Blogs

The White House has formally requested $60.4 billion in federal funding for recovery from the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. Acting OMB Director Jeffrey D. Zients wrote that the funding will “include efforts to repair damage to homes and public…

Dozens of lawmakers in both parties have signed a letter to congressional leaders that says a bipartisan agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff should include “a long-term, comprehensive deficit reduction plan.”Leading the effort are Representatives Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), Steven LaTourette…

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Monday issued the fall update of its long-term fiscal outlook, underscoring the need for a more sustainable fiscal path in Washington.As in the past, the GAO presents two different simulations: the Baseline Extended, which…

The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) on Monday released an update of the broad plan for fiscal reform that its Debt Reduction Task Force recommended in late 2010. The update, like the original version, takes what the task force describes as…

The late Warren B. Rudman, a fierce champion of fiscal responsibility who served two distinguished terms in the U.S. Senate and was a founding co-chairman of The Concord Coalition, was honored last week on Capitol Hill.“He was forthright, he was…

Democrats and Republicans have exchanged formal budget proposals in recent days as they continue to joust over tax increases, spending cuts and how to avoid the year-end “fiscal cliff” that could throw the country into another recession.The fiscal cliff is…

Democrats and Republicans have long appeared to have an irreconcilable difference on tax policy: Democrats want more revenue, raised entirely from households with annual incomes over $250,000, while Republicans don’t want any new revenue, particularly from higher tax rates on…

Washington officials are sending conflicting signals over talks between the White House and congressional leaders to avoid the fiscal cliff while also moving the country forward on long-term deficit-reduction.President Obama talked by phone with House Speaker John Boehner and Senate…