Critics of the congressional practice of earmarking federal spending for projects back home are hoping for a showdown later this week when the Senate and House debate a 2009 budget blueprint. In the Senate, a group including Republican presidential candidate John McCain plans to offer an amendment effectively calling for a year-long moratorium on earmarking in appropriations bills, authorization bills or any other legislation that moves through Congress. South Carolina Republican Jim DeMint believes public anger over things like Alaska’s ‘bridges to nowhere’ and election-year angst some politicians have about earmarks could force a change.
Joel Southern, APRN – Washington, DC
