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WASHINGTON — Congressman Ralph Norman (R-SC) introduced an amendment to strike Senate-inserted earmarks from the FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill, which funds federal programs related to workforce development, public health, and education.

Unlike the Senate, the House does not include earmarks in the LHHS bill. However, the Senate is pushing to include billions of dollars in earmarks directing taxpayer funds to projects outside the core mission of LHHS. Congressman Norman’s amendment would strike those provisions and restore accountability to the appropriations process.

“The American people deserve transparency in how their hard-earned tax dollars are spent,” said Congressman Norman. “When earmarks are buried in massive spending packages, it undermines trust and invites waste. Federal funding should prioritize working families, public health, and responsible governance. Not partisan pet projects.”

The amendment will be considered as the House debates H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.

Heritage Action in support: “In demanding earmarks of their own, Republicans have opened the door to Democrats to direct taxpayer funds to entities engaged in practices that most GOP voters find abhorrent. Voters elected Republican majorities in Congress to end this. Congressman Norman’s amendment would remove all earmarks from the Labor-HHS bill, reducing the total cost to taxpayers by $1.3 billion.”

Club for Growth in support: “Earmarks are the currency of corruption. In recent years, the Swamp has tried to rebrand earmarks as “Community Funding Projects” or “Congressionally Directed Spending.” But as American poet James Whitcomb Riley is credited as saying, “if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.” H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, is littered with earmarks supporting outrageous spending prioritized by some Senators."

Read the amendment HERE.