Sen. Marshall Sought Refuge Funding That Borders His Ranch

Sen. Roger Marshall sought $4.2 million in federal funding for a project to increase water flows to Kansas’ Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, where drought and agricultural irrigation have strained supplies for wildlife and migratory birds. The planned pipeline would carry water through Rattlesnake Creek alongside Marshall’s Rattlesnake Ranch, which borders the refuge; experts say improving the area’s water supply could raise nearby land values, while Marshall’s office says the project’s water would go directly to the refuge. Although his earmark was included in a bill that failed, funding for the project later passed in spending legislation he supported, raising conflict-of-interest questions and scrutiny because Marshall has repeatedly opposed earmarks.