House lawmakers’ appetite for earmarking has grown a year after Democrats resurrected the practice, particularly among Republicans who will face a sensitive decision on whether to maintain “community project funding” in the next Congress if they retake the chamber in November.
Thus far, 121 House Republicans have requested $5.5 billion worth of projects that appropriators are evaluating as they begin writing the fiscal 2023 spending bills the panel aims to mark up next month. That’s up from 109 last year, and it means nearly 6 out of 10 GOP lawmakers are now participating in the process, up from just over half in 2021 during the process’ inaugural run after an 11-year ban.
Overall, House lawmakers have requested 4,743 earmarks thus far, a 57 percent jump from last year’s submissions, for a total of nearly $12.4 billion — a nearly 75 percent increase, a CQ Roll Call analysis found. Republicans make up 35 percent of those seeking earmarks and about 44 percent of the total funds requested. Republicans make up the top seven requesters by dollar amount, and 14 out of the top 20 in the House.
