The Latest

In late April, the Medicare Trustees released an annual report on the financial status of the program. In their report, the trustees are required to analyze where Medicare costs are heading based on a strict reading of current law. However, there are…

Washington faces big decisions this year on budget issues that include tax cuts, “automatic” spending cuts and an increase in the federal debt limit. But recent remarks by elected officials underscore the deep differences between many Republicans and Democrats. (more…)

Hundreds of concerned citizens across the country have engaged in thoughtful and often spirited discussions about federal budget options this month through Principles & Priorities, The Concord Coalition’s popular deficit-reduction exercise.Working in groups of a half-dozen people or more, participants…

Last week the House passed legislation to replace most of the automatic spending cuts required in Fiscal Year 2013 with cuts to mandatory spending programs. The Budget Control Act requires the automatic spending cuts because the Joint Select Committee on…

Throughout this painfully prolonged economic recovery, economic developments as they are reported have often been confusing. They seem to send mixed messages about the best courses of action for fiscal policy. (more…)

History is filled with examples of governments that got into trouble by running up large debts, a phenomenon that is particularly appropriate to recall in early May. (more…)

After last week’s recess, the House is expected to continue work this week on the Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations bills. The first of the bills, Commerce-Justice-Science, is scheduled to be considered on the House floor this week, and House subcommittees…

The House Budget Committee approved legislation yesterday to block most of the automatic spending cuts scheduled to take effect next year and also passed a reconciliation bill with savings intended to help replace the cuts. Because the Joint Select Committee…