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Despite the lack of a budget resolution, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last week that the Senate would move forward on 2017 spending bills this month based on the overall spending levels set in legislation last fall. With the…

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says problems in financial reporting and management continue to raise questions about the reliability of some federal data and add to uncertainties about the nation’s long-term fiscal challenges. “While significant progress has been made in…

In an interview with Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump estimated last week that he could pay off the nation’s $19 trillion debt within eight years. (more…)

Amid widespread concern about rising tuition rates, top Republican tax-writers appear to be taking a hard look at the ways in which colleges and universities are using -- or perhaps not using -- their tax-exempt endowments. Senate Finance Chairman Orrin…

As Congress slides into April without any serious progress on a budget resolution in the House, some pragmatic lawmakers are reportedly considering the use of a novel approach to break the gridlock: a “Queen of the Hill” legislative rule. (more…)

Under the president’s proposed budget for Fiscal 2017, the federal deficit would decline in 2017 and 2018 but would grow after that, according to an analysis released today by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Under the President’s plan, CBO estimates,…

During the congressional recess, House leaders are reportedly continuing efforts to bridge Republican disagreements over a proposed budget resolution that follows a bipartisan deal last fall to loosen spending caps by $30 billion for Fiscal 2017. Some House Republicans want…

Updated projections by the Congressional Budget Office indicate the federal deficit in Fiscal 2016 will total $534 billion, nearly $100 billion higher than last year but $10 billion lower than CBO’s January estimate. After declining for several years as the…