#Congress

Although Congress has failed for years to pass postal reform legislation, dozens of senators are now trying to block the U.S. Postal Service’s own cost-saving efforts. Last week the Postal Service reported third-quarter losses of $2 billion, up from $740…

Congress just began its long August recess without approving a single regular spending bill for Fiscal 2015, now less than two months away. While that’s troubling enough, lawmakers this summer have continued to neglect the nation’s long-term fiscal difficulties as…

The Senate was scheduled to vote on an $11 billion highway bill later today -- only days before the Department of Transportation (DOT) says it will be forced to begin delaying and cutting payments to state governments for transportation projects.The…

The House and Senate are considering different proposals for immediate funding to boost border security and help federal agencies deal with a surge of migrants from Central America.Republicans indicated today that the House would vote later this week on a…

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan takes over as President Obama's fourth budget director after the Senate's 75-22 confirmation vote last week.Donovan replaces Sylvia Matthews Burwell, who was recently confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services.As head…

The House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee approved similar plans last Thursday to transfer $10 billion in general revenues to the Highway Trust Fund.Unfortunately, both plans rely on “pension smoothing,” a gimmick that was used in the…

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

After lawmakers last year reached a bipartisan budget agreement, this was supposed to be the year of a harmless fiscal ceasefire on Capitol Hill. Unfortunately, the ceasefire is becoming a retreat on fiscal responsibility.“On issues ranging from tax and entitlement…