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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. Res. 517 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 517
Expressing opposition to congressional spending on earmarks.
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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 20, 2025
Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Johnson) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations
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RESOLUTION
Expressing opposition to congressional spending on earmarks.
Whereas fiscal year 2022 marked the return of "congressionally directed spending" and "community project funding", also known as "earmarks", after a 12-year hiatus; Whereas the return of earmarks marked the return of lawmakers using their powers to circumvent the rules of the Senate in order to direct taxpayer dollars to wasteful projects; Whereas, while Congress has the power of the purse, it must be prescriptive and effective in funding programs, projects, and activities of the Federal Government, which is now more than $38,000,000,000,000 in debt, rather than focus on funding earmarks that are wasteful in nature; Whereas Congress has dramatically increased deficit spending, overseeing more than $12,500,000,000,000 in deficit spending since 2020; Whereas interest payments on the United States national debt have exceeded $1,000,000,000,000 annually; Whereas the Congressional Budget Office projects that between 2025 and 2055, publicly held debt by the United States will increase by $108,100,000,000,000, from $30,100,000,000,000 to $138,200,000,000,000; Whereas Senate Republicans adopted a 2-year moratorium on earmarks in 2010; Whereas Senate Republicans voted favorably for a permanent ban on earmarks in 2019 and reaffirmed that ban in 2021; Whereas former Senator Tom Coburn condemned the use of earmarks as a "gateway drug to overspending" and former Senator John McCain called earmarks "the gateway drug to corruption and overspending in Washington"; Whereas several former Members of Congress and lobbyists have been convicted of crimes related to earmarking; Whereas it is crucial that Congress spend taxpayer dollars wisely and with the best return on investment; and Whereas Congress must stop this reckless Federal spending and corrupt political dealing, start paying down the debt of the United States, and get the United States back on track: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) condemns the use of "congressionally directed spending" and "community project funding", known as "earmarks", to direct and appropriate taxpayer dollars in any form; (2) reaffirms the previous ban on the use of earmarks and affirms to restore the ban permanently and immediately; and (3) affirms the need for Congress to reign in overspending to help curb the inflation crisis that is crippling the families of the United States.