Amid soaring inflation, sky-rocketing gas prices, Congress brings back earmarks: 'Cocaine of this generation'

Congress recently passed a massive spending bill that includes thousands of earmarks. Originally removed by the Republican Tea Party wave during former President Obama’s administration, earmarks were used for decades to give lawmakers a loophole to fund pet projects back home.

"This isn’t free money. It’s taxpayers’ money. And Democrats are trying to use taxpayer money … to buy the support of voters who are rejecting their agenda."  "You can't say you're trying to fight off inflation and you're dumping more federal dollars into the economy at the same time."

The appropriations screen pass was brought back this year by Congress, as Democrats and some Republicans used thousands of earmarks in the $1.5 trillion omnibus bill to get millions of dollars in taxpayer money to fund projects back home in their districts.