WASHINGTON — Members of Congress have the opportunity to obtain millions in federal funding for community projects but only four members of Wisconsin’s delegation are seeking the money.

What You Need To Know

  • The House ended a ban on earmarks this year after a Republican majority ended the practice in 2011

  • Representatives are requesting a total of $7.1 billion in earmarks for the FY22 budget

  • Only four Wisconsin lawmakers are requesting earmarks, all Democrats and Republican Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau

After a decade-long ban, the House of Representatives is embracing earmarks again. Those are the special appropriations that lawmakers can steer toward individual projects back home.

“It's putting money into your own district, which if you don't think that's part of your job as a member of Congress, I don't know what you think your job is,” said Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison.

House members have submitted $7 billion in earmark requests. Congressman Pocan is asking for the most in Wisconsin’s delegation, $76 million for 32 community projects. If approved, UW-Madison would see federal investment across several projects including a new home for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences’ plant studies program.

Kathryn VanderBosch, the college’s dean, says farmers rely on the work produced in this program quite a bit. 

"The facility proposed by Rep. Pocan for funding will allow researchers to expand the volume and diversity of plant breeding and genetics work happening on campus and their applications to enhance crop quality, productivity and other traits,” said VanderBosch in a statement to Spectrum News.

Rep. Pocan said it’s long overdue.

“We actually had the last agricultural secretary, Sec. [Sonny] Purdue under Donald Trump come and visit the building,” said Rep. Pocan. “It’s a World War II-era building that they literally swept the cockroaches out of when the secretary came. I wish they didn't, because I think he should have saw it in its full glory. But it's a building that seriously needs to be revamped, that we have as a federal agency in that old decrepit building.”

Pocan is one of only four Wisconsin lawmakers to apply for earmarks. He's joined by Rep. Ron Kind, Rep. Gwen Moore and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald.

All are Democrats, except Republican Rep. Fitzgerald, R-Juneau. Lawmakers refusing to submit earmark requests say Congress must cut back on spending.

“Overall, I think it's a step in the wrong direction to go back to earmarks, not to mention earmarks have resulted in powerful congressmen sometimes wasting money in their district,” said Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Glenbeulah.

Democrats say they have adopted reforms to make sure earmarks are not abused, as they have been in the past. The fate of these requests will be decided during the appropriations process happening now and set to run through out the summer. 

Click here to view Rep. Mark Pocan's community project requests.

Click here to view Rep. Ron Kind's community project requests.

Click here to view Rep. Gwen Moore's community project requests.

Click here to view Rep. Scott Fitzgerald's community project requests.