BORDER/BUDGET/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump released Monday [2-12-18] a $4.4 trillion budget proposal that would boost spending for the military and border security, cut many domestic programs and projects deficits through the next decade. The blueprint underscores what has become clear in recent months: that the budget austerity Republicans pursued in 2011 has ended. […]
Category: Budget
2/12/2018
BUDGET/NASA: “The White House is seeking to jump-start human space exploration with seed money for public-private missions orbiting the Earth and the moon, but U.S. astronauts aren’t projected to return to the lunar surface until at least the mid-2020s. NASA’s proposed $19.9 billion budget—a roughly 3% increase from current spending—reflects President Donald Trump’s previously announced […]
2/9/2018
BUDGET/TRUMP MEMORANDA: “TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: In accordance with section 21204 of division B of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (H.R. 1892; the ‘Act’), I hereby designate as emergency requirements all funding (including the transfer of funds) so designated by the Congress in the Act pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the […]
2/9/2018
BUDGET/ECONOMY: “The White House’s budget proposal—to be released Monday [2-12-18]—assumes the economy can grow at a much stronger pace than independent forecasters expect and with lower inflation and government borrowing costs than officials projected last year, according to a preview of the proposal. Strong growth assumptions with relatively low borrowing costs, particularly in the back […]
2/9/2018
BUDGET/FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/NATO: “Fewer than half of NATO’s 29 members have made plans to reach the alliance’s military-spending target, according to allied officials. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is expected to announce Tuesday [2-13-18] that European military spending continues to rise. But the overall increase obscures the reality that many allies haven’t adopted plans, as they […]
2/9/2018
BUDGET/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “When President Donald Trump sends his annual budget to Congress next week, it will be largely obsolete because the big decisions on government tax and spending priorities have already been made on Capitol Hill. Last year’s White House budget proposed big cuts in spending programs including food stamps, disability benefits, welfare and […]
2/9/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump signed a two-year budget deal Friday [2-9-18] morning, along with a stopgap spending bill to end a brief government shutdown. The measure narrowly passed in the House hours earlier, in a 240-186 vote, overcoming opposition from both conservative Republicans opposed to boosting federal spending and Democrats worried its passage […]
2/8/2018
BUDGET/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “In a rare show of congressional cooperation, Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate announced a two-year budget deal Wednesday [2-7-18] that would increase federal spending for defense as well as key domestic priorities, including many health programs. Not in the deal, for which the path to the president’s desk remains unclear, is any […]
2/8/2018
BUDGET/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Rand Paul and Nancy Pelosi have virtually nothing in common. But on Thursday [2-8-18] night, the conservative Kentucky firebrand and San Francisco Democratic leader teamed up to push Washington into what Capitol Hill dwellers are calling the dumbest shutdown fight ever. Incensed that a bipartisan budget deal would balloon the national debt, Paul […]
2/7/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “Senate leaders, disregarding President Trump’s blustery threats to shut down the government, neared a far-reaching agreement on Wednesday [2-7-18] to set spending levels on military and domestic spending for the next two years, breaking the cycle of fiscal crises that have bedeviled the Capitol since last summer. The accord was […]
2/7/2018
BUDGET/JAMES MATTIS/MILITARY: “The Budget Agreement today is so important for our great Military. It ends the dangerous sequester and gives Secretary Mattis what he needs to keep America Great. Republicans and Democrats must support our troops and support this Bill!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Feb. 7, 2018 05:36pm […]
2/7/2018
BUDGET/DEMS: “A bipartisan budget deal announced in the Senate Wednesday [2-7-18] afternoon is already facing an internal Democratic rebellion. As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) took to the floor to announce a massive deal that would boost domestic and defense spending, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was […]
2/7/2018
BUDGET/GOP: “Fiscal hawks on Capitol Hill panned the budget deal reached by Republican leaders and Democrats on Thursday [2-8-18] as fiscally irresponsible and an abrogation of the GOP’s congressional majorities. Senators and House members on the right immediately came out against the agreement, while a large number of leadership-aligned Republicans were also noncommittal. It’s unclear […]
2/7/2018
BUDGET/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Lawmakers balked at the potential cost of President Donald Trump’s desired military parade after news broke Tuesday [2-6-18] that the Pentagon was exploring possible dates. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., called the idea a ‘fantastic waste of money to amuse the president.’… Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., also expressed concerns about the parade, telling […]
2/7/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS: “Congressional leaders said Wednesday [2-7-18] they have reached an agreement on a two-year budget deal, charting a path out of the long-running turmoil over spending and immigration that culminated in a government shutdown last month. The agreement raises federal spending by almost $300 billion over two years above limits imposed by a 2011 budget […]
2/7/2018
BUDGET/DEFENSE/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. Department of Defense is planning a military parade at the request of President Donald Trump, White House and Pentagon officials said Tuesday [2-6-18]. After observing the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris last year, Mr. Trump said he wanted to hold a similar parade on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, perhaps to […]
2/6/2018
BUDGET/DRUGS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT: “State and local law enforcement officials are fighting a Trump administration proposal to move oversight of a $275 million drug prevention program to the Justice Department, fearing that such a move would steer the country’s drug-fighting strategy toward federal legal crackdowns and away from years of holistic, community-based approaches. A draft budget plan […]
2/6/2018
BUDGET/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS: “The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives was set to vote on Tuesday [2-6-18] on a short-term budget measure that would avert a rerun of last month’s three-day partial government shutdown, as lawmakers continued to grapple with divisive immigration measures. The stop-gap measure drafted by House Republicans would extend funding through March 23, […]
2/6/2018
BUDGET/DEFENSE/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS: “House GOP leaders on Tuesday [2-6-18] are expected to bring up for a vote legislation that would fund the Defense Department for the rest of the fiscal year, but keep the rest of the government running only through March 23, setting up a showdown with the Senate. With the government’s current funding […]
2/5/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICS: “With government funding set to expire on Thursday [2-8-18], Congress careened toward another standoff on Monday as House Republicans moved ahead with a temporary spending measure that Senate Democrats have promised to block. By late Monday night, lawmakers had barely 72 hours remaining to avert another government shutdown after last month’s three-day closure, and […]
2/5/2018
BORDER/BUDGET/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES/WALL: “President Donald Trump on Monday [2-5-18] again insisted on funding for his promised border wall, making clear the high hurdle faced by a bipartisan pair of senators who are backing an immigration plan that leaves out wall funding and other Trump demands. The senators are hoping that their legislation, being […]
2/4/2018
BUDGET/IMMIGRATION/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Congress is expected this week to pass yet another short-term spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, prompting a bipartisan pair of senators to introduce a narrow bill on immigration aimed at ending the impasse that has hindered a two-year budget deal. The government’s current funding expires at 12:01 a.m. Friday [2-9-18]. […]
2/4/2018
BUDGET/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS/PAUL RYAN: “House Speaker Paul Ryan, speaking at a GOP policy retreat, called for overhauling government-aid programs to be a legislative priority in 2018, though his plan is likely to face difficulties getting through the Senate and to be delayed by fights over government spending, the nation’s debt limit and immigration. Mr. Ryan, […]
2/1/2018
BUDGET/HOUSE OF REPS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “House Republicans are considering voting next week on a stopgap spending bill that would keep the government funded through late March, lawmakers and aides said Thursday [2-1-18]. The government’s current funding expires at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 9, and lawmakers have said they will need to pass another short-term spending bill […]
1/31/2018
BUDGET/ENERGY/ENERGY [ALT]/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House will ask Congress next month for a 72 percent cut to research programs on clean energy and energy efficiency in fiscal 2019, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday [1-31-18], citing draft budget documents. The Trump administration is pursuing a so-called energy dominance policy that seeks to boost production […]
1/31/2018
BUDGET/IRS/TREASURY: “The Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday [1-31-18] the government will most likely run out of cash to pay its bills in the first half of March unless Congress raises the federal borrowing limit. CBO previously had projected Treasury would run out of cash in ‘late March or early April,’ but said the effects of […]
1/25/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Every Democratic senator from a Republican-leaning state voted Monday [1-22-18] to reopen the government, from the liberal Sherrod Brown of Ohio to the conservative Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Every one, that is, except Jon Tester. Republicans are determined to make him pay. The plainspoken Montanan was on a glide path to a […]
1/23/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/POLITICS: “Sen. Chuck Schumer, having led Democrats into and out of a government shutdown, worked Tuesday [1-23-18] to mend a public breach in party ranks and to push back against progressive groups who said he capitulated to Republicans… His comments came after fierce criticism from progressive activists, who accused Democrats of throwing in the towel […]
1/23/2018
BUDGET/POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS: “The bipartisan group of senators who intervened to help end the government shutdown now faces an even more formidable task: freeing the Senate — and perhaps Washington — from its dysfunctional rut. In sidestepping Senate leaders of both parties, members of the group have taken it upon themselves to not only quickly resolve […]
1/23/2018
BUDGET/CONSUMER PROTECTION/MICK MULVANEY: “Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director, spent the weekend managing the shutdown of the federal government. On Tuesday [1-23-18], he turned his attention back to his secondary job running the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a government agency he would probably shut down if he could. In a 1,118 word mission statement […]
1/23/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Nobody knows for sure that the Republicans & Democrats will be able to reach a deal on DACA by February 8, but everyone will be trying….with a big additional focus put on Military Strength and Border Security. The Dems have just learned that a Shutdown is not the answer!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Big win for Republicans as Democrats cave on Shutdown. Now I want a big win for everyone, including Republicans, Democrats and DACA, but especially for our Great Military and Border Security. Should be able to get there. See you at the negotiating table” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 22, 2018 11:30pm […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Congress approved a measure Monday [1-22-18] to fund the government for about three weeks and halt a three-day shutdown, after Senate Democrats accepted GOP leaders’ assurance that they would bring an immigration bill to the floor in the coming weeks. The House, as expected, then followed suit and approved the bill, 266-150. […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/JOBS/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The federal workers showed up at their offices on Monday [1-22-18] morning. They collected their desk plants and food from break-room refrigerators. They shut down their government equipment. They went home to take aimless walks and wait. But by the afternoon, hundreds of thousands of federal employees across the country were left […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate standoff that sparked a three-day government shutdown ended Monday [1-22-18] when Democrats accepted GOP leaders’ assurance that they would bring an immigration bill to the floor in the coming weeks. The agreement will keep the government running for several weeks, but did little to resolve the underlying policy fights over […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate voted to advance a bill that would reopen the federal government after a brief shutdown, as Democrats agreed to a short-term pause in their standoff with Republicans over immigration policy. The vote was 81-18, easily passing the needed 60-vote threshold. Two Republicans joined 15 Democrats and one independent in opposing […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICS: “In a dramatic turnaround, Senate Democrats voted to re-open the government on Monday [1-22-18] after receiving a commitment from Republicans to hold a vote on immigration legislation — paving the way to end the three-day shutdown. The Senate voted 81-18 to move forward on a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8 after […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/MILITARY/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The first two military families who will not receive death benefits because of the government shutdown have been named. 1st Lt. Clayton R. Cullen, of Indiana, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Kevin F. Burke, of California, who were both assigned to the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, were killed […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump may be presiding over the first government shutdown ever to occur when one party controls Washington, but in his own telling he is just beginning to master the ways of the capital… Whether the shutdown amounts to a political victory for Trump — or a dire miscalculation — remains […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “End the Democrats Obstruction! https://t.co/tzBXilvW1b” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 22, 2018 10:13am […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Lawmakers on Monday entered the third day of the government shutdown planning a noon vote in the Senate to break the impasse, in an effort to prevent it from hardening into a prolonged standoff that would become increasingly difficult to resolve. Republicans have proposed a bill that would reopen the government for […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “Lawmakers who have complained publicly that they are not sure what President Donald Trump wants out of a deal to end the ongoing government shutdown are “not paying attention,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday morning, accusing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of being unable to […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Democrats have shut down our government in the interests of their far left base. They don’t want to do it but are powerless!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 22, 2018 08:15am […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favor of services and security for non-citizens. Not good!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 22, 2018 08:07am […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The effects of a government shutdown that began Saturday [1-20-18] will kick in more forcefully Monday morning across the federal bureaucracy, as agencies begin implementing contingency plans to scale back operations and send workers home. The Senate is scheduled to vote at noon EST Monday whether to advance a measure that would […]
1/21/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS: “Senators failed on Sunday [1-21-18] to reach an agreement to end the government shutdown, ensuring that hundreds of thousands of federal employees would be furloughed Monday morning even as the outlines of a potential compromise came into focus. For much of the day, feverish work by a bipartisan group of senators offered a reason […]
1/21/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/MILITARY: “Republicans on Sunday [1-21-18] escalated their accusations that Democrats are abandoning the military, banking that the plight of unpaid troops on the front lines will be one of the GOP’s most potent political weapons in the standoff over the government shutdown. The GOP coalesced around that message in statements by congressional leaders, tweets from […]
1/21/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Great to see how hard Republicans are fighting for our Military and Safety at the Border. The Dems just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked. If stalemate continues, Republicans should go to 51% (Nuclear Option) and vote on real, long term budget, no C.R.’s!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 21, […]
1/21/2018
BUDGET/IMMIGRATION/POLITICS: “For months, lawmakers were convinced that an inevitable showdown over immigration would come down to funding for President Donald Trump’s promised border wall as part of a package to protect young immigrants. Instead, the fight that sparked the continuing government shutdown centers on an array of other conservative policies Mr. Trump is insisting on […]
1/20/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/IMMIGRATION/MILITARY/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Can’t let that happen!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 20, 2018 09:27am […]
1/20/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 20, 2018 06:33am […]
1/20/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/IMMIGRATION/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 20, 2018 06:17am […]
1/19/2018
BUDGET/MILITARY/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 19, 2018 09:28pm […]
1/19/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Excellent preliminary meeting in Oval with @SenSchumer – working on solutions for Security and our great Military together with @SenateMajLdr McConnell and @SpeakerRyan. Making progress – four week extension would be best!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 19, 2018 05:17pm […]
1/19/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “‘Shutting down the government is a very serious thing. People die, accidents happen. I don’t know how I would vote right now on a CR, OK?’ Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) https://t.co/7xP3CBnv5j -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 19, 2018 11:28am […]
1/19/2018
BUDGET/TREASURY: “.@WhiteHouse Briefing with Director Marc Short and Director Mick Mulvaney… https://t.co/0O0VsYXmHB” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 19, 2018 11:14am […]
1/19/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Federal agencies are bracing for a shutdown amid growing uncertainty about whether the Senate will vote to keep the government open past midnight. Unlike the last federal shutdown in 2013, which President Barack Obama had signaled for weeks, this threat arrived abruptly. On Thursday [1-18-18] morning, President Donald Trump fired off a […]
1/19/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Government Funding Bill past last night in the House of Representatives. Now Democrats are needed if it is to pass in the Senate – but they want illegal immigration and weak borders. Shutdown coming? We need more Republican victories in 2018!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 19, 2018 07:04am […]
1/19/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. Congress raced the clock to avoid a federal government shutdown before a midnight deadline on Friday [1-19-18] after a meeting between President Donald Trump and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer failed to produce a deal. Trump invited Schumer to the White House for talks as a stopgap bill to fund […]
1/19/2018
BUDGET: “The threat of a partial government shutdown intensified as senators signaled opposition to a short-term spending bill that the House passed Thursday [1-18-17] evening. Senate Democrats indicated on Thursday they had the votes to block the measure to keep the government funded through Feb. 16, according to multiple congressional aides. At least two Republican […]
1/18/2018
BUDGET/HOUSE OF REPS: “House of Representatives needs to pass Government Funding Bill tonight. So important for our country – our Military needs it!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 18, 2018 06:39pm […]
1/18/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP: “A growing number of Democrats and Republicans on Thursday [1-18-18] resisted an emerging short-term spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend, prompting GOP leaders to pressure recalcitrant lawmakers to avoid a spectacle while Democrats worked to hammer out their own strategy in the standoff. The House is expected to vote […]
1/18/2018
BUDGET: “A long-running fight over spending and immigration was headed for a showdown Friday [1-19-18], as Senate Democrats prepared to reject a short-term spending bill just hours before the government’s funding expires at midnight. The House on Thursday evening passed, largely along party lines, a one-month spending bill by 230-197 votes that would keep the […]
1/18/2018
BUDGET/CONSUMER PROTECTION/FEDERAL RESERVE: “Every quarter, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau formally requests its operating funds from the Federal Reserve. Last quarter, former director Richard Cordray asked for $217.1 million. Cordray, an appointee of President Barack Obama, needed just $86.6 million the quarter before that. And yesterday, President Donald Trump’s acting CFPB director, Mick Mulvaney, sent […]
1/18/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/MILITARY: “A government shutdown will be devastating to our military…something the Dems care very little about!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 18, 2018 08:49am […]
1/18/2018
BUDGET/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said on Thursday the U.S. government ‘could very well’ shut down and that would be very harmful to the military. ‘If the country shuts down, which could very well be, the budget should be handled a lot differently than it has been handled for the last long period of […]
1/17/2018
BUDGET/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS: “House Republicans are short of the votes they need to avoid a government shutdown, but Speaker Paul Ryan and GOP leaders remain confident they will pass a stopgap funding measure when it comes to the floor on Thursday [1-18-18]. President Donald Trump is personally leaning on GOP lawmakers to fall into line, […]
1/17/2018
BUDGET/POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS: “Sen. Lindsey Graham said Wednesday [1-17-18] he won’t vote for a short-term spending bill — also known as a continuing resolution or CR — that Republicans are attempting to pass by Friday night to avoid a government shutdown. The South Carolina Republican continued to push for the bipartisan proposal that he and five […]
1/17/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP: “A deal on immigration as part of a new stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown appeared less likely on Wednesday [1-17-18] after a Democratic senator said the White House is making unacceptable demands on immigration measures. The White House dispatched chief of staff John Kelly to meet with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus […]
1/16/2018
BUDGET/HOUSE OF REPS/POLITICS: “House Republicans on Tuesday [1-16-18] night appeared to coalesce around a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown Friday — even as conservatives threatened to oppose it and a bitter fight continued over the fate of more than 700,000 Dreamers. Speaker Paul Ryan unveiled a plan at a House GOP Conference […]
1/12/2018
BUDGET/EPA/SCOTT PRUITT: “The Environmental Protection Agency inspector general will look into agency spending in connection with EPA enforcement agents being used on Administrator Scott Pruitt’s security detail, according to a letter sent to Rep. Peter DeFazio, the top Democrat on the House Transportation Committee. The letter from Inspector General Arthur A. Elkins Jr. says that […]
1/12/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/MILITARY: “Sadly, Democrats want to stop paying our troops and government workers in order to give a sweetheart deal, not a fair deal, for DACA. Take care of our Military, and our Country, FIRST!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 12, 2018 07:50am […]
1/8/2018
BUDGET/HOUSE OF REPS/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Senior House Republicans vote Tuesday [1-9-18] night to replace outgoing House Budget Chairman Diane Black, who’s stepping down to run for Tennessee governor. Most have their money on Rep. Steve Womack. Several top Republican lawmakers and aides predicted Monday that the Arkansas Republican, a senior member of the budget panel, would […]
1/10/2018
BUDGET/IRS/STEVEN MNUCHIN/TREASURY: “When Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was asked at his confirmation hearing what he thought about using private companies to collect money owed to the government, he replied that it ‘seems like a very obvious thing to do.’ It may have been obvious, but it certainly was not economical. Private debt collectors cost the […]
1/10/2018
BUDGET/IRS/TAXES: “The Internal Revenue Service, after years of budget cuts, will have its hands full implementing the new tax law, according to the agency’s in-house public advocate. The tax agency needs to update forms, create new definitions, write regulations and field questions from taxpayers, which tend to increase when Congress passes new laws. That will […]
1/10/2018
BUDGET/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA): “Some states risk running out of money for a children’s health program in a countdown that is pressuring Congress to approve new money quickly, part of a continuing funding delay that has turned a little-known insurance program into an unwelcome embarrassment for Congress. Democrats and Republicans agree on the need to preserve funding for […]
1/9/2018
BUDGET/DEFENSE/GOP/MILITARY: “The brewing budget deal on Capitol Hill could get much larger thanks to a late Republican push for a bigger boost in defense spending. As the spotlight has been on immigration negotiations, lawmakers and aides have been working behind the scenes to hammer out a two-year deal that would not only prevent the budget […]
1/3/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS: “Congressional leaders and White House officials will restart negotiations Wednesday [1-3-18] to iron out differences over spending on the Pentagon and other government agencies, with lawmakers hoping to avoid more short-term patches. Congress ran out of time last year to tackle the spending fight, instead opting to keep the government open with a stop-gap […]
1/2/2018
BUDGET/EDUCATION/IMMIGRATION: “At Wright State University in Ohio, the French horn and tuba professors are out. So is the accomplished swimming team. At Kansas State, Italian classes are going the way of the Roman Empire… Just as many universities believed that the financial wreckage left by the 2008 recession was behind them, campuses across the country […]
1/2/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP: “The Senate returns on Wednesday [1-3-18] with its Republican majority down to one seat and buoyed Democrats issuing a full list of demands — such as funding children’s health care and protecting young undocumented immigrants — just weeks before another possible government shutdown. Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate will meet […]
12/21/2017
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/HOLIDAYS/HOUSE OF REPS/TAXES: “House Democrats want a SHUTDOWN for the holidays in order to distract from the very popular, just passed, Tax Cuts. House Republicans, don’t let this happen. Pass the C.R. TODAY and keep our Government OPEN!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 21, 2017 09:52am […]
12/21/2017
BUDGET/CONSUMER PROTECTION/TREASURY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration’s move to put its budget chief in charge of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau exposed a divide between a White House faction and the Treasury Department over just what the role of the consumer watchdog should be. The installation of Mick Mulvaney, head of the Office of Management […]
12/19/2017
BUDGET/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA): “With more and more states running out of money for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, parents took their case to Capitol Hill on Tuesday [12-19-17], pleading with Congress to provide money before their sons and daughters lose health care and coverage. But the program, known as CHIP, which insures nearly nine million children, took […]
12/19/2017
BUDGET/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS/NATIONAL DEBT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “House Republicans were expected to delay a Wednesday [12-20-17] vote on a stopgap spending bill, according to GOP aides, as a fight intensified over how to prevent a shutdown of the government before its funding expires at week’s end. Both Republicans and Democrats were divided over their strategy and […]
12/19/2017
BUDGET/DEFENSE/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA): “The U.S. Congress is struggling through another contentious week as infighting over defense spending, healthcare and other matters complicates the drive to pass a temporary spending bill by midnight on Friday [12-22-17] to avert a partial government shutdown. In a week when President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans in Congress are hoping to […]
12/18/2017
BUDGET/CRISIS/GOP: “House Republicans on Monday [12-18-17] night unveiled legislation that would authorize $81 billion in disaster aid for victims of recent storms, a move that quickly drew backlash from conservatives about its impact on the federal deficit. House Republicans from Texas and Florida praised the aid package, nearly double the $44 billion the White House […]
12/17/2017
BUDGET/DREAMERS/IMMIGRATION/POLITICS: “Congress begins its likely final week of 2017 with lawmakers from both parties forced to grapple with tough questions they have deferred all year, including immigration and the federal budget. The government’s current funding expires Saturday [12-16-17] at 12:01 a.m., with no clear plan in sight on how to keep it running. In one […]
12/15/2017
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA): “Everyone in Congress claims to be a champion of children’s health. But funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program ran out Sept. 30. And some lawmakers worry it might not be replenished until early next year. It’s a mess that can happen only in Washington: Even a bipartisan program that covers 9 million poor […]
12/7/2017
BUDGET/POLITICS: “Congress passed a two-week funding bill Thursday [12-7-17], staving off a government shutdown a day ahead of the deadline. But lawmakers face a turbulent next few weeks as they try to clinch a broader budget deal by the end of the year. Senators approved the measure on a 81-14 vote, soon after the House […]
12/7/2017
BUDGET/HOUSE OF REPS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “House Republicans passed a stopgap spending bill Thursday [12-7-17] to ward off a government shutdown Friday. But GOP leaders on both sides of the Capitol face a turbulent next few weeks as they try to clinch a broader budget deal with Democrats by the end of the year. The measure […]
12/7/2017
BUDGET/HUD/VA/VETS: “Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin has killed a plan to shift money from a major homelessness program in response to a wave of protest from veterans’ advocates, who said the move would aggravate conditions for chronically ill and vulnerable vets. Advocates for veterans, state officials and even officials from HUD, which co-sponsors the $460 […]
12/7/2017
BUDGET/DEMS/HOUSE OF REPS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump will face off with Democratic leaders of Congress on Thursday [12-7-17] in a high-stakes White House meeting intended to bridge differences over a spending bill and preventing a government shutdown… Trump and Congress are facing a deadline of midnight Friday to pass new spending legislation or […]
12/6/2017
BUDGET/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA): “The pace of U.S. health-care spending grew in 2016 at a slower tempo than in previous years, decelerating in part because coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act that had propelled the faster rate leveled off, according to a new federal report. Spending on all health care increased 4.3% in 2016, according to a […]
12/3/2017
BUDGET/GOP: “Republicans are moving toward passing a two-week stopgap measure to avoid a looming government shutdown, but the path in the coming weeks is treacherous, with obstacles on both sides of the aisle as lawmakers push their own priorities, some unrelated to government spending. With government funding set to expire at the end of Friday […]
12/1/2017
BUDGET/GOP/TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Republicans suddenly have a fiscal headache in their tax bill. They can thank President Trump for it. The cost of the Senate’s bill came in at $1 trillion over 10 years, after factoring in economic growth, according to an analysis released on Thursday by the Joint Committee on Taxation. That has alarmed […]
11/30/2017
BUDGET/HOUSE OF REPS: “House Republican leaders on Friday [12-1-17] will propose a short-term bill to keep the government funded through Dec. 22, GOP aides and lawmakers said Thursday. The government’s current funding expires at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 9, giving lawmakers about a week to avoid a shutdown. Congressional leaders are working on a two-year […]
11/27/2017
BUDGET/CONSUMER PROTECTION/MICK MULVANEY: “The White House’s budget chief, Mick Mulvaney, arrived at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Monday [11-27-17] to assume the job of acting director after an Obama-era official sued to block the Trump administration from taking control of the agency. Mr. Mulvaney, carrying a bag from Dunkin’ Donuts, entered the building early […]
11/22/2017
BUDGET/DEBT/GOP/TAXES: “The North Olmsted City school district in suburban Cleveland was planning to wait a few years before refinancing $48 million in outstanding bonds used to build a new middle school and high school. Now Treasurer Robert Matson is hoping to get the deal done before Christmas. The reason: The Republican tax plan in congress […]
11/17/2017
BUDGET/CRISIS: “The White House on Friday [11-17-17] said it had asked Congress for $44 billion in supplemental disaster assistance to help those hurt by recent hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, far short of the aid some officials have called for. The White House said it expected to seek […]
11/16/2017
BUDGET/CONSUMER PROTECTION/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “White House budget director Mick Mulvaney is expected to be tapped by the White House to serve as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau when the agency’s current head, Richard Cordray, resigns from his post later in November, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move could […]