Bloomberg News reports:
Senate Appropriations Chairman Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, has been leading discussions to return earmarks in the fiscal 2022 appropriations bills. They are expected to total around $15 billion, about 1% of the $1.5 trillion in spending for the year for both the House and Senate. Leahy has said he is willing to share half of the Senate earmarking funds with Republicans, creating an incentive for members of the party to go along to get nearly $4 billion in local projects.
Separately, Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Tom Carper is talking with Republicans on his committee about allowing the return of earmarks in the surface transportation bill he plans to produce in his committee by the end of May. Carper said Monday those discussions are still ongoing.
From Bloomberg, April 13, 2021
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