PORKBUSTERS UPDATE: This sounds like semi-good news:

As House Republican leaders have not agreed on a final plan for earmark reforms, the internal Appropriations Committee rules changes represent the only new limits. House leaders briefly outlined possible earmark reform to rank-and-file members at a closed-door meeting yesterday morning, but fiscally conservative leaders such as Reps. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said the proposal is “sketchy” and unsatisfactory.

Flake said leaders are willing to let lawmakers vote against individual earmarks in spending bills when they first reach the chamber floor but not after bills emerge from conference negotiations.

Appropriators are lobbying their colleagues to oppose dramatic earmark reform. At the same time they are implementing their own new rules.

The chairmen of appropriations subcommittees that traditionally produce among the most project-laden of the annual spending bills said they are limiting their colleagues to 10 project requests each.

This is a modest improvement, which is better than no improvement. However, it shouldn’t stand in the way of more serious reform, which this is nowhere close to.

There’s a hearing on earmark reform in the Senate, starting at 9:30 this morning. You can stream it live via a link here.