Earmarks allow the U.S. Congress to direct money to be spent on specific projects, either through legislation, known as "hard earmarks," or through committee reports, called called "soft earmarks."

On March 11, President Barack Obama signed the omnibus spending bill, now totaling a whopping $410 billion. Though a defender of the bill, which will fund the federal government's programs for the remainder of the fiscal year, Obama called it "imperfect," and has proposed an increase in transparency for earmarks to prevent indiscriminate and wasteful spending in future bills.Fox News: Obama Signs 'Imperfect' Spending Bill... (March 11, 2009) One such program would start websites to keep taxpayers informed about projects being funded by the government how much money was being allocated to them.The Swamp: Obama calls for more earmark transparency (March 11, 2009)

During its time in the House of Representatives, 9,000 earmarks were added to the omnibus spending bill by both Democrats and Republicans, accounting for 2% of the total cost. Republicans in the Senate led by John McCain had threatened to revise the bill and pass another extension, to allow federal spending to continue until a new bill could be passed.New York Times: Catch-Up Spending Bill Puts Congress Under Pressure (March 2, 2009)Politico: Angry McCain slams Obama (March 2, 2009) The bill eventually passed the Senate by a vote of 62-35.

The ambiguous ethical and legal status of earmarking in government has caused some problems due its perceived infringement on the executive branch allocation process, but specific definitions have been avoided due to the limitation of congressional power such a ruling would symbolize. There are many opponents of congressional earmarks, most of which argue that federal money should be appropriated on the basis of the need and merit of applicants, as determined by an objective investigation. Supporters of earmarks point out that the practice allows for more specific and targeted allocations of funds and that the process is more democratic when supervised by elected officials as opposed to unelected civil servants.

• Claire McCaskill
  • Eyewitness News 12 - Kansas: Mo. Lawmakers Praise Bush Economic Plan, Question Earmark Reforms (January 29, 2008)

• David Obey
  • WashingtonPost.com: "In the Democratic Congress, Pork Still Gets Served" (2007)

• Ted Stevens
  • TPM Muckraker: Ted Stevens Pushing Earmark For Son's Employer (2007)

• John Murtha
  • NewsBusters.org: Media's Love Affair With Murtha Ignores His Pork-Filled Past (2007)

• NASA
  • WashingtonPost.com: "At NASA Hearing, Silence on Earmarks" (2006)

• Daniel Inouye
  • The Honolulu Advertiser: "Inouye still impressive in bringing home bacon" (2007)