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In a move that many saw as inevitable unless lawmakers acted, the Department of Transportation announced recently that the dwindling Highway Trust Fund would have to begin delaying payments to state governments in August. (more…)

Senators Dick Durbin and Tom Coburn received The Concord Coalition’s 2014 Paul E. Tsongas Economic Patriot Award last week in Washington for their strong advocacy of fiscal responsibility and their willingness to work towards bipartisan budget solutions.Concord Executive Director Robert…

After Democrats and Republicans agreed late last year to overall spending levels for 2015, there were widespread hopes that smoother sailing was ahead for the appropriations process this year.Halfway through the year, however, the House has passed only five of…

The administration has requested $65.8 billion in funding for the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account in 2015, including money for certain items that seem more appropriate for the military’s base budget.The OCO account is exempt from discretionary spending caps while…

Short-term improvements in the federal government’s finances have led to widespread complacency in Washington about fiscal reform. (more…)

More than 7,000 students, retirees, political leaders and other citizens have played The Concord Coalition’s updated Federal Budget Challenge since we put the latest version online a month ago.The exercise lets players decide for themselves how they would reduce the…

Former U.S. Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell called for bipartisan action to rein in the federal debt at a forum last week in New Hampshire.Gregg, a member of The Concord Coalition’s Board of…

The House passed its Fiscal 2015 defense spending bill last week without key reforms that the Pentagon had proposed.The legislation, opposed by the administration, appropriates $490.7 billion for the base military budget. The legislation includes weapons systems the Pentagon has…