What Are Earmarks and What Purpose Do They Serve? What Are Earmarks in an Appropriation Bill? Earmarks, also known as “congressionally directed spending” or “community project funding,” allow legislators to allocate funding to specific projects in their jurisdiction
Earmark (politics) - Wikipedia An earmark is a provision inserted into a discretionary spending appropriations bill that directs funds to a specific recipient while circumventing the merit-based or competitive funds allocation process
Earmarks - Political Dictionary Earmarks are funds that are allocated to a specific program, project or for a designated purpose, or that direct specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees
Sens. Rick Scott, Mike Lee, Ron Johnson Lead Resolution Slamming . . . November 21, 2025 WASHINGTON, D C – Today, Senator Rick Scott led Senators Mike Lee and Ron Johnson in a resolution opposing the wasteful practice of earmarks in Congress, which have been abused by Democrats for years to include billions of taxpayer dollars in federal spending on thousands of liberal pet projects and special interest priorities As the federal debt tops $38 trillion
The Ultimate Guide to Earmarks: Understanding Congressional Spending The story of earmarks is as old as the United States itself While the term “earmark” is more modern, the practice of Congress directing funds to specific projects has been a feature of American governance since the very beginning
Earmarks are back: How Democrats and Republicans differ In 2021, Democrats ended the 10-year earmark moratorium Earmarks, occasionally referred to as “pork,” are small grants to programs and projects in congressional districts House Republicans
What Are Earmarks in Government Legislation? - LegalClarity Earmarks are a mechanism within the federal legislative process that directs government funds to specific projects or entities, allowing members of Congress to allocate resources directly to initiatives within their districts or states
Amid Appropriations Season, the Bipartisan Earmark Party Is in Full . . . National Taxpayers Union and its research arm, National Taxpayers Union Foundation, combed through each of the four appropriations bills and tallied all the earmarks (the Department of Defense appropriations bill included no earmarks) In total, we tallied 2,880 earmarks totalling $5 25 billion in Fiscal Year 2026
Restoring the Power of the Purse: Earmarks and Re-Empowering . . . In recent years, various senators and representatives have discussed lifting Congress’ earmark moratorium The practice of earmarking—or allowing legislators to direct federal benefits in the forms of spending, tax, or tariffs to their home districts and states—is as old as the republic