Roll Call: Senate GOP conference upholds earmarks ‘ban’

Jennifer Shutt reports in Roll Call about the latest with earmarks:

Senate Republicans on Wednesday afternoon stuck with their conference’s internal earmark ban, but that won’t prevent those who want funding for home-state projects from requesting it.

After more than a week of tense debate, Senate Republicans opted not to hold a vote to uphold or overturn the prohibition during the closed-door meeting, according to several senators present.

“We just maintain the status quo,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn.

The earmark prohibition — which GOP senators voted to make “permanent” in their rules two years ago — isn’t binding, meaning any Republican who wants to request earmarks likely won’t face repercussions for doing so.

“The rules, as I understand it, are not binding on individual members. So I think we’ll see what people do and what people will refrain,” Cornyn said.

Read her full story here.