Senate Republicans opened the lame-duck session of Congress on Monday by signaling their commitment to the antispending posture that fueled their big gains on Election Day, underscoring the Tea Party movement’s influence on the Republican leadership.
Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, drove the point home as soon as the Senate convened by announcing that he would support a proposed ban on Congressional earmarks, reversing his longtime practice of avidly pursuing money for his state.
“Old habits aren’t easy to break, but sometimes they must be,” said Mr. McConnell, who in the past had boasted about the tens of millions of dollars he steered home.
Congratulations! Earmarks account for about 1% of the federal budget and mostly benefit red states.
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