Phoned in Pork

The next iteration, earmark requests by Congress phoned in to federal agencies. Kimberley Strassel, WSJ, RCP:

Congressional members, led by appropriators and an army of staff, have already figured out a new way to keep their favors in the money, and it might as well be called 1-800-EARMARKS (which unfortunately is already taken). All across Washington, members are at this moment phoning budget officers at federal agencies--Interior, Defense, HUD, you name it--privately demanding that earmarks in previous legislation be fully renewed again this year. There might not be a single official earmark in the 2007 spending bill, but thousands are in the works all the same.

Some agencies are resisting, others welcoming. OMB has issued earmark requirements, but perhaps the Bush administration needs to shame those porky politicos.