This was a deadline skirted by many lawmakers, but not central Ohio's five members of the U.S. House.

Members of Congress were given until last week to post on their Web sites all the earmarks they were requesting for this year's spending bills. Earmarks are provisions that lawmakers insert into spending bills to pay for projects they favor.

Republicans Pat Tiberi of Genoa Township and Steve Austria of Beavercreek had no trouble meeting the deadline for the simple reason that neither requested an earmark. Tiberi has not asked for any earmarks for the second straight year. An Austria spokeswoman said the freshman lawmaker has established a one-year moratorium on earmarks.

By contrast, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Columbus, posted a lengthy list of earmark requests. They include $5 million for expansion of a cancer hospital at Ohio State University, $40,000 for solar panels at Fairbanks local schools, and $825,000 to upgrade the water treatment facility in Marysville.

Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville, requested $62.3 million in earmarks, while Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, posted seven pages of requests, including $1.2 million for energy research at Ohio University.

Researchers at the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation checked more than 430 lawmakers' Web sites last weekend and found that 293 House members had met the deadline.