President Bush participates in a photo opportunity with, l-r, Former President George H.W. Bush, President-elect Barack Obama, POTUS, Former President William J. Clinton and former President Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office at the White House, Wednesday. (Mary F. Calvert / The Washington Times)

Roland Burris holds a press conference to say he expects to be seated as the junior Senator from Illinois after a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.) at the Hyatt in Washington, D.C. Wednesday. (Michael Connor / The Washington Times)

Roland Burris holds a press conference to say he expects to be seated as the junior Senator from Illinois after a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.) at the Hyatt in Washington, D.C. Wednesday. (Michael Connor / The Washington Times)

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), left, and Senate Majority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), right, talk to the media about the morning visit of Roland Burris, appointed by embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat, in the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has acknowledged that the earmark process had been "abused" in recent years. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI), along with Tom Coburn (R-OK), Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and John McCain (R-AZ), address the media regarding earmarks in the federal budget at a press conference in the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Left to right, Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI), John McCain (R-AZ) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) confer before addressing the media regarding earmarks in the federal budget at a press conference in the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)