Composites Pork Spending?

According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell is pushing a $500,000 add-on to the latest FAA authorization bill that would fund a composites research center. The center would be tasked with studying the use of composites in aircraft. Although it's hard to argue against composites funding, does the U.S. really need another government research center? There are a large number facilities involved in composites research, and many of those have close ties to the FAA. Another program sponsored by Cantwell funds composite manufacturing training at Edmonds Community College. That program looks like it will have a positive effect on employment. EdCC expects 25 to 30 students in the first class this fall, and up to 50 by the winter quarter.