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In each of the debates, Senators McCain and Obama have been asked what programs they would prioritize or cut given the large existing deficit and the weakening economy. Both have largely refused to talk about scaling back their spending plans. How they would both grow the debt is discussed on the WashingtonWatch.com blog.

Featured Items

Congress has adjourned until January, but leaders may call the membership back to take care of unfinished business later this year.

Numerous bills have been passed into law in the last few weeks. The WashingtonWatch.com blog features many of them here, here, and here.

Among the new laws is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008, which is now Public Law 110-422.

The law authorizes fiscal year 2009 spending on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for science, aeronautics, exploration, and education.

The cost of the law is about $200 per U.S. family.

Another new law is the Health Centers Renewal Act, Public Law 110-355. The law amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize and spend money on a program that provides funding for community health centers.

The law costs the average U.S. family about $100.

P.L. 110-422
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008
Costs $200.57 per family

P.L. 110-355
The Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007
Costs $107.08 per family

What People Think

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008 50% For, 50% Against Vote on this Bill

The Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007 25% For, 75% Against Vote on this Bill

Displayed below are new, updated, and passed items with their cost or savings per family.

New Items

S. 2779
A bill to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects
Costs $0.00 per family

S. 2609
The Global Service Fellowship Program Act of 2008
Costs $0.42 per family

H.R. 1014
The Heart Disease Education, Analysis Research, and Treatment for Women Act
Costs $1.60 per family

S. 3065
The Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area Act
Costs $0.00 per family

S. 3499
An original bill to protect innocent Americans from violent crime in national parks
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 642
The College Fire Prevention Act
Costs $3.10 per family

S. 2805
The Rio Grande Pueblos Irrigation Infrastructure Improvement Act
Costs $0.21 per family

P.L. 110-369
The United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act
Costs $0.00 per family

S. 3085
The Cooperative Watershed Management Act of 2008
Costs $0.37 per family

H.R. 6658
The Disaster Response, Recovery, and Mitigation Enhancement Act of 2008
Costs $11.32 per family

S. 3010
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program Reauthorization Act
Costs $0.06 per family

S. 3194
The Oregon Surplus Federal Land Act of 2008
Costs $0.00 per family

S. 3662
The Implementing the Controlled Unclassified Information Framework Act of 2008
Costs $0.58 per family

H.R. 813
The Santa Ana River Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2007
Costs $0.27 per family

H.R. 1139
The Riverside-Corona Feeder Water Supply Act
Costs $0.20 per family

S. 2535
The Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act
Costs $0.01 per family

S. 3069
The Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act
Costs $0.09 per family

Updated Items

P.L. 110-389
The Veterans’ Notice Clarification Act of 2008
Saves $0.11 per family

H.R. 1943
The Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2007
Costs $0.16 per family

P.L. 110-293
The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008
Costs $1.28 per family

P.L. 110-417
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
Costs $0.27 per family

Passed Items

P.L. 110-383
The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2007

P.L. 110-384
The Let Our Veterans Rest in Peace Act of 2007
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-385
The Broadband Data Improvement Act
Costs $1.94 per family

P.L. 110-386
The Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2007
Costs $7.63 per family

P.L. 110-387
The Mental Health Improvements Act of 2007
Costs $8.06 per family

P.L. 110-388
A bill to provide for the appointment of the Chief Human Capital Officer of the Department of Homeland Security by the Secretary of Homeland Security
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-389
The Veterans’ Notice Clarification Act of 2008
Costs $1.24 per family

P.L. 110-390
The White Mountain Apache Tribe Rural Water System Loan Authorization Act

P.L. 110-391
The Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program Act

P.L. 110-392
The Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act of 2007
Costs $11.94 per family

P.L. 110-393
To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to sell or exchange certain National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration property located in Norfolk, Virginia, and for other purposes
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-394
The National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008
Costs $2.81 per family

P.L. 110-398
To amend the commodity provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to permit producers to aggregate base acres and reconstitute farms to avoid the prohibition on receiving direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments when the sum of the base acres of a farm is 10 acres or less, and for other purposes
Costs $0.01 per family

P.L. 110-400
The Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2007
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-401
The Combating Child Exploitation Act of 2007
Costs $5.13 per family

P.L. 110-402
A bill to extend the authority of the United States Supreme Court Police to protect court officials off the Supreme Court Grounds and change the title of the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-403
The Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act of 2008
Costs $3.83 per family

P.L. 110-404
The Presidential Historical Records Preservation Act of 2008

P.L. 110-405
The Air Carriage of International Mail Act

P.L. 110-406
The Judicial Administration and Technical Amendments Act of 2008

P.L. 110-407
The Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

P.L. 110-408
The Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2008

P.L. 110-409
The Improving Government Accountability Act
Costs $0.70 per family

P.L. 110-411
The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007
Costs $21.27 per family

P.L. 110-412
The Personnel Reimbursement for Intelligence Cooperation and Enhancement of Homeland Security Act
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-413
The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act of 2008

P.L. 110-414
The Mercury Market Minimization Act of 2007
Costs $0.04 per family

P.L. 110-415
The Methamphetamine Production Prevention Act of 2007
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-416
The Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2007
Costs $4.46 per family

P.L. 110-417
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
Costs $0.27 per family

P.L. 110-419
To clarify the boundaries of Coastal Barrier Resources System Clam Pass Unit FL-64P

P.L. 110-420
The Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2007

P.L. 110-421
The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2008

P.L. 110-422
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008
Costs $200.57 per family

P.L. 110-423
To provide that Federal employees receiving their pay by electronic funds transfer shall be given the option of receiving their pay stubs electronically
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-424
To authorize funding for the National Advocacy Center
Costs $0.26 per family

P.L. 110-425
The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008
Costs $0.17 per family

P.L. 110-426
The Organ Transplant Authorization Act of 2008

P.L. 110-427
To authorize the Administrator of General Services to take certain actions with respect to parcels of real property located in Eastlake, Ohio, and Koochiching County, Minnesota, and for other purposes
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-428
The Inmate Tax Fraud Prevention Act of 2008
Costs $0.01 per family

P.L. 110-429
To authorize the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients, and for other purposes

P.L. 110-431
A bill to authorize funding for the National Crime Victim Law Institute to provide support for victims of crime under Crime Victims Legal Assistance Programs as a part of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984

P.L. 110-432
The Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007
Costs $11.59 per family

P.L. 110-433
To extend through 2013 the authority of the Federal Election Commission to impose civil money penalties on the basis of a schedule of penalties established and published by the Commission

P.L. 110-434
The Vessel Hull Design Protection Amendments of 2008

P.L. 110-435
The Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008

P.L. 110-436
To extend the Andean Trade Preference Act, and for other purposes