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(CBS) Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri has set out to cure Congress of what she calls a bad habit.

“I am one of 12 U.S. senators who’ve not requested earmarks,” she said. “One of only two Democrats.”

From the teapot museum to wine budgets, earmarks are pet projects that get special funding from individual members of Congress – often without a public vote or scrutiny – and are attached to budget bills that have to be passed.

Earmarking wins members of Congress votes at home without costing them anything. After all, they’re using your tax dollars, CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports for Follow the Money.

Members of Congress could earmark anonymously, giving them political cover. But now, brand new rules force them to put their names on their earmarks.

So CBS News set out to find the biggest spenders. Read more…

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