PORKBUSTERS UPDATE: Claiming victory on earmarks:

House Republican leaders Thursday announced an agreement to end the standoff over member-requested spending projects that temporarily stalled floor action, allowing the annual appropriations bills to move forward.

But Democrats were not so sure. “The deal is not final, and negotiations are ongoing,” said Stacey Farnen Bernards, a spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.).

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) laid out a compromise at a morning news conference, boasting: “House Republicans worked together to demand an end to secret slush funds for earmarks. … We’ve won this round.”

Democrats, in the tenuous accord, agreed to include a list of earmarks in the 10 spending bills the House has yet to address. In addition, they’ll give lawmakers the opportunity to strike specific projects from the final version of each appropriations bill after both chambers have passed their respective versions.

Not to beat a dead horse, but if Republicans had been this diligent in opposing earmarks a year ago, they’d probably still be in the majority. But hey, better late than never.