Some lawmakers say they should be the ones deciding where that money goes - not a bureaucrat who maybe has never been to their state.

"We all should be able to stand behind the work that we do and advertise to our constituents and everybody around the country as to why this is a priority," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

"If people think we are quote saving money," Murkowski told reporters, "they are fooling themselves, because those dollars are still going out the door."

But there are also Republicans who think Congress should just stay away from pork barrel spending.

"Earmarks grease the skids for bigger government," said Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE).

But regardless of complaints about how big the federal deficit might be, and how much is being spent overall, lawmakers of both parties trumpet the arrival of money for the folks back home - with federal agencies joining in those announcements as well.

There are so many grants offered by the U.S. Government that a special website was set up to help people find out more information about what's available.

Going through many of the grants, what one notices right away is the wide swath of money available for all sorts of matters:

+ Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) USA Cooperative Agreement Program

+ Invasive and Noxious Plant Management

+ Forest and Woodlands Resource Management

+ Cultural Landscape Inventory for the Navajo Settlement

+ Longitudinal Research on Delinquency and Crime

One grant available right now from the National Institutes of Health deals with research into dementia, "to conduct new research on automobile technology for signaling early signs of cognitive impairment in older drivers."

In recent weeks, President Trump has made it clear that he's ready to use support for specific home-state spending matters to his electoral advantage, too.

My Administration will be fighting for $200 million for the Army Corps Everglades restoration work this year. Congress needs to help us complete the world’s largest intergovernmental watershed restoration project ASAP! Good for Florida and good for the environment. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2019 We must protect our Great Lakes, keeping them clean and beautiful for future generations. That’s why I am fighting for $300 million in my updated budget for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2019

The focus on local spending is not new - almost ten years ago, I wrote about the proliferation of grants, and how the executive branch was handing out the pork.

And it's still happening today.