Skip to content

Frequently Asked Questions

We have compiled a list of questions to assist you in submitting your request. If you have any additional questions or comments, please contact Senator Booker’s office at: appropriations@booker.senate.gov

Return to Appropriations Page
What is Congressionally Directed Spending?

Originally called “earmarks,” Congressionally Directed Spending refers to funds provided by Congress for projects or programs contained within a spending bill.

Who is eligible to submit a CDS request?

Most not-for-profit organizations are eligible to submit a CDS request, including local governments such as municipalities and counties. For-Profit entities are prohibited from receiving CDS funding. Applicants and their projects must be located in New Jersey.

What types of projects can I submit for a CDS request?

CDS requests can range in size from small to large, as long as they conform to the guidelines set out by the Senate Appropriations Committee and the applicable appropriations bill and account. Please keep in mind that there is a small pot of money available for CDS requests in the Senate for many worthy projects.

CDS projects should not be viewed as continuous funding sources, but rather a way to jump start or complete an activity – not sustain it over time. Successful CDS projects will match the project to the authorization or mission of an agency or account and have the support of local officials or communities. You can find projects funded in previous years on the application page for examples of the types of projects that have been selected in the past. 

I have submitted my CDS request, what’s next?

After the deadline for submission, Senator Booker’s staff will evaluate all CDS requests to ensure they comply with Senate Rules. Afterwards all applications will be screened based on: alignment with Senator Booker’s legislative priorities, service to historically underserved communities, project justification, project feasibility, and project sustainability.

Once Senator Booker makes his CDS request to the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Appropriations Committee will consider his requests as well as the requests of all participating United States Senators. Once the Senate Appropriations Committee has decided which CDS requests will receive funding, that list will be posted to the Committee’s website at appropriations.senate.gov. This is a lengthy, months-long process. Please be aware of this as you are making your requests.

Please note that even if a project is requested by Sen. Booker and selected by the Senate Appropriations Committee, all CDS funding is contingent upon enactment of FY26 appropriations bills.

What happens if my project is not selected for funding this cycle?

The Senate Appropriations Committee capped the amount of funding allowed to go to CDS items, which means that there is only a small amount of money available for many worthy projects. Please note that submitting a CDS request to Senator Booker does not guarantee federal funding. If your project was not selected, or you missed the deadline to apply, there will likely be an opportunity to submit a request next year. You can also find more information on Senator Booker’s website about applying for competitive federal grant funding opportunities: Grant Assistance.

If I submitted a request to my House representative, does that preclude me from applying to Senator Booker’s office for the same project? What if my project/application was successfully selected by my House Representative?

An application to another Congressional office does not preclude you from also submitting your project to our office. Some eligible entities will request the same project or different pieces of a larger project with different members of their congressional delegation. It is encouraged to submit to both the House and the Senate – we collaborate with other Congressional offices when determining our recommendations and throughout the appropriations process.

However, while applying for the same project with multiple offices may increase your chances of being recommended by one of the offices, the projects will go through independent selection processes in the Senate and the House, and then must be conferenced to fund a final list of projects.

What is Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS)?

Originally called “earmarks,” Congressionally Directed Spending refers to funds provided by Congress for projects or programs contained within a spending bill.

What happened to the ban on earmarks?

In 2011, Congress imposed a ban on “earmarks.” On April 26, 2021, the Senate Appropriations Committee announced that Congress would restore the authority to approve congressionally directed spending items with enhanced transparency and accountability.

What are the Senate Appropriations Committee requirements for congressionally directed spending items?
  • No Member Financial Interest: The rules forbid any member from pursuing a congressionally directed spending item to further his or her financial interest, or that of his or her immediate family. Each member requesting a congressionally directed spending item must certify in writing that there is no such interest and make that certification available to the public. 
  • Request in Writing: Any member requesting a congressionally directed spending item must do so in writing, including the Member’s name, the name and location of the intended recipient, and the purpose of the spending item.
  • Committee Consideration: When reporting legislation containing congressionally directed spending items, the Committee is required to make each item publicly available online in a searchable format as soon as practicable after the mark up (including the name of each Member requesting the item).
  • Disclosure Before Floor Consideration: The rules prohibit a vote on a motion to proceed to a bill or a vote on adoption of a conference report, unless the chair of the committee certifies that a complete list of congressionally directed spending items has been publicly available for at least 48 hours.
  • Point of Order Against New Projects in Conference Reports: A point of order may be raised against a provision of the conference report if it includes a congressionally directed spending item that was not included in either the House or Senate bills.

In addition to the above-mentioned requirements, there are also several new rules meant to reform the process. These include: 

  • For-profit entities are banned from receiving congressionally directed spending items.
  • The Government Accountability Office is required to audit a sample of enacted congressionally directed spending items and report its findings to Congress.
  • There is a 1 percent cap on discretionary spending for congressionally directed spending items.
What is the difference between a CDS request and a programmatic request?

CDS requests, generally speaking, are funding requests for a specific project in a specific location – Example: Provide $500,000 for an entrepreneur training program at a nonprofit in City, State.

Programmatic Requests are requests to fund a specific program in the spending bill at a specified level – Example: Provide $150,000,000 for Small Business Development Centers nationwide.

Who do I contact if I have a specific question about my request?

Please direct all questions regarding Senator Booker’s CDS request process to appropriations@booker.senate.gov