Blogs

The federal agency that insures pension benefits ran a record deficit of $62 billion in Fiscal 2014, up from $36 billion in 2013, and is warning of difficult times ahead. In its recently released annual report, the Pension Benefit Guaranty…

Members of Congress went home for their Thanksgiving break amid growing doubts about whether they will be able to pass appropriate budget legislation before the end of the year. Lawmakers should have passed a dozen spending bills for Fiscal 2015…

Congress will soon have to decide whether to approve the administration’s recent $5.6 billion request for additional Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding to fight ISIS. The contingency fund generally supports activities related to immediate war efforts and is exempt from…

Part of the long to-do list for the lame duck Congress is deciding whether to authorize new spending for operations against ISIS while setting broader defense priorities in a constrained fiscal environment. The administration recently requested an additional $5.6 billion…

The Pentagon’s 5-year plan will significantly exceed current spending caps, according to a new analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).The spending caps were established by the 2011 Budget Control Act. In making its projections, the CBO used some assumptions…

Republicans and Democrats alike sounded some encouraging notes on potential bipartisan cooperation in the wake of last week’s election, including the possibility of tax reform and less fiscal brinksmanship. Some areas of disagreement and conflict, of course, have been reviewed…

Last Wednesday, President Obama requested approximately $6.2 billion to combat the Ebola epidemic. As Congress examines and debates this proposal, it is an important opportunity to reexamine our government’s budgetary policies. (more…)

Looking towards today’s election and beyond, two former U.S. House members in Iowa recently urged aspiring political leaders -- including presidential hopefuls visiting the state -- to focus on reining in the federal debt. “Over the next decade, under current…