Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. have a total of 129 earmarks in the $410 billion spending bill.
Harry Reid is counting on both of the GOP senators to support the bill.
FOX News reported:
Senate Democrats are expected to win over just enough Republicans to move forward on a controversial $410 billion spending bill by the end of the night Tuesday.
But it may come as no surprise that almost all of the Republican senators who are either expected to support the bill or are considering supporting the bill have billions of dollars worth of earmarks in the package.
The earmark-mania is not unique to either party — both Democrats and Republicans contributed to what Taxpayers for Common Sense estimates is 8,570 disclosed earmarks worth $7.7 billion in the bill that would fund the government through the end of the fiscal year.
But the Republican crossovers in particular have a lot at stake in the package. Of the three Republicans that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has on his “definite” list, two of them have authored 129 total earmarks worth $190 million, according to an updated list from Taxpayers for Common Sense.
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is actually the second-biggest earmarker, according to the list, with 64 earmarks worth $114 million. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., is a few notches down, with 65 earmarks worth $76 million.
Both are expected to support the omnibus bill — along with Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, who has zero earmarks.
UPDATE: The US Senate passed the record spending bill today.
The vote passed 62-35 with 8 Republicans voting with democrats.
