{"id":2565583,"date":"2026-02-06T06:12:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:12:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-signs-minibus-spending-bill-with-6-5-billion-in-earmarks\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T06:18:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:18:20","slug":"trump-signs-minibus-spending-bill-with-6-5-billion-in-earmarks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-signs-minibus-spending-bill-with-6-5-billion-in-earmarks\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump signs minibus spending bill with $6.5 billion in earmarks"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-signs-minibus-spending-bill-with-6-5-billion-in-earmarks%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2565583&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Donald Trump signed a $174.7 billion spending package for 2026, officially the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act. The measure includes about $6.5 billion in earmarks (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-deeper-dive-into-16-billion-in-omnibus-earmarks\/\" title=\"Omnibus ...: Deeper Dive to  Billion\">community project funding<\/a>) spread across the three divisions, financing roughly 3,030 local projects aimed at infrastructure, energy, university research, and public safety.<\/p>\n<p>The White House touted the signing as fiscally responsible and highlighted goals like energy dominance,crime reduction,and reform of DOJ\/FBI practices. Republicans framed it as a major victory for the American people, while Democrats pointed to investments that could lower utility costs and boost clean energy and safety funding. The House passed the bill 397-28 and the Senate 82-15, with both parties contributing to the vote.<\/p>\n<p>Earmarks have returned after years of reform, now subject to online posting of requests and GAO audits. While some Republicans, such as the House Freedom Caucus, criticized earmarks, others <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >defended specific projects\u2014examples include funding<\/a> for the Space Coast aviation program in Florida and upgrades to infrastructure like bridges, water systems, and port improvements.<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead,Capitol Hill is negotiating another minibus bill that could carry thousands more earmarks (roughly 4,581 totaling about $7.8 billion). This summary draws on reporting by the Washington Examiner\u2019s Kevin R. Kosar.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump signs minibus spending bill with $6.5 billion in earmarks<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tpd-featured-video\">\n<div id=\"Brid_22530\" class=\"brid\" style=\"width:1280;height:720;\"> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> recently signed $174.7 billion spending legislation. The White House <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefings-statements\/2026\/01\/congressional-bill-h-r-4323-and-h-r-6938-signed-into-law\/\">said little<\/a> upon <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/6938\/text\">signing the<\/a> Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>The move<span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">, however, signaled its support for&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\">Congress<\/a>&nbsp;on<\/span> the long-titled bill in a Jan. 7 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SAP-HR6938.pdf\">statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4437676\/can-reza-pahlavi-sell-trump-lead-postcleric-iran\/\">Can the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/two-narco-terrorists-killed-in-latest-military-strike-in-eastern-pacific\/\" title=\"Two \u2018narco-terrorists\u2019 killed in latest military strike in Eastern Pacific\">late shah&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s son sell the Trump administration on leading a postcleric regime in Iran?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4436742\/democrats-proposed-california-wealth-tax-could-backfire-state-revenue-base-dries-up\/\">Proposed California &lsquo;wealth tax&rsquo; may backfire on liberal politicians as state&rsquo;s revenue base dries up<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4444937\/kevin-warsh-federal-reserve-what-to-expect\/\">Warshach test: Trump&#8217;s Fed chairman pick keeps monetary analysts guessing<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The Administration urges every Member of Congress to support this fiscally responsible bill, which is a win for the American taxpayer,&rdquo; it said.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s budget team highlighted the legislation&rsquo;s provisions to achieve &ldquo;energy dominance&rdquo; and to &ldquo;reduce violent crime, root out fraud in Government programs, and address the past weaponization of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Republican lawmakers claimed victory with the bill&rsquo;s enactment during a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepChuck\/status\/2015124180430106664\">low-key signing ceremony<\/a> at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is another major win for the American people that implements President Trump&rsquo;s America First agenda,&rdquo; Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/appropriations.house.gov\/news\/press-releases\/advancing-american-strength-president-trump-signs-hr-6938-law\">declared<\/a>. &ldquo;We are dismantling the drug trafficking networks that have tried to poison our communities for profit. At the same time, we are reviving our coal communities and setting the stage for energy independence.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats also found a lot to like in the legislation. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/appropriations.house.gov\/news\/press-releases\/advancing-american-strength-president-trump-signs-hr-6938-law\">said<\/a>, &ldquo;This package makes meaningful investments to bring down costs for utility bills and provides substantial funding for clean energy. It makes our communities safer by increasing funding for Violence Against Women Act and other public safety grants.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The House passed the bill by a vote of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/votes\/house\/119-2\/7\">397 to 28<\/a>, and the Senate supported it <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.senate.gov\/legislative\/LIS\/roll_call_votes\/vote1192\/vote_119_2_00011.htm\">82 to 15<\/a>. Democrats supplied 206 votes in the House and 35 votes in the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>Left unmentioned in any of these cheerful official statements was that the minibus legislation carries <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ntu.org\/library\/doclib\/2026\/01\/EarmarksinJanuary2026AppropriationsBIlls.xlsx\">3,030 community project funding grants<\/a>, also known as earmarks, according to the National Taxpayers Union. This may be a large reason why Democrats and Republicans were able to come together to support the bill.<\/p>\n<p>Many of the earmarks will fund infrastructure repair or replacement. The statute&rsquo;s Interior and Environment section has hundreds of line items for upgrading sewer lines and drinking water systems. Similarly, the Energy and Water Development will use federal funds for energy development projects and for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects to improve shipping ports and channels.<\/p>\n<p>The law&rsquo;s Commerce, Justice, Science section is a veritable smorgasbord of local projects. Funds will flow to universities for research on semiconductors, fentanyl detection inventions, and cancer cures. Local communities will receive dollars for crime prevention, including new police cars, helicopters, and radios. A Brevard County, Florida, school will get &ldquo;$2,000,000 to establish the Space Coast Jr.\/Sr. High School&rsquo;s new Aviation Assembly and Fabrication Program, giving students hands-on training and preparing the next generation for careers in the aerospace workforce,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/haridopolos.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/rep-haridopolos-secures-funding-space-coast-community-funded-projects\">thanks to<\/a> Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL).<\/p>\n<p>Per tradition, Republicans, who hold the majority in both chambers, clearly brought home more bacon than Democrats, although a final tabulation is not yet available. Not every earmark was partisan. Sens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fetterman.senate.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/EWD_Fetterman_CDS_Disclosure_25.pdf\">John Fetterman <\/a>(D-PA) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mccormick.senate.gov\/helping-pennsylvania\/legislative-assistance\/appropriations-requests\/#energy\">David McCormick <\/a>(R-PA), for example, partnered to secure earmarks to improve wastewater treatment and to mitigate flooding.<\/p>\n<p>Members of the appropriations committees did especially well. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), who chairs the subcommittee that wrote the energy and water portion of the minibus, directed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.local3news.com\/local-news\/house-vote-secures-213-million-for-completion-of-chickamauga-lock-rep-fleischmann-says\/article_93aa5a68-b3f3-40de-82b5-cb0ba30f7f9c.html\">$213 million<\/a> to upgrade the Chickimunga Lock. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) secured <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.murray.senate.gov\/passed-murray-secures-over-5-billion-for-wa-priorities-in-three-bill-funding-package-historic-funding-for-hanford-190-million-for-howard-hanson-dam-rejecting-trump-cuts\/\">$331.4 million<\/a> in funds for infrastructure and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nps-chose-wealthy-environmentalists-over-small-farmers\/\" title=\"NPS Chose Wealthy Environmentalists Over Small Farmers\">natural resource restoration projects<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The earmarks eruption came after Congress enacted hardly any of them for two years. Legislators&rsquo; inability to pass annual funding bills in 2024 and 2025 necessitated enacting continuing resolutions, which typically do not include new directed spending requests.<\/p>\n<p>Congress brought back earmarks <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aei.org\/politics-and-public-opinion\/house-earmarks-requests-why-what-and-who\/\">five years ago<\/a> after a lengthy moratorium. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/appropriations.house.gov\/fy26-member-requests\/fy26-guidance-overview\">New rules<\/a> were adopted <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">in the early 2000s to prevent&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aei.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Restoring-the-power-of-the-purse-3.pdf?x97961\">scandalous dealings<\/a>, which sent one legislator, a few <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-sheldon-whitehouse-senior-staff-as-white-as-his-private-beach-club\/\" title=\"ANALYSIS: Sheldon White... Senior Staff as White as His Private Beach Club\">congressional staff members<\/a><\/span>, and some lobbyists to prison. Community project grants, as earmarks are formally called, can no longer go to private corporations. All spending requests must be posted online by legislators, and the Government Accountability Office will audit some funded projects.<\/p>\n<p>Members of the House Freedom Caucus, which has regularly criticized earmarks, were among the few voices on Capitol Hill to criticize the spending.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The continued inclusion of earmarks in appropriations bills is flatly unacceptable,&rdquo; Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MS) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepEricBurlison\/status\/2014351122442469808\">posted<\/a> on X. &ldquo;The federal government is drowning in debt. Republicans should be leading the effort to reverse this culture, not accommodating it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4441887\/republicans-alex-pretti-shooting-trump-offense\/\">TRUMP SPLITS REPUBLICANS WITH ABOUT-FACE ON ALEX PRETTI SHOOTING<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But not all caucus members heaped scorn on earmarks. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) crowed over the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/harris.house.gov\/services\/community-project-funding-requests\">projects<\/a> he won for his district, including <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/harris.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/congressman-harris-delivers-40-million-new-dredging-vessel-strengthen-maryland\">$40 million<\/a> to acquire a vessel to dredge his state&rsquo;s eastern waterways.<\/p>\n<p>Capitol Hill seems very unlikely to swear off earmarks any time soon. Congress is attempting to enact another minibus spending bill to fund the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security departments, among others. It appears to carry <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ntu.org\/library\/doclib\/2026\/01\/EarmarksinJanuary2026AppropriationsBIlls.xlsx\">4,581 earmarks amounting to $7.8 billion in spending<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Kevin R. Kosar (@kevinrkosar) is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and edits UnderstandingCongress.org.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump signs minibus bill with $6.5B earmarks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3532,"featured_media":2565584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WB.Congress.021126.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[9405,71727,3634],"class_list":["post-2565583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-earmarks","tag-spending-bill-2","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WB.Congress.021126.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2565583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3532"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2565583"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2565583\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2565592,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2565583\/revisions\/2565592"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2565584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2565583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2565583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2565583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}