WASHINGTON (AP) -- A leading conservative Republican is hailing the push to end spending on pet projects, saying it represents a "culture change" in Washington.

South Carolina's Sen. Jim DeMint complimented Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell for joining forces with those wanting to end the so-called "earmarks" often attached to congressional legislation.

DeMint tells CBS's "The Early Show" he credits the Kentucky Republican with listening to fellow GOP lawmakers and also to voters who showed their anger over excessive federal spending at the polls in this months's elections.

An earmark ban could imperil funding for dozens of key projects in South Carolina, among them the U.S. Corps of Engineers funding of a study on deepening the Charleston port.

State and local port officials say South Carolina stands to lose millions of dollars to other East Coast states with harbors deep enough to accommodate a new generation of larger cargo ships.

DeMint also said he plans to introduce legislation with Indiana's Rep. Mike Pence later Tuesday to make permanent the Bush era tax cuts that are due to expire at year's end.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)