( CNN ) -- In tiny Bishop , California , Rep. Buck McKeon , R-California , wants to build a museum honoring the mule . Bishop , California , celebrates `` Mule Days '' every Memorial Day weekend . McKeon has requested a $ 50,000 earmark to explore the possibility of building a museum in the town that every Memorial Day weekend holds the biggest mule celebration in the United States . It might sound preposterous , but McKeon is doing what many of his House colleagues are doing -- appropriating federal funds for pet projects back home . McKeon has requested funds for studying the feasibility of building the museum and providing support for operations . McKeon defended the earmark in a statement sent to CNN as supporting economic development in his district . `` Bishop is a classic western frontier city which survives on tourism . Adding a museum to its community will increase tourism by bringing sightseers and visitors to Bishop year-round , benefiting the area economy , '' McKeon 's statement said . `` If CNN chooses to make a mockery of small-town , western heritage , that 's its prerogative , but I 'm going to remain focused on the economic development of my district . '' According to congressional spending watchdog group Americans for Prosperity , House members this year alone seek to spend $ 13.7 million in tax dollars on 63 museum-related expenses . And the requests are n't limited to one party . Rep. John Murtha , D-Pennsylvania , whom critics often call the `` King of Pork , '' has asked for $ 150,000 to restore the W.A . Young and Sons Foundry to a `` key historic property , '' according to a description posted on Murtha 's Web site . Watch why taxpayers might be paying for a mule museum » . The Rices Landing foundry in Murtha 's economically distressed district is right next to Gary Smith 's home . Smith parks his car in front of the building because as he says `` they got a tour in there [ only ] once a year . '' Murtha declined to talk to CNN about his earmark requests . That is not uncommon . Earlier this year , CNN asked House members to disclose their earmarks . Of the more than 430 members , 47 provided earmark requests , 68 said they would not release their requests and six said they had not made any requests . The others did not return CNN 's request for a list of their earmarks . Earmarks have been a political hot button for years . Commonly derided as `` pork , '' pet projects are tucked into spending bills . In 2006 , Congress approved a record $ 29 billion in earmarks . Watchdog groups , citizens and the media have tried to figure out which members of Congress were asking for money to fund pet projects . When Democrats swept into power in January , they vowed a more ethical , open and transparent government . Earmark reform was at the top of the list . But the party leaders have struggled to make the earmark process more transparent . Democrats have agreed to attach names to earmarks -- letting the public know which representative is asking for what -- before votes on bills . That will be a first , and Democrats have touted the move as a sign of their openness . But there is no law or rule that requires senators or members of Congress to release their requests . In his statement , McKeon called himself a `` staunch supporter of earmark transparency and accountability . '' `` A light needs to be shined on the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars spent on 'bridges to nowhere ' and projects that serve no real purpose , unlike our community museum request , '' McKeon said . `` I do not shy away from , nor do I take any issue with , the public knowing that federal dollars went to support the economic development of a small town on the western edge of the country . '' McKeon 's and Murtha 's requests come at a time when Rep. John Boehner of Ohio , the Republican minority leader , is trying to force reforms in how congressional members ask for and receive funding for pet projects . Boehner is gathering signatures in hopes of forcing a vote to make public every earmark in every bill . Boehner said it would be unreasonable to force a vote on each of the 16,000 expected earmarks Congress will approve in this year 's spending bills . But he said some amount of exposure will cut down on the more outrageous requests . Boehner recently wrote an editorial urging his fellow Republicans to return to their fiscally conservative roots and stop asking for so many pork-barrel projects . But he admits he has limited power , even among fellow Republicans . `` I 'm elected to be their leader , '' Boehner said . `` I 'm not elected to be their dictator or lay out all the rules . All I can do is lead by example . I 've never asked for one [ earmark ] . I think there 's an incredible amount of waste . I 'm doing my best to control it . '' Democratic House leaders , including Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin , the Appropriations Committee chairman , declined to answer questions concerning earmark funding . E-mail to a friend .
California Republican has requested $ 50,000 for a mule museum . Comment: Democrats have vowed to make earmark process more transparent . GOP House leader pressing for more disclosure of 16,000 expected earmarks .