According to The Hill, the cost of earmarks increased this year despite lawmakers' promises to work on reducing pork-barrel spending:
Earmarks, which are inserted in appropriations bills by members in order to fund specific projects, added up to $19.9 billion in 2009, according to an analysis by the Taxpayers for Common Sense and Center for Responsive Politics. Earmarks in 2008 spending bills were worth $18.3 billion.Curious to see how much your senator/representative requested in earmarks? Check out the study posted here.