And Representative Robert L. Livingston of Louisiana, the appropriations chairman who is also angling to be speaker one day, recently began his own leadership PAC.

But Mr. Stevens, who as the Senate's appropriations chairman is probably the most influential member of Congress on spending, advocates the technique.

Mr. Weiss was defeated in his bid for re-election after 14 years in the Senate, with 11 years as appropriations chairman.

'Feast or Famine' When Mr. Lowery became a lobbyist, he set himself up as a gatekeeper to his old friend, Mr. Lewis, the appropriations chairman, Mr. Wilkes said.

He worked as a legislative intern for James Hamilton, the appropriations chairman of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and former President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate.

We hold the new appropriations chairman, David Obey of Wisconsin, to his promise for reform as he wades through 30,000 earmark requests.

Among other avenues, the inquiry has been looking into rich government contracts secured by corporations and lobbyists with ties to Representative Jerry Lewis - the former appropriations chairman - and his staff.

Groomed by one of North Carolina's most famous and influential politicians, Liston Ramsey, Nesbitt rose to become an appropriations chairman and top budget writer in the 1990s.

That power is "unique to appropriations chairmen," Mr. Gregg said.

Most prominently, there is Representative Jerry Lewis, the California Republican whose dealings as appropriations chairman have been under scrutiny in the continuing investigation of lawmakers delivering quid pro quo favors for contractors and lobbyists.