On the Blog: 2012′s Budget Collapse

The FY 2011 spending debate was a train wreck. While it concluded over the last few weeks, the very same train wreck started happening again, for the 2012 fiscal year.

We’re sounding the alarm, and have some action items for concerned Americans in our post: “The 2012 Budget Collapse Started Last Friday.”

Featured Items

The House and Senate have started a spring recess that lasts until the beginning of May.

During the last two weeks, Congress resolved a serious impasse and finalized spending for the current (2011) fiscal year, which began in October.

With a government shutdown looming on the night of Friday, April 8th (see our post “Shutdown Politics“), House, Senate, and White House negotiators came up with a spending plan for the rest of the year.

While they finalized the main agreement, they passed a one-week temporary spending measure called the Department of Defense and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011. It spent a little over $250 per U.S. family to keep the government running for the week.

Then the House and Senate passed the agreed-upon bill and the President signed it into law. The Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 spends a bit less than $14,000 per family to run the government through September.

P.L. 112-8
The Department of Defense and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
Costs $262.70 per family

H.R. 1473
The Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
Costs $13,730.12 per family

What People Think

The Department of Defense and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 53% For, 47% Against Vote on this Bill

The Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 50% For, 50% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

S. 99
The American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2011
Costs $1.33 per family

S. 222
The Limiting Investor and Homeowner Loss in Foreclosure Act of 2010
Costs $0.00 per family

S. 675
The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2011
Costs $0.11 per family

H.R. 1343
To return unused or reclaimed funds made available for broadband awards in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to the Treasury of the United States
Saves $0.00 per family

H.R. 690
The Federal Trade Commission and National Gallery of Art Facility Consolidation, Savings, and Efficiency Act of 2011
Costs $2.20 per family

P.L. 112-8
The Department of Defense and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
Costs $262.70 per family

H.R. 1473
The Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
Costs $13,730.12 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 112-9
The Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011
Saves $163.49 per family

P.L. 112-8
The Department of Defense and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
Costs $262.70 per family