Earmark
A provision inserted into a discretionary spending appropriations bill that directs approved funds to a specific recipient, circumventing standard merit-based or competitive award processes.
A provision inserted into a discretionary spending appropriations bill that directs approved funds to a specific recipient, circumventing standard merit-based or competitive award processes.
Example: The ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ (2005) is a famous example, where $223 million was earmarked for a bridge in Alaska connecting to an island with a small population, sparking a national backlash against pork-barrel spending.
Common misconception: Earmarks are illegal. They were voluntarily banned by Congress in 2011 but were officially reinstated in 2021 under new transparency rules, requiring public disclosure of the requesting member.