"The handwriting is clearly on the wall. . . . Given the reality before us, it makes no sense to accept earmark requests that have no chance of being enacted into law."Senator Inouye has argued that due to reforms recently enacted for transparency and accountability, the small impact on the budget, and constitutional prerogative, earmarking should continue.
The Senate will review the definition of "earmark", which may result in allowing some limited funding for projects. Also yet to be decided is what happens to funds set aside for earmark - particularly in the FY 2011 bill. Will those funds become available to USDOT for grants, or will the funds simply be eliminated?
Meanwhile, a Democratic Senator cosponsored a bill with Republicans to significantly reduce spending on all government programs, including Social Security and Medicare. It's the most draconian deficit reduction effort yet to be endorsed by a Democrat, and another sign that spending - including transportation - is going to decline compared to recent years.
The elimination of earmarks is not expected to have much impact on the deficit or spending, because earmarks are a relatively quite small part of the budget.
"Appropriations Chairman Inouye says he will enforce earmark ban in Senate," WA Post
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