The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reported this week that congressional earmarks (funds congress directs to be spent on particular projects) in all FY2010 appropriations bills total $11.1 billion, $4.2 billion (27%) lower than in FY2009.  The total number of earmarks counted by OMB dropped to 9,192 (17 percent) in FY2010 from 11,124 in FY2009.  DoD earmarked spending (including military construction) totals $5.5 billion, accounting for almost 50 percent of all agencies' earmarks in FY2010.  This amount is over $4 billion more than the next two highest appropriations:  Energy and Water, and Transportation/HUD.  However, the number of DoD earmarks in FY2010 is 21 percent of the total, meaning that the average value of DoD earmarks is much larger than that of other agencies.  According to OMB figures, the average value of a DoD earmark in FY2010 is almost $3 million, compared to less than $1 million for all other agencies.  For FY2011, congressional earmarks should be about the same (or a little lower) as in FY2010.  House members are split over how to handle earmarks this year.  Republicans have indicated their support for a one-year hiatus on earmarking, while democrats have talked about banning earmarks for for-profit entities.  However, the Senate has shown little consensus for reducing earmarks.  It should be noted that analyses of earmark spending depends on the definition used and whether that definition is comparable from year to year.  While the OMB data may differ from other studies (a difference it acknowledges), it is probaby the most complete information available.