For the first time in 2009, members of Congress had to release their earmark requests to the public. As we’ve documented before, this information is scattered over 535 Web sites in all kinds of different formats. Jim Harper and Washington Watch have now released a tool that allows volunteers to capture that earmark information for posterity, centralize it in a single location, and allow for all kinds of additional analysis and investigation. And, if you participate, you can win a Kindle!

Find out more here.

The more members we get entered, the more meaningful research we can do about which requested earmarks actually get funded — do lobbyists matter? How about campaign contributions? To fi