Two aging symbols of Congress' penchant for pouring billions into lawmakers' pet
projects are stepping aside next year. While their departure will probably do
little to change Capitol Hill's culture of spending, the biggest challenge may
come from an unlikely source — Barack Obama.

Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., has become increasingly frail and announced he will
relinquish the chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which
controls over $1 trillion annually in federal spending...