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SRES 517
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A resolution expressing opposition to congressional spending on earmarks.

Expressing opposition to congressional spending on earmarks.

Introduced Nov 20, 2025

Latest action (Nov 20, 2025) Referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

Referred to
Appropriations Committee
Issues
Economy & Taxes

Summary

This Senate resolution expresses opposition to earmarks, which are congressionally directed spending and community project funding used by lawmakers to direct taxpayer dollars to specific projects. The resolution condemns the use of earmarks and calls for a permanent ban on them, noting that earmarks were prohibited for 12 years before being reauthorized in fiscal year 2022. The resolution reaffirms previous positions taken by Senate Republicans opposing earmarks and proposes immediate restoration of a permanent ban. The resolution also expresses a call for Congress to reduce federal spending to address deficit concerns.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)
3 cosponsors

Actions (2)
  1. Nov 20, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Appropriations. · senate
  2. Nov 20, 2025 Submitted in Senate

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

  • HR 7041 — Earmark Elimination Act of 2026 · Introduced Jan 13, 2026 · Cong. 119 74%
  • SRES 654 — A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should reduce and maintain the Federal unified budget deficit at or below 3 percent of gross domestic product. · Introduced Mar 20, 2026 · Cong. 119 63%
  • SRES 458 — A resolution extending the enforcement of certain budgetary points of order in the Senate. · Introduced Oct 21, 2025 · Cong. 119 60%
  • HRES 981 — Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should reduce and maintain the Federal unified budget deficit at or below 3 percent of gross domestic product. · Introduced Jan 7, 2026 · Cong. 119 60%
  • SRES 413 — A resolution authorizing the use of funds from the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account for security enhancements and services provided to Senators. · Passed Senate Sep 18, 2025 · Cong. 119 58%
  • HRES 992 — Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7006) making further consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes. · Passed House Jan 14, 2026 · Cong. 119 57%

Full text

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 20, 2025

Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Johnson) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations

RESOLUTION

Expressing opposition to congressional spending on earmarks.

Whereas fiscal year 2022 marked the return of “congressionally directed spending” and “community project funding”, also known as “earmarks”, after a 12-year hiatus; Whereas the return of earmarks marked the return of lawmakers using their powers to circumvent the rules of the Senate in order to direct taxpayer dollars to wasteful projects; Whereas, while Congress has the power of the purse, it must be prescriptive and effective in funding programs, projects, and activities of the Federal Government, which is now more than $38,000,000,000,000 in debt, rather than focus on funding earmarks that are wasteful in nature; Whereas Congress has dramatically increased deficit spending, overseeing more than $12,500,000,000,000 in deficit spending since 2020; Whereas interest payments on the United States national debt have exceeded $1,000,000,000,000 annually; Whereas the Congressional Budget Office projects that between 2025 and 2055, publicly held debt by the United States will increase by $108,100,000,000,000, from $30,100,000,000,000 to $138,200,000,000,000; Whereas Senate Republicans adopted a 2-year moratorium on earmarks in 2010; Whereas Senate Republicans voted favorably for a permanent ban on earmarks in 2019 and reaffirmed that ban in 2021; Whereas former Senator Tom Coburn condemned the use of earmarks as a “gateway drug to overspending” and former Senator John McCain called earmarks “the gateway drug to corruption and overspending in Washington”; Whereas several former Members of Congress and lobbyists have been convicted of crimes related to earmarking; Whereas it is crucial that Congress spend taxpayer dollars wisely and with the best return on investment; and Whereas Congress must stop this reckless Federal spending and corrupt political dealing, start paying down the debt of the United States, and get the United States back on track: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) condemns the use of “congressionally directed spending” and “community project funding”, known as “earmarks”, to direct and appropriate taxpayer dollars in any form;

(2) reaffirms the previous ban on the use of earmarks and affirms to restore the ban permanently and immediately; and

(3) affirms the need for Congress to reign in overspending to help curb the inflation crisis that is crippling the families of the United States. <all>

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