(Radio Iowa) – Ryan Melton, the Democrat running in Iowa’s fourth congressional district, says the 36 counties in the district would benefit if Congressman Randy Feenstra joined the other three Iowa Republicans in the U-S House and asked for “earmarks” in spending bills. The requests for funding for specific projects are now called “Community Project Funding.” “The other three Republicans representing the other three House districts just this year alone asked for a collective $115 million and they should,” Melton says. “That’s why we elect them. That’s why we pay federal income taxes, so that our communities can be rejuvenated, but Feenstra’s doing the exact opposite.”

House rules let members request funding for up to 15 projects in their districts and Representatives Zach Nunn, Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks each submitted 15 requests. “Every member of the House of Representatives has this opportunity, to ask for community improvement money,” Melton says. “Four years in a row, representing a congressional district that is struggling so severely financially, he not only has asked for $0.00, he brags about it.”

Ryan Melton, a Democrat from Nevada, speaks at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox. (RI photo)

Melton made his comments on The Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair. Feenstra describes himself as a strong fiscal conservative and his campaign website says Feenstra does not support wasteful earmarks that fund liberal pet projects in New York and California.

Feenstra is at the State Fair today (Friday), hosting a congressional hearing about tax policy.