WASHINGTON -- Seeking millions of federal dollars for everything from building mass transit at Dulles International Airport to studying organic sheep meat in Southwest Virginia, three of Virginia's 11-member congressional delegation released their requests this week for federal funding of local projects.

In an election year when politicians are balancing local demands for federal money with a public distaste for earmarks, most representatives from Virginia chose not to disclose their requests.

"Far from being ashamed or wanting to hide them, we're proud of them," said Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, who requested $35 million for a new Kings Highway Bridge in Suffolk and listed all his requests on his Web site.

Reps. Rick Boucher, D-9th, and Frank R. Wolf, R-10th, also released their requests.

"I believe in transparency," said Boucher, who requested $48.8 million for 39 projects, including $4 million to research improvements for military gear to reduce head, neck and chest injuries and $3 million for mine-safety equipment.

But Boucher said he understands why many of his colleagues would rather keep their requests to themselves.

"If you make it public, the counties that don't get requests are going to be upset," he said. Members of Congress "don't want the grief that comes" when those counties start calling.

Boucher requested funding to put a million dollar country music museum in Bristol, buy fairgrounds for Grayson County and improve the marketability of lamb meat grown in his district.

Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, made no requests for the second year in a row, a spokeswoman said. Cantor has called for a moratorium on the pet projects.

House members had to submit their earmark requests to the Appropriations Committee before Monday to be considered for funding.

"If I'm asking for something, it's important you know what I'm asking for," said Wolf, who requested continuing the roughly $250 million annual funding for mass transit in the Dulles corridor.

Forbes requested $168.9 million for 44 projects, including funding to preserve the 18th-century Petersburg home of Revolutionary War figure Col. John Banister and restore a 1910 jail in Isle of Wight County.

Citizens Against Government Waste, a Washington-based advocacy group that publishes an annual report on wasteful spending, criticized the requests as contributing to a culture of back scratching in Congress that spirals spending out of control.

"It kind of has a ripple effect," said David Williams, the group's vice president for policy. "If you want your earmarks passed, you have to vote for other peoples' earmarks. That's how it works."

But Williams applauded members who were open about their requests.

Open-government advocates say lawmakers should be more upfront about the taxpayer dollars they seek.

"If you are willing to put in an earmark for a project, then you support it, and if you support it, why not stand up and tell everyone what projects you're supporting," said Jennifer Perkins, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.

"We do press releases on what we get in the bills when they pass the House," said Austin Durrer, spokesman for Rep. James P. Moran, D-8th.

Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr., R-5th, was following his normal procedure, said his spokesman, Linwood Duncan.

"He submits every year. His practice is not to release his requests," Duncan said.

The office of freshman Rep. Robert J. Wittman, R-1st, said their earmark requests would be listed online after the staff communicates with local agencies who requested funding.

"The congressman feels it's important to speak to all parties involved before it's made public," said Wittman spokesman Trainor Walsh. "He has every intention of making it public."
Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com or (202) 662-7669.