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S. 501: Earmark Elimination Act of 2021

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S. 501: Earmark Elimination Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-03-01 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-03-01 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Earmark Elimination Act of 2021

Plain summary

Earmark Elimination Act of 2021 This bill establishes a point of order in the Senate against considering legislation that includes an earmark. An earmark is generally any congressionally directed spending, tax benefit, or tariff benefit that benefits a specific entity, state, locality, or congressional district other than through a statutory or administrative formula or competitive award process. The point of order may be waived by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Senate. If the point of order is successfully raised and sustained, the earmark must be stricken from the legislation.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Earmark Elimination Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · 13 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ted Cruz (R-TX), Joni Ernst (R-IA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rand Paul (R-KY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Rick Scott (R-FL), James E. Risch (R-ID)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] reported raising $4.8 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong117-s501 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117