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Congress·In Committee·about 2 months ago

Congress: Banning Local Project Funding (Earmarks)

Also known as: Earmark Elimination Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

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Key Points

  • This bill, introduced by Representative Norman, would stop the House of Representatives from voting on any laws that include "earmarks." Earmarks are specific chunks of money set aside for a single project in a specific town or district, like a new bridge or a local park, instead of being awarded through a fair competition.
  • The plan also bans special tax breaks or trade deals that only help 10 or fewer people or companies. This is meant to prevent politicians from giving "sweetheart deals" to their biggest supporters or specific businesses in their home states.
  • If a lawmaker spots an earmark in a bill, they can speak up to have it removed immediately. If there is a disagreement about whether a piece of funding counts as an earmark, the entire House of Representatives will hold a vote to decide.
  • Supporters of this change say it will save taxpayer money and stop "pork barrel" spending, which is when politicians trade favors to get expensive local projects passed. Critics often argue that earmarks help small communities get the specific help they need that larger federal programs might overlook.

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Jan 13, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced in House

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Earmark Elimination Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7041
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Rules.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

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