The U.S. House of Representatives might extend this year’s moratorium on Congressional earmarks for a second year, under a plan being considered by the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Rep. David R. Obey, Congress Daily AM reported today (subscription required).

Mr. Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat, had pledged to cut in half the number of earmarks contained in previous years’ appropriations bills, written by Republicans who went on a spree of pork-barrel spending. Democratic leaders nixed most earmarks for 2007, saying they wanted to increase the transparency and accountability of the controversial, noncompetitive awards, many of which go to academe. Even though Congress made those changes, earmarking was expected to resume in the 2008 fiscal year, which begins on October 1, and Mr. Obey’s committee has been accepting written requests for earmarks from House members.

In the Congress Daily report, Mr. Obey did not state a reason for considering extending the no-pork diet. He said only that “I can’t tell you if we’re going to have earmarks or not until I see what the hell they look like, until I see what mood the House is in, what mood the Senate is in.” So far, his Senate colleagues have shown no signs of a diminished appetite for the other white meat. —Jeffrey Brainard