Senate GOP approves permanent earmark ban

Senate Republicans voted Thursday to adopt a permanent ban on earmarks, in a move that signals as long as the GOP controls the chamber the practice of pork-barrel spending won’t return.

A ban had been adopted every Congress since House Republicans imposed it after taking the majority in that chamber in 2011, but it needed to be renewed every two years.

Sen. Ben Sasse said it was time for the GOP to make the ban permanent.

“The last thing taxpayers need is for the same politicians who racked up a $22 trillion national debt to go on an earmark binge,” the Nebraska Republican said.

He won the vote in a closed-door meeting of Senate Republicans.