Senate Republicans have chosen to keep a ban on earmarks as part of their official conference rules without taking a formal internal vote. The conference rules are seen as non-binding, which means some members may still request state-specific funding in the fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills.

Many appropriators in both parties and both chambers have long wanted to return to the practice of “member-directed spending” for local projects such as military construction. Earmarks have been banned for more than a decade after a series of high-profile scandals.

Both parties in the House are embracing their inclusion, along with Senate Democrats.

But among Senate Republicans, “it feels like people who want to request earmarks may end up doing that, and people who don’t, won’t,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the number two Senate Republican, said, according to Politico.

Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Susan Roberts