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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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 Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:39 am Post subject: pet projects known as earmarks |
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What are "pet projects known as earmarks" ?
WASHINGTON, March 29 — The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed the first major restrictions on lobbying in more than a decade, banning lobbyists from giving gifts and meals to lawmakers and tightening rules for pet projects known as earmarks.
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Hiromichi |
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MrPedantic
Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 116
Location: Southern England
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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Hello Hiromichi
"To earmark" means to set aside funds for a specific purpose.
I've not absolutely sure what the noun "earmark" means, in the context of your quotation; but it seems to mean projects in which senators have a personal interest, and for which they accumulate special funds.
(Perhaps another member will have a better explanation.)
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Harmony
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 140
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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This seemed interesting to me so I did a bit of research on the web. Here's what I found:
Earmarks are appropriations that members of Congress give for projects involving specific colleges and universities, bypassing the normal competitions for federal funds. Congress earmarks the money either in spending bills or in accompanying reports that explain the bills. Federal agencies are then directed to finance the projects by awarding the money to the universities Congress has chosen. 
Source: http://chronicle.com/stats/pork/
Evidently some schools, such as MIT, prefer not to accept earmarked funds. 
| Quote: |
| MIT has a long-standing policy that prohibits the knowing acceptance of grants and contracts funded via Congressional action. Such awards are known as �earmarks� and funding is not generally the result of peer review. Earmarked funds are often a way to secure funds for new buildings, and for major equipment needed for cutting edge research, but institutionally MIT avoids seeking or accepting earmarked funds. |
http://web.mit.edu/osp/www/post_policy.htm |
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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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Harmony, Thank you very much. MIT has a good policy!
MrPedantic, Thanks for your encouraging others to respond to my question without being pedantic.
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Hiromichi |
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Philo Kevetch
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 564
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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Hope it's okay to jump in..........
My guess on "earmark" - Many people fold the top corner of a page in books ("dogear") to help indicate where they have stopped reading or to be able to return to a specific page.
So..... perhaps the usage has been borrowed and become "jargon" in the world of political/ finance?
hiromichi - Nice wry sense of humo(u)r. :) Philo |
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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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Philo Kevetch, Thank you for your follow-up.
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Hiromichi |
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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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Philo Kevetch, Thank you for your follow-up.
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Hiromichi |
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