Congressional Earmarks Can Be Tool for Advancing Infrastructure Bill, Stakeholders Say

Transport Topics

Eugene Mulero

March 11, 2021

Freight transportation stakeholders said they’d welcome revival of the long-dormant congressional earmark process as part of comprehensive infrastructure legislation later this year.

Earmarks are legislative provisions that allow lawmakers to specify the amount of funding for a specific project. They were banned in Congress about a decade ago amid controversy, but when in use lawmakers would earmark federal funds for specific projects in their districts, sometimes bypassing debate in committees that held jurisdiction over the project.

Democratic leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives recently endorsed earmarks. The process could restart as early as this spring in an effort to direct funding for certain projects and programs.

Industry groups told Transport Topics that earmarks could serve as a tool to facilitate adoption of either a sweeping infrastructure measure or a multiyear highway policy bill.

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