On the Blog: The “CR”

The current law that allows the government to keep running will expire at the end of March. That’s the latest emergency Congress has to deal with.

Read about it in a post entitled: “It’s All About the CR.”

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Last week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 933, the Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013. The Senate will soon debate it.

The bill spends money on the operations of the federal government from the end of this month through the end of the fiscal year September 30th.

Passage H.R. 933 would spend about $12,600 per U.S. family.

H.R. 933
The Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013
Costs $12,604.49 per family

What People Think

The Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 33% For, 67% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

H.R. 890
The Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013
Saves $0.55 per family

S. 458
A bill to improve and extend certain nutrition programs
Saves $290.64 per family

H.R. 933
The Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013
Costs $12,604.49 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

none

On the Blog: Read the Bill

A new bill in Congress takes quite literally the idea that members of Congress should read bills before they vote on them. It proposes a simple change in how Congress does business that could nicely improve government transparency.

Read about it in a post entitled: “Read the Bill.”

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With less than a month before funding for the government runs out, Congress will soon be debating funding for the remainder of the year. But no bill has been introduced yet.

Last week, the House passed S. 47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, which passed the Senate earlier in February. It now goes to the president’s desk.

S. 47 reauthorizes various spending and law enforcement programs aimed at reducing violence against women. Its passage will result in spending of about $23 per U.S. family.

S. 47
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013
Costs $23.12 per family

What People Think

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 47% For, 53% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

S. 18
The Sequester Replacement and Spending Reduction Act of 2013
Saves $920.70 per family

S. 47
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013
Costs $23.12 per family

S. 388
The American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013
Costs $1,043.27 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

none

On the Blog: Friends of Hamas

The opposition to former Senator Chuck Hagel’s nomination for Secretary of State looks pretty silly, having gone after a rumor that originated with a joke.

Read about it in a post entitled: “‘Friends of Hamas’: Life Imitates Comedy“

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This week, the House and Senate both meet, but neither has plans to consider major legislation.

In late January, the House passed H.R. 307, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill authorizes funding intended to support the readiness of the public health system to address public health and medical emergencies.

It has now passed out of committee in the Senate and is ready for floor consideration. The bill also now has a cost estimate. It would spend just less than $100 per U.S. family.

H.R. 307
The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013
Costs $98.83 per family

What People Think

The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013 22% For, 78% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

H.R. 307
The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013
Costs $98.83 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

none

On the Blog: Scared of Sequestration

Official Washington is in agony anticipating the arrival of spending cuts they themselves put in place.

Read about it in a post entitled: “Sequestration = Scaaarrreeeeee!“

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This week, the House and Senate are both in recess. They will return the week of February 25th.

A bill recently scored by the Congressional Budget Office is S. 252, the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act.

The bill, recently reported from committee to the full Senate, would authorize research and education activities relating to preterm labor and delivery and infant mortality.

Spending to carry out the bill would cost about $0.37 per U.S. family.

S. 252
The PREEMIE Reauthorization Act
Costs $0.37 per family

What People Think

The PREEMIE Reauthorization Act 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. 252
The PREEMIE Reauthorization Act
Costs $0.37 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

none

On the Blog: Political Tug o’ War

When good politics and good policy line up, Congress can move forward. But this week, the House and Senate are pushing political buttons.

Read about it in a post entitled: “Parties Playing to Their Strengths.”

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This week, the Senate is scheduled to debate S. 47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.

S. 47 would reauthorize various spending and law enforcement programs aimed at reducing violence against women.

No cost estimate for S. 47 exists yet. Similar bills in the last Congress proposed spending of between $15 and $20 per U.S. family.

The House will debate H.R. 273, a bill to eliminate the 2013 statutory pay raise for Federal employees.

No cost or savings estimate for H.R. 273 exists yet.

A 2010 pay freeze did not impact pay raises due to promotions or within-grade increases.

The White House said at the time that it would save $2 billion for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, $28 billion over five years, and $60 billion over 10 years.

S. 47
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013

H.R. 273
To eliminate the 2013 statutory pay adjustment for Federal employees

What People Think

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 57% For, 43% Against Vote on this Bill

H.R. 273 60% For, 40% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

H.R. 225
The National Pediatric Research Network Act of 2013
Costs $0.01 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 113-3
The No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013
Costs $0.00 per family

On the Blog: Spending, Big and Small

Recent happenings illustrate nicely the operatic drama that Washington, D.C. produces, and also the quiet day-to-day.

We wrote about it in a post entitled: “Spending, Big and Small.”

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This week, the House is scheduled to debate H.R. 444, the Require a PLAN Act.

H.R. 444 would require the President to produce a supplemental budget by April 1st that identifies the fiscal year in which he thinks the federal budget will balance if his fiscal year 2014 budget does not show when balance will be achieved.

No cost estimate exists yet for H.R. 444, but its costs would likely be minimal.

The Senate is scheduled to debate S. 47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.

S. 47 would reauthorize various spending and law enforcement programs aimed at reducing violence against women.

No cost estimate for S. 47 exists yet. Similarbills in the last Congress proposed spending of between $15 and $20 per U.S. family.

H.R. 444
The “Require Presidential Leadership and No Deficit” or “Require a PLAN Act”

S. 47
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013

What People Think

The “Require Presidential Leadership and No Deficit” or “Require a PLAN Act” 75% For, 25% Against Vote on this Bill

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 80% For, 20% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

H.R. 297
The Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2013
Costs $11.07 per family

H.R. 124
To redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps
Costs $0.02 per family

H.R. 235
The Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013
Costs $0.01 per family

H.R. 267
The Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013
Costs $0.02 per family

H.R. 316
The Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act
Costs $0.00 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 113-2
The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013
Costs $440.62 per family

On the Blog: On-Time Budgeting?

The stars are aligning for a normal budget process this year. That’s no guarantee that all will go well, but it’s a start!

Read about it in a post entitled: “Could it Be? A Normal Budget Year?“

(forward to a friend)

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The House does not meet this week.

The Senate is scheduled to debate “Superstorm Sandy” spending, not having reached it last week.

H.R. 152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 would spend about $440 per U.S. family on response to that particular disaster.

The Senate may also debate legislation passed by the House last week to temporarily lift the debt ceiling and promote congressional compliance with the budget process.

H.R. 325, the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013, would lift the legal limit on federal indebtedness until May 18th, with the new debt limit set at the amount of debt existing then. It would also withhold the pay of Congress as long as it fails to meet the April 15 deadline for passing a fiscal 2014 budget.

Passage of H.R. 325 would have no cost or savings. It only changes the legal limit on government debt, and any withholding of pay would be temporary.

H.R. 152
The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013
Costs $440.90 per family

H.R. 325
The No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013
Costs $0.00 per family

What People Think

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 16% For, 84% Against Vote on this Bill

The No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 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

H.R. 325
The No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013
Costs $0.00 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 113-1
To temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program
Costs $92.14 per family

On the Blog: Cut Their Pay!

This week, the House may vote on a bill (not yet introduced) to increase the legal limit on the national debt for a short time, with a longer-term increase depending on the Senate producing a budget plan. The bill may withhold senators’ pay if they don’t produce a budget.

A number of bills to control members’ pay, and especially to end their automatic pay raise, have been introduced in the new Congress. We looked at them in a post entitled: “Cut Their Pay!“

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After President Obama’s inauguration celebration yesterday, the House and Senate both get to work this week.

The Senate is scheduled to debate the “Superstorm Sandy” spending bill.

H.R. 152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 would spend about $440 per U.S. family on response to that particular disaster.

In addition to debt ceiling legislation, the House will debate H.R. 307 the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill would reauthorize programs meant to protect “public health security” and “all-hazards” preparedness and response.

There is no cost estimate for H.R. 307 yet.

H.R. 152
The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013
Costs $440.84 per family

H.R. 307
To reauthorize certain programs under the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response, and for other purposes

What People Think

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 27% For, 73% Against Vote on this Bill

H.R. 307 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. 1 [112th Congress]
The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
Costs $517.63 per family

H.R. 152
The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013
Costs $440.84 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

none

On the Blog: Amending the Constitution

The start of a new Congress means a raft of proposals to amend the Constitution.


We looked at the proposals introduced in the 113th Congress so far in a post entitled: “Let’s Amend the Constitution!“

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This week the House will meet for a shortened week. The Senate does not return until next week.

The House is scheduled to debate H.R. 152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013.

The bill would spend money in response to “Superstorm Sandy,” which occurred last October.

No official cost estimate exists for H.R. 152, but spending of $50 billion proposed in the bill amounts to about $475 per U.S. family.

Last Saturday, the president signed H.R. 41, a bill to “temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program.” The House and Senate passed the bill quickly at the beginning of the new Congress.

H.R. 41 spends about $92 per U.S. family.

H.R. 152
The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013

H.R. 41
To temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program
Costs $92.15 per family

What People Think

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 25% For, 75% Against Vote on this Bill

H.R. 41 22% For, 78% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

S. 2241
The GI Bill Consumer Awareness Act of 2012
Costs $2.41 per family

H.R. 41
To temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program
Costs $92.15 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 112-239
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013
Costs $5,873.68 per family

P.L. 112-240
The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
Saves $26,298.11 per family

On the Blog: Is the New Congress Lending or Spending?

Last week, a new Congress got started by passing a bill to increase the borrowing authority of the National Flood Insurance Program, which is run by FEMA.

But will the Federal Emergency Management Agency ever pay back the money it borrows from the Treasury? We asked the question in a blog post entitled: “Is it Lending or Spending?“

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The 112th Congress ended last week, and the 113th got started. Neither will meet next week.

Last week, the new Congress quickly passed H.R. 41, to “temporarily” increase the authority of the National Flood Insurance Program to borrow from the U.S. Treasury by $9.7 billion.

No official cost estimate for H.R. 41 yet exists, but we speculated in our blog post on the bill that it will cost about $90 per U.S. family.

H.R. 41
To temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program

What People Think

H.R. 41 33% For, 67% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

none

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 112-219
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 133 Hare Road in Crosby, Texas, as the Army First Sergeant David McNerney Post Office Building

P.L. 112-220
The Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act of 2012
Costs $0.15 per family

P.L. 112-221
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6083 Highway 36 West in Rose Bud, Arkansas, as the “Nicky ‘Nick’ Daniel Bacon Post Office”

P.L. 112-222
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 110 Mastic Road in Mastic Beach, New York, as the “Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull Post Office Building”

P.L. 112-223
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 15285 Samohin Drive in Macomb, Michigan, as the “Lance Cpl. Anthony A. DiLisio Clinton-Macomb Carrier Annex”

P.L. 112-224
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 26 East Genesee Street in Baldwinsville, New York, as the “Corporal Kyle Schneider Post Office Building”

P.L. 112-225
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the “Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building”

P.L. 112-226
To amend the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to provide for direct appeals to the United States Supreme Court of decisions of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court

P.L. 112-227
To amend section 1059(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 to clarify that a period of employment abroad by the Chief of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a translator, interpreter, or in an executive level security position is to be counted as a period of residence and physical presence in the United States for purposes of qualifying for naturalization if at least a portion of such period was spent in Iraq or Afghanistan, and for other purposes

P.L. 112-228
Establishing the date for the counting of the electoral votes for President and Vice President cast by the electors in December 2012

P.L. 112-229
The D.C. Courts and Public Defender Service Act of 2011
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 112-230
The Hatch Act Modernization Act of 2012
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 112-231
The 21st Century Language Act of 2012

P.L. 112-232
The Barona Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Clarification Act of 2012
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 112-233
A bill to designate the United States courthouse located at 2601 2nd Avenue North, Billings, Montana, as the “James F. Battin United States Courthouse”

P.L. 112-234
The GAO Mandates Revision Act of 2012
Saves $0.00 per family

P.L. 112-235
The Public Interest Declassification Board Reauthorization Act of 2012

P.L. 112-236
The Theft of Trade Secrets Clarification Act of 2012

P.L. 112-237
A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program, to designate certain Federal buildings, and for other purposes

P.L. 112-238
The FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012
Costs $0.00 per family