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WASHINGTON — Vulnerable lawmakers from throughout the country are set to rake in federal cash for home-state projects after a major spending bill included the first round of earmarks in more than a decade.

Members from both political parties began requesting thousands of projects last year when U.S. House and Senate leaders resurrected what’s called “member-directed spending” — resulting in billions of dollars in earmarks spread across Congress.

Leaders also overhauled the process with new oversight mechanisms and guardrails to prevent the type of scandals that plagued the earmarks process — known derisively as pork-barrel spending — in years past.

Based on the flood of celebrations, tweets and press releases this week after the $1.5 trillion government funding bill was released, members are happy with the outcome.

The legislation, which also includes regular government spending through Oct. 1 and aid to Ukraine, is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden following Senate passage as early as Thursday.

Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, facing reelection in a very red state this November, secured millions in earmarks for 39 projects.

“I’ve fought for months to make sure the government funding bill reflects Georgia’s priorities, and I’m proud the final package includes strong investments and policies I helped secure that will pour federal resources into our HBCUs and other schools, improve maternal health outcomes, fund key infrastructure improvements at our military bases, and direct federal funding to critical job-creating and economic-bolstering projects across the state,” Warnock said in a statement.

The funding will go to myriad projects, ranging from $200 million for mental health services for children who have survived trauma to $293,000 for the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to provide mentorship, training and technical assistance for Hispanic and Latino-owned businesses.

Warnock narrowly won a special election runoff race in January 2021 by about 93,000 votes and is up for reelection this fall in a state that prior to last year hadn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2000.

Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a former astronaut who won a 2020 special election with 51.2% of the vote, secured more than 40 projects in the final government spending bill.

Among the approved projects is funding for facility and equipment upgrades for health centers throughout the state, including $5 million for Mountain Park Health Center and $6 million for Sun Life Family Health Center.

Then there’s $29.3 million for a combat training tank complex at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. And $1.78 million for the Lake Havasu City Jail refurbishment.

Many of Kelly’s approved projects were co-requested with fellow Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Nevada’s Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, along with fellow Democrat Jacky Rosen, sponsored a $12 million appropriation for the Nevada Cares Campus in Washoe County, a shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

Cortez Masto’s 53 approved projects would also provide $2 million for climate research at The Desert Research Institute and more than $7.5 million to the University of Nevada for facilities and equipment.

Among the University of Nevada projects is an “outpatient dental clinic devoted to patients with advance care needs” and “two mobile clinics to expand care to the medically underserved in the community.”

She said in a statement the funding would make Nevada’s “communities safer, more connected, and better prepared to take advantage of our growing economy.” Read more