Earmarks

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans blasted a $1.1 trillion Democratic spending bill unveiled Tuesday to fund the government next year, arguing that the earmark-laden measure flies in the face of the message voters sent in last month's midterm election. The 1,924-page proposal includes about $8 billion worth of lawmaker-directed spending items known as earmarks. The projects became an issue in some races during the November election, prompting House and Senate Republicans to ban them when Congress returns next year. "This is exactly what the American people said ... they did not want us to do," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, adding that he will fight the measure in the year-end session of Congress. "I am actively working to defeat it." But the proposed projects included in the bill were not requested only by Democrats. McConnell, in fact, included several items for his state, such as a $1.5 million wastewater project. Asked about his own pro

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