, ▁the ▁public ▁policy ▁research ▁arm ▁of ▁the ▁U . S .   C ong ress ▁was , ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁federal ▁Office ▁of ▁Management ▁and ▁Bud get ▁the ▁term ▁ear mark ▁referred ▁to , ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁clause ▁ 9 ( e ) ▁of ▁rule ▁XX I ▁restrict ing ▁certain ▁b ills ▁in ▁the ▁R ules ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 1 4 th ▁Congress , ▁Cong r essional ▁ear marks ▁were ▁defined ▁as , ▁ ▁The ▁House ▁R ules ▁imp ose ▁dis closure ▁requirements ▁for ▁ear marks , ▁while ▁a ▁standing ▁rule ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁Conference ▁has , ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 1 4 th ▁Congress , ▁im posed ▁an ▁" ear mark ▁mor ator ium ". ▁ ▁Typ ically , ▁a ▁legisl ator ▁see ks ▁to ▁insert ▁ear marks ▁that ▁direct ▁a ▁specified ▁amount ▁of ▁money ▁to ▁a ▁particular ▁organization ▁or ▁project ▁in ▁their ▁home ▁state ▁or ▁district . ▁ ▁App ropri ation ▁comm itte es ▁The ▁two ▁most ▁powerful ▁Cong r essional ▁comm itte es , ▁the ▁Senate ▁Committee ▁on ▁App ropri ations ▁and ▁the ▁House ▁Committee ▁on ▁App ropri ations , ▁pass ▁b ills ▁that ▁reg ulate ▁exp end it ures ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁federal ▁government . ▁ ▁Ch airs ▁and ▁M embers ▁of ▁these ▁comm itte es ▁are ▁seen ▁as ▁influ ential . ▁The ▁Senate ▁App ropri ations ▁Committee ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁committee ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate , ▁with ▁