With William LaForge, author of Testifying Before Congress

Congressional appropriation earmarks are the talk of the town in the nation's capital. Some want to restrict them. Others seek to eliminate them. However, directed congressional appropriations, i.e., earmarks, are here to stay because Congress plays a vital and unequivocal role in building the government's annual budget and determining funding priorities.

Municipalities across the country have discovered this source of funding. Earmarks, the subject of much public discussion, are devices regularly used in annual appropriations acts to direct the availability of funds for specific activities. Local governments often cannot afford new projects, so they look to the federal government for funding. If you are seriously seeking federal funding, or just curious about this process, this audio course explains what earmarks are and how they are obtained.

• What are earmarks
• Finding earmarks in appropriation measures, floor amendments, conference reports, and the managers' explanatory statement
• When are earmarks legally binding
• How municipalities can influence the legislative process in order to be the beneficiary of an earmark

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