WASHINGTON — The Senate Republican Conference will lose some prolific earmarkers to retirement next year, as the party faces some soul-searching over whether to keep the practice if they retake one or both chambers after November’s midterms.
Thus far in the upcoming fiscal 2023 appropriations process, North Carolina’s Richard M. Burr has asked for about $219 million worth of projects, Alabama’s Richard C. Shelby has sought nearly $664 million and Missouri’s Roy Blunt has asked for about $685 million. Their requests for the Interior-Environment spending bill hadn’t been submitted as of Friday afternoon, so the totals may still grow.
Not to be outdone, Oklahoma’s James M. Inhofe, whose requests for all of the spending bills available for earmarks are in, is seeking nearly $900 million.
