Porkbarrel spending
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
About
Porkbarrel spending (aka "pork-barrel" or "pork barrel" spending, frequently used without the "spending" qualifier) refers to a legislator obtaining (or attempting to obtain) federal funds for projects in their home districts/states that serve little or no purpose to the rest of the country.
The term apparently originates with an 1863 story in which it was a metaphor for any form of public spending benefiting the citizenry; the modern usage was established by 1873.