Archives: Budget Digests

Budget Digests

Jun 6th, 2016

Controlling Automatic Spending and Unauthorized Programs

Automatic, or “mandatory,” spending robs Congress of its constitutional power to make all spending decisions. It cedes the “power of the purse” to the...

Budget Digests

May 23rd, 2016

Reclaiming the Power of the Purse

This Wednesday, the House Budget Committee will hold a hearing to examine how Congress has ceded its authority over spending to the Executive Branch...

Budget Digests

May 16th, 2016

Time to Reform the Budget Act

There is near universal agreement that the Congressional budget process is broken and badly in need of reform. Perhaps the most visible sign of failure is..

Budget Digests

May 9th, 2016

FY 2017 House Budget Resolution: Medicaid State Flexibility

Medicaid is a crucial component of the American safety net. It provides a fundamental level of health security for low-income Americans, many of whom struggle with long-term illnesses and disabilities.

Budget Digests

Apr 25th, 2016

FY 2016 Mid-Year Budget Review

The deficit for the first six months of FY 2016 was $461 billion, an increase of $22 billion over the same period last fiscal year (see chart below)...

Budget Digests

Apr 18th, 2016

Budget Enforcement

Several enforcement tools are available to Congress to enforce not only budget levels, but also to regulate the budget-related content of legislation...

Budget Digests

Apr 11th, 2016

FY17 House Budget Resolution: Work Requirements

The FY 2017 House Budget includes positive solutions to improve and ultimately ensure that Federal safety-net programs are sustainable for those in need of assistance

Budget Digests

Mar 21st, 2016

Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication in Government Programs

Since 2011, GAO has identified over 249 actions for the Executive Branch and Congress to eliminate or better manage fragmentation, overlap, and...

Jun 6th, 2016

Controlling Automatic Spending and Unauthorized Programs

Automatic, or “mandatory,” spending robs Congress of its constitutional power to make all spending decisions. It cedes the “power of the purse” to the...