Houston Chronicle (Internet / Print) 03/25/06 http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3747464.html As Congress continues to debate about whether to reform the way special-interest projects get added to the federal budget, at least one element still is in the shadows: the lawmakers' lists of funding requests for their home districts. The latest wish lists, which begin as requests from constituents, were submitted to congressional budget writers last week. As usual, most area lawmakers declined to share their lists with the public. Among their reasons for privacy were avoiding criticism about projects left off — or blame if listed projects eventually go unfunded. Of the nine Houston-area lawmakers and the two Texas senators, Reps. Ted Poe, R-Humble; Ron Paul, R-Lake Jackson; and Gene Green, D-Houston, were willing to discuss their lists. Paul made about 80 requests, about half for coastal and waterway projects and others for language programs in Galveston schools and avian flu research at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.