ICYMI
House Budget Committee Holds Oversight Hearing of the Congressional Budget Office
On January 31st, the House Budget Committee held an oversight hearing to assess the role of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The hearing saw Committee members from both sides of the aisle engage in an informed and thoughtful dialogue on how to improve the efficacy, accuracy, and transparency of CBO’s projections and ensure the organization has the necessary resources it needs to fulfill its critical role. Click HERE to view the Committee’s video recap of our hearing titled “Creating a … Continue Reading
February 01, 2024
WSJ: Behind the ObamaCare Boom
This week, The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board released a piece that examines increased enrollment in Obamacare exchange plans, noting “sweetened subsidies are attracting more takers, at taxpayer expense.” In 2021, Congressional Democrats radically expanded the generosity and eligibility of Obamacare subsides to cover up for the failure of Obamacare to control the skyrocketing cost of health insurance premiums. With these policies, Democrats did not expand the pool of eligibility … Continue Reading
January 31, 2024
It’s Not a Revenue Problem; It’s a Spending Problem
The nation’s debt currently stands at more than $34 trillion. With about $5.79 billion in new debt incurred each day, it is blatantly clear that our fiscal house is not in order. Unfortunately, congressional Democrats believe the only way to tackle this growing crisis is to raise taxes on American families—many of whom are struggling to get by. Republicans and Democrats generally have two very different perspectives on how to get out of this mess. As Ronald Reagan once … Continue Reading
January 29, 2024
House Budget’s Health Care Task Force: An Incubator for New Ideas
At the turn of the New Year, House Budget Committee Health Care Task Force (HCTF) Chair Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) sat down with The Washington Post to give an overview of the Task Force goals for the upcoming year and the Committee’s reasons for establishing this panel. See below for some highlights of Task Force Chair Burgess’ testimony. Word on the Street Via Washington Post: “…no matter where you are, health care is the key driver of debt, and national debt is a big … Continue Reading
January 26, 2024
Government’s Mandatory Health Care Spending Now Exceeds Entire Discretionary Budget
This week, Drew Gonoshorowski and Theo Merkel of Paragon Health Institute sounded the alarm on how mandatory spending on major federal health care programs now exceeds the entire discretionary budget, driving up our $34 trillion in national debt and crowding out important national priorities, like national security. Discretionary funding now makes up just 27% of the federal budget, while spending on mandatory programs, including the major health programs, continues on autopilot. In 2024, … Continue Reading
January 25, 2024
ICYMI: Budget Member Moore Calls for Debt Commission to Seek Long Term Solutions to U.S. Insolvency
House Budget Committee Republican, Blake Moore (R-UT), is sounding the alarm on our sky-high $34 trillion dollar debt crisis, while calling for the undoing of the spending status quo in Washington by spearheading a critically important bipartisan effort to restore fiscal sanity to our country. For far too long, Americans have endured record-breaking inflation and interest rates, bore the financial brunt of unaffordable food and gas prices, and then been forced to hand over their hard-earned … Continue Reading
January 24, 2024
Dear Governors: Just Say ‘No’ To Medicaid Expansion
Recently, Sally Pipes, President of the Pacific Research Institute, wrote a column sounding the alarm on the unintended consequences of Medicaid expansion. Pipes highlights how the radical Obamacare expansion of Medicaid to able-bodied adults has decreased access to quality care for more vulnerable enrollees, skyrocketed federal Medicaid spending, and increased improper and fraudulent payments. Medicaid was originally designed as a safety net health program to provide vital care to the … Continue Reading
January 24, 2024
60-Year Anniversary of the War on Poverty - Are We Winning or Losing?
On January 8, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared before Congress an “unconditional war on poverty in America.” President Johnson stated, “It will not be a short or easy struggle, no single weapon or strategy will suffice, but we shall not rest until that war is won. The richest Nation on earth can afford to win it. We cannot afford to lose it.”Unfortunately, according to a recent National Review article, big government strategies for poverty reduction have been unsuccessful at … Continue Reading
January 19, 2024
House Budget Committee Holds Bipartisan Markup for Bills to Reform Broken Budget Process
Yesterday, the House Budget Committee held a markup of bills H.R. 5779, the Fiscal Commission Act of 2024, H.R. 6957, the Debt to GDP Transparency and Stabilization Act, and H.R. 6952, the Fiscal State of the Nation Act. The markup brought together members of the House Budget Committee to markup important legislation aimed toward establishing a debt commission and creating a more functional, transparent, and accountable Congress. Word on the Street: Click HERE to see the … Continue Reading
January 18, 2024
House Budget Committee Leads the Charge on Debt Commission
Our national debt recently reached a record-breaking $34 trillion—its highest level yet. As our debt continues to rise by the minute, the House Budget Committee has been seeking solutions to bring our out-of-control debt back to earth, including by establishing a bipartisan fiscal commission. A recent Reuters article highlights the latest of the Committee’s latest efforts and previews our upcoming markup. Word on the Street via Reuters: “Bipartisan legislation to create a commission … Continue Reading
January 11, 2024
Our Self-Inflicted Debt Crisis
Our national debt recently hit a record-breaking $34 trillion, and it’s only getting worse. The debt is a result of reckless Democrat spending that far exceeds our revenues, blows up our deficits, and is leading to unsustainable levels of interest we pay on our growing debt. The fiscal state of our nation is in rapid decline, and the out-of-control debt must be addressed to maintain America’s leadership in the world. While lawmakers negotiate on the latest topline spending agreement, the … Continue Reading
January 11, 2024
Chairman Arrington Reacts to Latest Inflation Data
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) released the following statement after the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for December stated that inflation continues to rise: “Today's CPI report illustrates what hardworking Americans deal with every day at grocery stores and gas pumps — Democrats' taxing and spending has spurred a cost-of-living crisis that shows no sign of slowing down. Our deficits for the first quarter of fiscal year 2024 were over 20% … Continue Reading
January 10, 2024
Arrington and Bergman Call for Budgetary Oversight Over Administrative Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO)
On January 5, House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and Oversight Task Force Chair Jack Bergman (R-MI) sent a letter to the GAO requesting additional information on the implementation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act’s (FRA) Administrative PAYGO provision. House Republicans intended for Administrative PAYGO to rein in Executive Branch spending and bring fiscal transparency to the American public. However, as the Government Accountability Office (GAO)’s initial report on … Continue Reading
January 10, 2024
Private Universities Pocket Billions a Year in Taxpayer Cash While Condoning Antisemitism on College Campuses
College campuses throughout the United States have become a hotbed of antisemitic, pro-Hamas protests and, in some extreme cases, have promulgated violence. Rather than answering antisemitic demonstrations and speech with unequivocal condemnation and clear support for Jewish students, far too many elite universities have fostered a dangerous campus environment. This was perhaps best evidenced by leaders of Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of … Continue Reading
January 09, 2024
Debunking Detrimental Fiscal Fallacies
A key priority of the House Budget Committee is sounding the alarm on our out-of-control federal debt, raising awareness to the risk reckless government spending poses to our American way of life if Congress doesn’t change course. One factor that complicates this goal is misinformation about fiscal issues and widely held misguided beliefs about Congress’ power of the purse and how taxing and spending really work. Word on the Street Via Daily Caller: Misguided Belief #1: “We [the federal … Continue Reading
January 05, 2024
ICYMI: Biden’s Border Crisis Enters Third Year
Via The Hill This past week, House Speaker Johnson (R-LA), Homeland Security Chairman Green (R-FL), and numerous other House Republicans witnessed Biden’s disastrous policies at the border firsthand in the largest-ever congressional delegation. Eagle Pass, TX, is just one border town that has been the site of hundreds of thousands of illegal border crossings. Now, due to the Biden Administration's dereliction of duty, every major city in the interior of our nation has become a border … Continue Reading
January 04, 2024
National Debt Skyrockets to Highest Level Yet
As our nation stares down $34 trillion in national debt, Americans are facing the cost of Democrats’ reckless runaway spending. The national debt recently reached a record high of $34 trillion. Americans are now saddled with rising interest costs, a dire border crisis, and unbated government spending. On Friday, December 29th the national debt hit $34 trillion. Fox Business recently released an article sounding the alarm on how the nation is starting off the new year with … Continue Reading
January 04, 2024
ICYMI: Newsom Extends Free Healthcare to 700,000 Illegal Immigrants Despite Record Budget Deficit
On Monday, California became the first state to expand Medicaid to include all illegal immigrants residing in the state, flooding the state’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, with as many as 700,000 illegal immigrants despite a record $68 billion state budget deficit.California is already facing a significant provider access crisis, with vulnerable Medi-Cal beneficiaries facing lengthy wait times for medically necessary care. According to the California Senate Republican Fiscal Office, the influx … Continue Reading
January 03, 2024
House Budget Health Care Task Force Shapes CBO’s Drug Development Analysis
The House Budget Committee Health Care Task Force (HCTF), led by Chairman Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D., is determined to deliver results for the American people — including by protecting patient access to new cures and treatments. Acting on the request of the HCTF, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently opened a formal avenue for independent researchers and experts to submit new research and information on policies that impact patient access to new medicines. This important … Continue Reading
December 21, 2023
ICYMI: The Problem with Bidenomics
Consumer costs continue to rise every month, and as a result, prices remain over 17% higher than when President Biden took office. Despite the White House’s promises that price hikes will fall, that isn’t how inflation works—price increases fueled by President Biden’s reckless spending are stubbornly baked-in and not going away. Larry Lindsey, former Director of the National Economic Council at the White House under President George W. Bush highlights how inflation driven prices, in addition … Continue Reading
