Medicaid Spending Growth At "Near-Record Low" for FY 2012
Though it seems we are far away from reaching a comprehensive debt deal, we can, at least for the moment, breathe a little sigh of relief. A...
FY 2012 Budget
Happy Fiscal New Year!
Today, October 1, marks the first day of FY 2013, with FY 2012 now in the history books. Over the past year we have seen some setbacks, like the...
‘Line’ Items: Playoff Edition
Playoffs in Full Swing – The Packers packed it in; the Broncos got busted; the Saints went marching out; and Houston had a problem as the NFL...
Appropriations Update: No Bill Left Behind?
Ever since the three appropriations bills and the temporary continuing resolution (CR) passed Congress last month, lawmakers have refused to consider...
Approprations Update: No Drama This Time
After an eleventh-hour deal that included a dramatic showdown in April and a minor standoff in September, it's nice to see a continuing resolution...
Appropriations Update: A Return to Normalcy?
With just a month left to go before the temporary funding for FY 2012 runs out, the Senate is trying a different strategy from the one that has...
The Cyclical Economic Effects on the Deficit
In a letter to Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf estimates the cyclical...
Houses Passes CR, But Unresolved Issues Remain
In what was basically a formality, this morning the House of Representatives approved a super short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep the...
What Congress Needs to Do in the Next Two Weeks
Congress has a long checklist of things it has to do by the end of September. On Tuesday, it informally crossed one thing off when the House passed a...
Agreement on Debt Limit Increase
We have a deal (pending votes, of course). (UPDATE: CRFB has a press release on this deal here)Last night, the leaders from both parties...