On the Blog: What Are They Doing?

Congress is already poised to fail at passing spending bills for fiscal 2012 by November 18, the date that the current temporary spending measure expires.

We examine the ongoing fiscal train wreck in a post entitled: “On Spending: ‘What are they doing? Just what are they doing?‘”

(forward to a friend)

Featured Items

This week, the House will debate two bills that “save” money.

H.R. 2576 would include Social Security and other benefits as income for purposes of determining eligibility for Medicaid and for subsidies in the new health insurance exchanges to be established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

By reducing both spending and revenue, passage of H.R. 2576 would save about $175 per U.S. family and reduce the national debt by about $150 per family.

The second bill, H.R. 674, would repeal a plan to withhold 3 percent from certain payments made to vendors by government entities.

By reducing tax revenue, passage of H.R. 674 would “save” the average family about $95, though it would increase the national debt by the same amount.

H.R. 2576
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the calculation of modified adjusted gross income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain healthcare-related programs
Saves $175.62 per family

H.R. 674
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the imposition of 3 percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities
Saves $95.45 per family

What People Think

H.R. 2576 50% For, 50% Against Vote on this Bill

H.R. 674 66% For, 34% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

H.R. 1299
The Secure Border Act of 2011
Costs $0.07 per family

H.R. 2937
The Pipeline Infrastructure and Community Protection Act of 2011
Costs $0.34 per family

H.R. 2352
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to adjust the boundary of the Stephen Mather Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park in order to allow the rebuilding of a road outside of the floodplain while ensuring that there is no net loss of acreage to the Park or the Wilderness, and for other purposes
Costs $0.03 per family

S. 1723
The Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act of 2011
Costs $631.68 per family

S. 1400
The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2011
Costs $9.41 per family

H.R. 2668
The Brian A. Terry Memorial Act
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 2915
The American Taxpayer and Western Area Power Administration Customer Protection Act of 2011
Saves $24.66 per family

H.R. 850
To facilitate a proposed project in the Lower St. Croix Wild and Scenic River, and for other purposes
Costs $0.07 per family

S. 409
The Combating Dangerous Synthetic Stimulants Act of 2011
Costs $0.00 per family

S. 839
The Combating Designer Drugs Act of 2011
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 2351
The North Cascades National Park Service Complex Fish Stocking Act
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 2839
The Piracy Suppression Act of 2011
Costs $0.80 per family

H.R. 674
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the imposition of 3 percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities
Saves $95.45 per family

S. 605
The Dangerous Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2011
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 1254
The Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2011
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 2059
To prohibit funding to the United Nations Population Fund
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 2576
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the calculation of modified adjusted gross income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain healthcare-related programs
Saves $175.62 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 112-40
To extend the Generalized System of Preferences, and for other purposes
Costs $17.41 per family

P.L. 112-41
The United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
Saves $3.64 per family

P.L. 112-42
The United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
Costs $3.33 per family

P.L. 112-43
The United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
Costs $0.12 per family