Washington (CNN) House Speaker Paul Ryan successfully lobbied his Republican colleagues Wednesday to postpone a vote on a proposal to bring back earmarks, billions of dollars for pet projects tucked into spending bills. "We just had a 'drain the swamp' election," Ryan told members, according to a GOP source in the room. House GOP members applauded and agreed to put off the issue until the first quarter of 2017, when they have more time to have detailed plan to oversee spending bill talks. Supporters of the change argued that ban on earmarks went too far because they can't direct funding to much-needed projects in their districts. One former member of the Appropriations panel, California GOP Rep. Duke Cunningham, went to prison over charges that he traded favors for contributions and gifts.

Source: CNN November 16, 2016 18:40 UTC