WASHINGTON, D.C. ? The House changed its rules Thursday to require lawmakers to identify the special projects they slip into legislation, a modest step toward restoring the reputation of Congress in a year of ethical lapses and scandals involving relations with lobbyists.

The change, in effect only through year’s end, is aimed at curtailing a practice whereby lawmakers anonymously insert “earmarks” – narrowly tailored spending that often helps a specific company or project in their district – into bills.

Citizens Against Government Waste, a taxpayer watchdog group, said there were 9,963 such projects in spending bills for the 2006 budget year, costing $29 billion.