Lawmakers retiring from Congress at the end of the year are asking their colleagues to save their earmarks.

The members have fought for the earmarks all year and don’t want to see them die or have the money spent on other projects. But they won’t be around to fight for them next year, when Congress might pass the nine appropriations bills stuck for now.

Several lawmakers are asking for assistance from across the aisle or in the opposite chamber to protect their hard-won projects.

Hobson has a stake in the Energy and Water appropriations bill approved by the House Appropriations Energy and Water subcommittee, where Hobson serves as the top Republican.

The House legislation includes more than 1,460 earmarks, worth about $3.1 billion. It passed at the committee level in both chambers but did not receive a floor vote and was not attached to the continuing resolution that will keep the government operating until March 2009.

Hobson won 17 earmarks, worth a combined $27.6 million, in the bill, according to an analysis by Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS), a budget watchdog group.

“Those are really worthwhile projects,” said Hobson. “That is always a risk when you leave.”

No one has to fret too much, however. Congress did add more than 2,300 earmarks in the continuing resolution, worth about $6.6 billion, according to TCS.

That’s mostly due to the inclusion of three appropriations bills in the resolution. One of the attached measures was the defense appropriations bill, which is typically the most earmark-laden. It included more than 2,000 earmarks, worth close to $4.9 billion.

Hobson said he hoped the new member who will take his seat next year will request his earmarks again. But that freshman lawmaker will not have the same seniority as Hobson and in all probability will not earn a coveted spot on the Appropriations Committee.

Hobson also cited the new ethics rules as an obstacle to protecting his earmarks.

“We can’t lobby once we leave,” said Hobson, referring to the new two-year ban on ex-members lobbying, which was included in the new ethics and lobbying law that passed last year.

Retirements loom large this election cycle, especially for the GOP. Twenty-nine Republicans are leaving the House chamber, along with seven Democrats.

But not everyone is worried about his or her earmarks.

“I don’t have any heartburn over it … I’m not wringing my hands,” said retiring Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.).

One reason LaHood might not be worried is that he spoke with Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who will be in a position to save LaHood’s earmarks next year.

“He said he would try to help with some of these projects,” LaHood said.

A spokesman for Durbin confirmed the conversation and praised LaHood for his 12 years of service on Capitol Hill.