Lawmakers can direct funds to projects and programs outside of the usual competitive bid process. This is called earmarking. The AJC's earmarks database shows you how Georgia federal legislators are using the earmark tool as the 2009 spending bills take shape. The Senate portion of the data shows programs requested by one or both senators before the Senate Appropriations Committee acts on the 12 spending bills to fund the government for the coming fiscal year, which starts in October. The House portion shows how much money was designated by a representative or group of representatives in the first five spending bills which have recently passed the House Appropriations Committee.