Congresswoman Continues Fight To End Military Funding In NASCAR

Minnesota Democratic Representative Betty McCollum has stepped up her campaign to end military sponsorship in NASCAR.

Rep. McCollum has failed twice to stop federal funding of NASCAR, professional fishing and professional wrestling, but is working on ways to continue her fight against what she sees as wasteful spending.

According to The Hill, McCollum will “likely offer an amendment on the House floor to the 2012 Pentagon appropriations bill that would limit the funds the military could spend on sporting events.”

Her proposed amendment would require the Congress to review any military sponsorship for “a motor sports team, driver or event; a fishing team or tournament; a professional wrestling event, or an ultimate-fighting event” over $250,000 for a 30-day period.

Rep. McCollum cites that Congress has recently cut funding for homeless veterans, community health centers for low-income families and “a fiscal year 2011 budget that would force 800,000 Americans to lose their jobs,” and calls the protection of taxpayer military sponsorship of NASCAR “absurd.”

According the Pentagon data given to The Hill by Rep. McCollum’s office, the Army spent $7.4 million to sponsor Ryan Newman’s No. 39 team in 2010, down from $11.6 million in 2009. The National Guard reportedly spent $20 million in 2010 for its sponsorship of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, down from $32.7 million in 2009. In addition, the sponsorship of the Air Guard 400 at Richmond International Raceway cost the taxpayers $645,000.

This issue first came to light in February, just as the U.S. Army was preparing to announce a new sponsorship deal with Revolution Racing in Daytona. At that time, McCollum’s initial proposal to end military sponsorship in NASCAR was defeated by the House of Representatives in a 281-148 vote.

Lt. Gen Benjamin Freakley has emphasized multiple times in 2011 that the military is fully committed to NASCAR, saying the sport serves as a great marketing and recruitment tool for our all-volunteer military. While events like the Air Guard 400 might not produce any on-the-spot recruits, the publicity brought to the Air National Guard is the ultimate goal for the military.

According to The Hill, Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr. (D-Ga.) cautioned McCollum “to avoid dismissing the connection between NASCAR and the young Americans who typically join the military – noting many new recruits are from the South, where stock car racing remains most popular.”

It seems unlikely McCollum’s proposed cuts will be approved by the House, but she continues to push on with her fight to cut the federal budget and wasteful spending.