There have been whispers that Pelosi might move to install a more widespread ban of earmarks. And one anti-earmark crusader in the Senate is Sen. Jim DeMint, (R-S.C.) who is attempting to push an earmarks ban in the Senate by forcing a vote. That would require 67 Senators.
What was remarkable about the GOP House Conference ban is that it was done by a voice vote. In other words, there was so much unanimous consent that no hand-counting was needed. That means that Congressmen like Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), who has typically been opposed to earmark reform, weren’t skipping out on the chance to reform.
Perhaps someone told him it was an election year.