On the Blog: A Self-Dealing Congress

A pair of stories in the Washington Post last week show that some members of Congress are directing home-state benefits in ways that enrich themselves and their family members.

Read about it, and the transparency solution, in a post entitled: “The Corruption in Government.”

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Featured Items

This week, the House will debate H.R. 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012. Passage of the bill would extend surface transportation programs administered by the Federal-Aid Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and certain programs administered by the Federal Rail Administration.

Passage of H.R. 7 would cost about $1,600 per U.S. family, increasing the national debt by about $950 per family.

The House and Senate may return to the payroll tax holiday, which expires on February 29th. H.R. 3630, the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 is the bill that would extend it.

According to the most recent estimate, H.R. 3630 would save about $1,100 per U.S. family, increasing each family’s share of the national debt by about $390.

H.R. 7
The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012
Costs $1,659.41 per family

H.R. 3630
The Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011
Saves $1,117.67 per family

What People Think

The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012 28% For, 72% Against Vote on this Bill

The Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 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

H.R. 7
The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012
Costs $1,659.41 per family

H.R. 3548
The North American Energy Access Act
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 3813
The Securing Annuities for Federal Employees Act of 2012
Saves $17.22 per family

H.R. 3408
The PIONEERS Act
Saves $0.04 per family

S. 1813
The MAP-21
Costs $127.76 per family

H.R. 3410
The Energy Security and Transportation Jobs Act
Costs $7.86 per family

H.R. 3397
The Cabin Fee Act of 2011
Costs $0.18 per family

H.R. 3407
The Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act
Costs $20.42 per family

H.R. 3864
The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Financing Act of 2012
Costs $4,307.06 per family

H.R. 3336
The Small Business Credit Availability Act
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 3527
The Protecting Main Street End-Users From Excessive Regulation
Costs $0.00 per family

Updated Items

H.R. 2682
The Business Risk Mitigation and Price Stabilization Act of 2011
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 2586
The Swap Execution Facility Clarification Act
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 2779
To exempt inter-affiliate swaps from certain regulatory requirements put in place by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
Costs $0.00 per family

Passed Items

none