WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 2024 federal budget includes $14.6 billion in earmarks for state projects, including $361 million for Ohio. The amount secured by each lawmaker varies widely, from nothing to nearly $227 million.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, took the largest slice of the earmark pie by far, securing $226.9 million spread across 162 projects.

“These critical investments will deliver on community projects proposed by Ohioans across the state, and help to do everything from cleaning up Lake Erie to making our communities safer,” Brown wrote in a statement.

Among House members, Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, secured the most at $44.8 million, followed by Rep. Dave Joyce at $43.8 million. Joyce has long supported earmarks, also known as congressionally directed spending.

“We’re going to spend that money whether I’m involved in the process or we give it to the administration,” Joyce said. “Say $38 million is going to be spent. I want to make sure it’s spent in my district. I want to make sure it’s spent on the things that are the highest priority in my district.”

Earmarks weren’t always popular. Citing wasteful spending, House Republicans banned them from 2011 until 2021.

They were brought back amid calls from legislators to end gridlock and get legislation moving through Congress.

“Earmarks are an easy thing to criticize and score political points on, but earmarks very much are the grease that keeps Congress running,” said Dave Cohen, political science professor at the University of Akron. “They don’t take up much of the federal budget at all. It’s those deals that lawmakers can make that will help them win their own reelection, which will allow them to maybe vote for pieces of legislation that maybe they’re not super comfortable supporting.”

In 2021 several current House members from Ohio voted against bringing them back in, such as Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, who has since requested earmarks. After earmarks returned for the 2022 fiscal year budget, Wenstrup said he would utilize them as the best way to serve his district given the current budget rules.

Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, said he supports funding specific projects in his district.

“When you’re there, you can see exactly what the needs are and how those dollars ought to be appropriated,” he said. “We really look at projects that are community-based, and not only community-based but also tied to local government, that’s going to help out there.”

Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, have voiced continued opposition to earmarks. They, along with Sen. JD Vance, did not submit any requests this year.

The deadline has already passed to make earmark requests for the 2025 fiscal year budget. That is supposed to finalize by Oct. 1, though the 2024 fiscal year budget was approved just weeks ago—six months late.