Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint issued the following statement on the House's planned vote this afternoon to lift the current ban on earmarks: 

“Today’s outcome was only a temporary victory as House Republicans left the door open to reopening the earmark favor factory next year. The American people made it crystal clear last week that it is time to drain the swamp in Washington – that includes keeping in place the ban on Congressional earmarks. Legislative earmarking was a lynchpin of Washington’s crony system—a favorite of the politically and financially well-connected, it wasted huge amounts of money. Instead of reviving this crony system, Congress should refocus their efforts on the mandate voters gave them: repeal Obamacare, pass tax reform to bring back jobs, secure the borders, confirm constitutional judges, and defeat ISIS.”