A bill to suspend Congressional earmarks for one year failed this month in the Senate. Despite supporting the moratorium, Senator Lamar Alexander said today he won’t forego putting specific appropriations in the federal budget.

Two members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation, however, have stuck their necks out and said they won’t request earmarks this year. Representatives Marsha Blackburn – a Brentwood Republican – and Jim Cooper – a Democrat from Nashville – have taken the ‘no-earmark’ pledge.

Senator Alexander says he’s not willing to go that far.

“Repairing the Center Hill Dam is an earmark. I don’t think the people of Middle Tennessee would like for me not to be concerned any more about the safety of Center Hill Dam.”

Repairs to the shaky dam upstream from Nashville are set to cost 260-million dollars over six years, an earmark requested by Alexander. He says the system can work if the appropriations are made responsibly.