Congressional earmarks are federal funds within annual appropriation bills directed to particular projects or purposes by Representatives and Senators, who have the Constitutional responsibility to approve all federal spending. It is a process of matching available federal funding to appropriate local needs, and in the First District of Hawaii, it follows extensive meetings with local and state officials, military commanders, university leaders and nonprofit organizations.

To prevent misuse or abuse of this responsibility, the Democratic House leadership now requires that every request for earmarked funds be accompanied by a letter certifying that neither the requesting Representative nor any relative will benefit financially. Additionally, every request for earmarked funds must be posted on the requesting Member’s web site for public scrutiny at least 48 hours before the House votes on the Appropriation Bill containing the earmark.

Here is a list of all Congressman Abercrombie’s requests to date for earmarked funds in the Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriations Bills: