▁to ▁post ▁all ▁their ▁ear mark ▁requests ▁online ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁signed ▁letter ▁cert ifying ▁that ▁they ▁and ▁their ▁immediate ▁families ▁had ▁no ▁direct ▁financial ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁ear mark . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁House ▁App ropri ations ▁Committee ▁implemented ▁rules ▁to ▁ban ▁ear marks ▁to ▁for - pro fit ▁corpor ations . ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁such ▁ear marks ▁were ▁author ized ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁year , ▁worth ▁$ 1 . 7   b ill ion . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁ear marks ▁constit uted ▁less ▁than ▁ 1 % ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁federal ▁budget , ▁down ▁from ▁about ▁ 1 . 1 % ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁After ▁gain ing ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁( follow ing ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁elections ), ▁Republic ans ▁adopted ▁a ▁House ▁ear mark ▁ban . ▁This ▁was ▁controvers ial ▁within ▁the ▁House ▁Republican ▁Conference , ▁which ▁had ▁internal ▁deb ates ▁several ▁times ▁over ▁whether ▁to ▁partially ▁lift ▁the ▁ban . ▁The ▁ear mark ▁ban ▁is ▁contained ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁Republic ans ' ▁int ra party ▁rules ▁( not ▁the ▁House ▁rules ). ▁ ▁President ▁Ob ama ▁promised ▁during ▁his ▁State ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁address ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁to ▁v eto ▁any ▁bill ▁that ▁contained ▁ear marks . ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Congress ▁" im posed ▁a ▁temporary ▁ban