If you ever wondered why most elected officials support the incumbent, here is one of the many reasons. Most elected officials have their hands out lining up and begging for more federal welfare. Earmarks are an easy way to get money and bypass the appropriations process. Members of Congress can dole out these earmarks like Ezell has here to just about every city and county in the district. Like the Democrats it’s vote buying. The bad part is most people don’t see this because it’s not publicized. Politicians like this money and like most people think the federal government has money other then our tax dollars. Ezell has requested earmarks of over 42 million dollars for pet projects. Not to say these aren’t important projects but there is a process through appropriations to get the money. Republicans who are against spending voted to keep earmarks “pork” in the 118th Congress. So much for fiscal conservatives. Each of these earmarks comes with a request from a local elected politician.

2024 Earmark Request made by Congressman Mike Ezell

Project Name: Federal Navigation Channel to the Port of Gulfport
Requested Amount: $900,000
Intended Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District
Recipient Address: P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 2288
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for continuing feasibility studies about deepening and widening the Federal Navigation Channel to the Port of Gulfport. Deepening and widening the channel would bring significant commerce to the Port of Gulfport and the State of Mississippi as a whole. It would also help to alleviate supply chain challenges facing the entire United States by allowing traffic to be diverted from overcrowded ports to the Port of Gulfport. It is anticipated that the study, which began in FY 2023, will be completed in three years.

Project Name: Forrest and Lamar County Eagle One Mega Site Infrastructure Improvements
Requested Amount: $4,500,000
Intended Recipient: Mississippi Department of Transportation
Recipient Address: 401 North West Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39201
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for prerequisite work required before the commencement of construction, particularly as it relates to improvements on and near Interstate 59 and US Highways 98 and 11. The environmental study and preliminary design would ultimately lead to critical infrastructure improvements surrounding the Eagle One Mega Site in Forrest County and Lamar County. The Eagle One Mega Site has the capability to provide major large-industrial development. This interchange is a critical juncture in South Mississippi and the Hattiesburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, connecting two major travel arteries and lying adjacent to Eagle One Mega Site, which would deliver major economic development and create thousands of jobs.

Project Name: George County Interoperable 911 Dispatch Communications Technologies
Requested Amount: $1,100,000
Intended Recipient: George County Sheriff’s Office
Recipient Address: 355 Cox Street, Suite E, Lucedale, MS 39452
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for improving technology to support the County’s ability to respond to public safety issues and emergencies within the community. It would also foster better coordination and communications with other law enforcement agencies in the area.

Project Name: Greene County Emergency Operations Center
Requested Amount: $750,000
Intended Recipient: Greene County
Recipient Address: 413 Greene Avenue, Leakesville, MS 39451
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for constructing a hardened, secure building capable of withstanding repeated severe coastal storms and hurricanes to house Greene County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The proposed EOC annex would house the county’s 911 Telecommunications Center and provide for the effective dispatch of emergency responders. It would also have additional space for storage and training for volunteer fire departments, search and rescue teams, and other emergency management professionals.

Project Name: Hall Avenue West Overpass
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Hattiesburg
Recipient Address: 200 Forrest Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for constructing a state-of-the-art overpass located in downtown Hattiesburg. It would improve safety and reduce traffic delays due to train traffic. It would also make downtown businesses more accessible to visitors and customers from across the region, which is critical to the longterm revitalization of downtown Hattiesburg.

Project Name: I-59 N Frontage Road
Requested Amount: $3,400,000
Intended Recipient: City of Picayune
Recipient Address: 203 Goodyear Boulevard, Picayune, Mississippi 39466
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for constructing a frontage road to improve traffic flow near a major interstate exchange. The road would also increase access to a low-income area that could benefit from increased development.

Project Name: Jones College Napier School of Design and Building Arts
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: Jones County Junior College
Recipient Address: 900 S Court Street, Ellisville, MS 39437
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for renovating an outdated facility on campus to be the Jones College Napier School of Design and Building Arts. The purpose of the Jones College Napier School of Design and Building Arts is to expand existing construction programs by adding a new complementary and tailored construction & trade program at the college, ultimately producing skilled workers eligible for high-paying construction employment.

Project Name: Keesler Air Force Base Air Traffic Control Tower
Requested Amount: $1,960,000
Intended Recipient: Keesler Air Force Base
Recipient Address: Keesler AFB, MS 39534
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for planning and design of a new air traffic control tower at Keesler AFB in Harrison County. The current tower is more than forty years old, and it has multiple fire safety concerns, lacks proper heating and air conditioning, and is vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes. The tower supports the Department of Defense’s only weather reconnaissance support mission and provides crucial data to the National Hurricane Center to model path and intensity of both tropical weather and winter storms.

Project Name: Mallett Road and Lamey Bridge Road Improvements
Requested Amount: $4,500,000
Intended Recipient: City of D’Iberville
Recipient Address: 10383 Auto Mall Parkway, D’Iberville, Mississippi 39540
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for completing the final segment of a 4-lane road between Jackson and Harrison Counties. Completion of the road would reduce bottlenecking and provide critical access to developable land in East Harrison and West Jackson Counties.

Project Name: Mississippi Maritime Autonomous Systems Testbed (MMAST)
Requested Amount: $3,600,000
Intended Recipient: Mississippi State University
Recipient Address: PO Box 6343, Mississippi State University, MS 39762
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for constructing a runway on Singing River Island in Jackson County for the launch of large Unmanned/Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS). This runway would expand Mississippi State University’s UAS launch capabilities and provide a significant benefit to both government and industry in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.

Project Name: Pearl River County Public Safety Technology Enhancement and Upgrades
Requested Amount: $1,140,838
Intended Recipient: Pearl River County
Recipient Address: PO Box 569, Poplarville, MS 39470
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for improving technology to support the County’s ability to respond to public safety issues and emergencies within the community. It would also foster better coordination and communications with other law enforcement agencies in the area.

Project Name: Poplarville Medical Clinic
Requested Amount: $2,391,123
Intended Recipient: Forrest Health System
Recipient Address: 6051 Hwy 49, Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for constructing a new outpatient medical clinic in Poplarville, Mississippi near the existing Pearl River County Hospital. The clinic would provide primary care and behavioral health services to the community, including pediatric health care services. The clinic would also help to attract and retain more health care professionals and nurses to rural Mississippi and would give local nursing students more opportunities for clinical experiences, increasing the long-term strength of the local healthcare workforce and the health of the Pearl River County community.

Project Name: Port Bienville Short Line Railroad Intermodal Expansion
Requested Amount: $6,500,000
Intended Recipient: Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission
Recipient Address: 14054 Fred and Al Key Road, Kiln, MS 39556
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for adding a seven-track classification yard and an intermodal facility for Port Bienville Short Line Railroad at Port Bienville Industrial Park in Hancock County. The classification yard will allow for multi-directional railcar blocking and ease shipping delays for Port Bienville and the greater Gulf Coast.

Project Name: Riley Road Improvements
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Ocean Springs
Recipient Address: 1018 Porter Avenue, Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39564
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for widening of Riley Road, a major thoroughfare in the City of Ocean Springs. As the City of Ocean Springs grows, expanding these roads helps to alleviate traffic and ensure driver and pedestrian safety.

Project Name: West Drive Roadway Improvements
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Laurel
Recipient Address: 401 North 5th Avenue, Laurel, Mississippi 39440
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for upgrades to West Drive in Laurel. Upgrades would ensure that West Drive, which is used to access neighborhoods, nursing homes, businesses, and a local public middle school, meets current safety standards.