: "John Elliot of Sen. Warner's staff denies that the Virginia Senator is the one with the secret hold on the anti-pork bill." |
| George Allen (R-Virginia) | Porkbusters reader Tim reports Allen staffer Brent said Allen "does not have a hold" on S.2590. |
| Patty Murray (D-Washington) | Porkbusters blogger Steve from AndrewsDad reports that both Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell have denied placing the hold. |
| Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) | Porkbusters blogger Steve from AndrewsDad reports that both Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell have denied placing the hold. |
| Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) | Porkbusters reader Angie reports: "Senator Robert Byrd's office confirms that he is not the senator who placed the secret hold." |
| Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) | Via TPMmuckraker: "TPMm Reader HH says she got a no from Sen. Rockefeller's press secretary Wendy Morigi." |
| Herbert Kohl (D-Wisconsin) | TPMmuckraker reports Kohl in the clear per their reader's responses. |
| Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) | Porkbusters reader Dave reports "[Feingold's] office states flatly that he is not the culprit." |
| Craig Thomas (R-Wyoming) | Porkbusters reader Kevin spoke with Thomas staffer Charles, who confirmed that Senator Thomas did not place the hold. |
| Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming) | From Porkbusters reader Marc: "I have been in contact with Tara Ord in Senator Enzi's Washington office concerning the Senator's position on this proposed legislation. Tara has assured me that Senator Enzi has not placed a secret hold on S2590." |