earmarks

Open the Books mapped $16 billion worth of earmarks across 7,509 projects in FY2023, and found rampant waste and abuse.

Earmarks are back, with Congress’ recent spending bill containing over $16 billion in earmarks. This includes earmarks by Congressman Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), that went directly to Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, where his brother, John Cooper, is the mayor.  

Congress’ $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill to fund the government contains no less than $16 billion in earmarks.

When Congress passed its $1.5 trillion spending bill, they were able to cram 5,000 earmarks totaling $9 billion into the final version.

Last week, 3,309 earmarks from 220 Democrats and 104 Republicans were proposed. Pork is back on the table. The total tab is $10 billion.

Fox News is reporting that lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are requesting nearly $6 billion in earmarks and pet projects in the upcoming federal budget.