After a ten-year absence, congressional earmarks appear to be on their way back.
Earmarks – special budget items chosen by members of Congress specifically for their districts – were banned in 2011 but now, members of the House have voted to revive them, citing the oft-used rationale that members of Congress are more qualified to choose projects for their districts than federal bureaucrats. In addition, it is widely thought that earmarks can help build bipartisan support for challenging legislation.
Amid concern about the possibility of increasing federal spending at a time of rising deficits, the Senate still has not agreed to revive earmarks.
In anticipation of their return, the House Appropriations Committee will start accepting earmark requests later this month.
DeBrunner & Associates has extensive experience successfully helping health care providers secure congressional earmarks for programs and capital projects.
Learn more about the return of congressional earmarks, what it means, and how it might work in the Washington Post article “Congress revives earmarks in hopes of bipartisan deals on infrastructure, budgets.”