Senate Republicans to keep earmark ban, though GOP conference rules offer some wiggle room
CNN
Senate Republicans on Wednesday declined to change their conference rules that ban their use of earmarks, an issue that divides the GOP conference and will be a test for how the party will operate over the next several months with Democrats in control of the US Senate.
Not a single senator offered an amendment to allow earmarks again during a closed door meeting Wednesday afternoon, so the old rules banning them continues, according to Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Richard Shelby of Alabama. However, because those conference rules are nonbinding, a Republican senator may still choose to request earmarks. Several GOP senators had said before Wednesday's meeting that they still planned to ask for them no matter what the conference decided.
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