Blogs

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office just released revised economic, deficit, and debt forecasts for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. These projections reflect dramatic changes in the U.S. economy resulting from the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and subsequent fiscal policy…

The federal fiscal response to the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. has properly focused on two objectives: fight the virus and stabilize the domestic economy. To date, Congress and the president have enacted three pieces of emergency legislation, each one…

Before the ink was dry on the $2 trillion CARES Act, the third and largest coronavirus rescue package enacted to date, it was evident that Congress would need to pass another. Over 10 million Americans have filed for unemployment insurance…

It seems likely that when Phil Swagel took over as director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) last June he did not think he would need to include assumptions about “social distancing” as part of the cost estimates the agency…

As the nation grapples with devastating healthcare and economic consequences of the spreading COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers in Washington have been ratcheting-up their responses. Bills and proposals have included actions to fight the virus, maintain employment and stimulate the economy. Given…

While public health officials grapple with containing the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the United States, federal lawmakers are discussing emergency measures to help mitigate the associated economic fallout. A federal response is wholly appropriate, but Congress and the…

In a sudden burst of activity, congressional leaders this week reached a tentative agreement on all 12 annual appropriation bills for Fiscal Year 2020, which began on October 1st. The agreement will avoid a government shutdown on Friday December 20,…

For those wishing to take a deep dive into national health care spending, there is no better source than the annual report of the actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Their report of 2018 spending was released…