WASHINGTON – House Republicans narrowly voted Wednesday to allow their members to seek earmarks under certain conditions, making a clean break from a decade-long ban against seeking money for specific projects back home.
The 102-84 vote changes the party's internal rules and allows Republicans to join the Democratic House majority as it puts in place a new process for earmarks in spending and transportation bills.
Republicans were faced with a decision of whether to participate in earmarking, a practice they had railed against in the past, or potentially see their districts disadvantaged when it came to federal spending.