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  • Fiscal Year 2009 MilCon/VA Appropriations Bill
    July 30, 2008 - One of only two regular appropriations bills likely to receive House floor consideration in the 110th Congress is scheduled for debate today. The measure, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill for fiscal year 2009 (H.R. 6599), provides $72.7 billion in net discretionary ... More
  • The Broken Highway Trust Fund
    July 23, 2008 - With the Federal Highway Program at a critical juncture, the House will consider legislation today ostensibly aimed at shoring up the faltering Highway Trust Fund. But in doing so, the measure fundamentally alters the character of highway financing, weakens Congress’s prioritysetting role in allocat... More
  • Turning Off the Medicare Trigger: Worse Than Doing Nothing
    July 23, 2008 - Despite their repeated claims of fiscal “responsibility,” the Democratic leadership has scheduled a vote rejecting even consideration of a proposal to slow the unsustainable growth of Medicare spending. The resolution, expected on the floor Thursday, would turn off an automatic “trigger” that requir... More
  • Understanding th Dilemma of Fanie and Freddie
    July 17, 2008 - The past actions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, combined with a weakened housing market, have presented Congress and the administration with a significant challenge. Failure to respond could lead to a financial crisis (known as “systemic risk”). On the other hand, bailing out Fannie and Freddie puts... More
  • The House Democrats' AMT Pitch
    June 25, 2008 - Repeating last year’s failed attempt to raise taxes, House Democrats are scheduled, once again, to bring up another alternative minimum tax [AMT] bill that needlessly raises taxes on the U.S. economy under the guise of AMT “relief.” Instead of simply adopting a straightforward AMT patch (without off... More
  • The Medicare 'Doc Fix' (H.R. 6331)
    June 24, 2008 - To prevent a scheduled 10.6-percent reduction in the Medicare physician payment formula on the 1st of July, the Majority has rigged a so-called “doc fix” they already know cannot pass in the Senate. The legislation temporarily freezes Medicare physician payments for the duration of 2008, and provide... More
  • Emergency War Supplemental, Fiscal Years 2008-09
    June 19, 2008 - Sixteen months after the President requested Iraq and Afghanistan funding for 2008-09, the House Majority is now bringing to the floor an emergency supplemental bill totaling more than $257 billion for the 2008-18 period. The measure, H.R. 2642 will provide discretionary funding for the war, diploma... More
  • Budget Conference Report - Fiscal Year 2009
    June 4, 2008 - The Majority’s budget conference report claims to extend numerous middle-income tax relief measures passed by a Republican Congress and signed by President Bush. This is an empty promise that is not backed up by the budget or the Democrats’ rules: The Largest Tax Increase in History. Though Democrat... More
  • Budget Conference Report - Fiscal Year 2009
    June 4, 2008 - The budget conference report for fiscal year 2009 calls for record tax increases, raises discretionary spending by $241 billion above the President over 5 years, and does nothing to reform entitlements or earmarks. Even worse, Democrats already have signaled their intent to put off appropriations un... More
  • Budget Resolution Conference Report - Fiscal Year 2009
    June 4, 2008 - “Their [the Republicans’] record is record deficits, record debt, record borrowing from abroad.” - Senator Kent Conrad, Chairman, Committee on the Budget, in the National Journal, 31 May 2008 “Fiscal responsibility and accountability are core Democratic values.” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, 7 ... More

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