Policy Papers
Green New Deal: A Crazy, Expensive Mess
KEY TAKEAWAYS The Green New Deal proposes carbon neutrality and 100 percent renewable power within 10 years – experts say the latter goal is impossible by 2050, let alone 2029. All-renewable electricity would mean closing every nuclear, coal, and natural gas plant and would cost $7 trillion. The Green New Deal’s job guarantee would replace productive work with federally backed make-work jobs, distorting the labor market and hurting private businesses. House... Continue Reading
December 7, 2018
November 2018 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 3.7 percent Jobs Created: 155,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported the unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent in November, the same as the previous two months. It is the lowest rate in 49 years. Nonfarm jobs grew by 155,000 in November. Sectors with gains include manufacturing (27,000), health care (32,000), and transportation and warehousing (25,000). The U.S. has created more than 2.2 million new jobs since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act became... Continue Reading
December 4, 2018
Border Security by the Numbers
KEY TAKEAWAYS The U.S. southwest border with Mexico is 1,950 miles long, with 650 miles protected by a pedestrian or vehicle barrier, and a portion of the remainder having natural obstacles. Illegal border crossings are up by more than 30 percent since last year, with 396,579 people apprehended trying to cross our southwest border in fiscal year 2018. There are 16,600 Border Patrol agents and 8,100 military troops currently deployed to guard our southern border. Border security... Continue Reading
December 4, 2018
Medicare for All: Higher Taxes, Fewer Choices, Longer Lines
KEY TAKEAWAYS A single-payer health care system would eliminate all private insurance and place all medical care in the hands of the federal government. The proposed Medicare for All system could cost an additional $32 trillion and require a 20 percent tax increase to implement. More than two-thirds of Americans do not support the plan once they are told a government-run, single-payer system would require an increase in their personal... Continue Reading
November 14, 2018
Obamacare Alternative Gains Speed
KEY TAKEAWAYS Short-term health insurance plans are proving to be an affordable alternative to Obamacare, with many being sold for half the cost of Obamacare plans. Most cost less than $200 a month, compared with an average $484 per month for Obamacare plans. It is estimated 4.3 million people will buy one of these plans – 1.7 million of whom have no insurance today. Short-term health insurance plans are being sold in many states for less than half the cost of Obamacare plans.... Continue Reading
November 2, 2018
October 2018 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 3.7 percent Jobs Created: 250,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent for October, the same as September. It is the lowest rate in 49 years. Nonfarm jobs grew by 250,000 in October. Sectors with gains include manufacturing (32,000), construction (30,000), and transportation and warehousing (25,000). The U.S. has created more than 2.1 million new jobs since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act became law. Over the past... Continue Reading
October 26, 2018
The Economy – Full Steam Ahead
KEY TAKEAWAYS The economy expanded at a 3.5 percent inflation-adjusted annualized rate in the third quarter of 2018, following growth of 4.2 percent in the second quarter. This is the highest back-to-back growth in four years. GDP continues to expand at a robust rate due to strong pro-growth policies. The nation’s economy grew at an inflation-adjusted annual rate of 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2018. This follows 4.2 percent growth in the second quarter, 2.2 percent growth in the... Continue Reading
October 24, 2018
Space Force
KEY TAKEAWAYSThe Trump administration believes space has become a distinct warfighting domain, like land, air and sea, that requires a dedicated Space Force.Today, many space assets fall under Air Force Space Command, but operational responsibility is spread among the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.The Pentagon will submit proposals to Congress in early 2019 to create Space Force, which would represent the biggest military reorganization since the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986.President... Continue Reading
October 5, 2018
September 2018 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 3.7 percentJobs Created: 134,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent for September, the lowest since December 1969. Nonfarm jobs grew by 134,000 in September. Sectors with gains were construction (23,000), professional and business services (54,000), and transportation and warehousing (24,000). Job gains were revised upward for July and August by a combined 87,000 jobs. The U.S. has created more than 1.8 million... Continue Reading
September 25, 2018
Senate Republican Achievements
September 17, 2018
Policy Progress on Federal Boards & Commissions
KEY TAKEAWAYS The Trump administration has restored Republican control to five major independent federal agencies: the NLRB, FCC, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the CFTC, and FTC. Under Republican leadership, these boards and commissions have worked to protect internet freedom, promote nuclear energy development, and roll back burdensome regulations. Republicans are poised to reverse harmful Obama-era policies such as the FCC’s adoption of net neutrality and NLRB’s attempts to... Continue Reading
September 13, 2018
Roaring Economy Boosts American Workers
KEY TAKEAWAYS Under Republicans, the American economy is expanding at its second fastest pace in 13 years, with 4.2 percent growth last quarter and the Atlanta Fed projecting 3.8 percent this quarter. Americans are getting back to work as a result – the economy has added 1.7 million jobs since Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Workers saw their disposable incomes grow 3.5 percent over last year, helping families keep more of their hard-earned money. America’s... Continue Reading
September 7, 2018
August 2018 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 3.9 percent Jobs Created: 201,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent for August. The report shows an increase of 201,000 nonfarm jobs in August. Sectors with job gains include professional and business services (53,000), health care (33,000), and wholesale trade (22,000). This gain is in line with the average monthly job gain in the past 12 months of 196,000. The U.S. has created 1.654 million new jobs since... Continue Reading
September 5, 2018
Addressing the Opioid Crisis
KEY TAKEAWAYS Last year, more than 72,000 Americans died due to drug overdoses, a 1o percent increase from a year earlier – 49,000 of these were related to opioids. In 2016, HHS estimated that 11.8 million Americans abused opioids, signaling one of the most pressing public health issues in the U.S. and leading President Trump to declare a public health emergency. The Senate will soon vote on the Opioid Crisis Response Act, which fills funding gaps for research, local services, and... Continue Reading
September 5, 2018
Democrats Try to Block Affordable Health Insurance Options
KEY TAKEAWAYS In Democrats’ commitment to prop up Obamacare, they have introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution to block access to affordable insurance plans. By exempting plans from Obamacare’s most burdensome regulations, short-term plans give Americans a much-needed alternative to the unaffordable coverage on the Obamacare exchanges. According to the left-leaning Urban Institute, 4.3 million people will choose to buy these plans next year, of whom 1.7 million were... Continue Reading
August 28, 2018
Judge Kavanaugh and the Constitution
KEY TAKEAWAYS Judge Kavanaugh has made protecting the separation of powers a priority on the D.C Circuit Court of Appeals, the circuit court which hears most major administrative law cases. The constitutional separation of powers, with its checks and balances, protects against the growth of unaccountable government and its encroachment on individual liberty. Judge Kavanaugh’s views on the separation of powers are clear from his 12 years on the bench and roughly 300 published opinions. In... Continue Reading
August 28, 2018
More Health Insurance Options, More People Covered
KEY TAKEAWAYS A new study by the left-leaning Urban Institute found 4.3 million Americans will choose short-term health plans next year, of whom 1.7 million were previously uninsured. Short-term health plans are free from Obamacare’s most burdensome regulations, allowing plans to be sold for up to 80 percent less. Americans who get no subsidies in the Obamacare exchanges struggled to afford coverage before Republicans moved to offer more affordable options. The deregulation of... Continue Reading
August 22, 2018
Appropriations Keep Moving
KEY TAKEAWAYS With passage of the Defense and Labor-HHS-Education minibus, the Senate will have passed 9 of 12 spending bills, containing nearly 90 percent of discretionary spending for fiscal year 2019. The Labor-HHS-Education bill has not been debated and passed on the Senate floor since 2003, and the Defense bill has not seen initial consideration and passage on the floor since 2009. Restoring regular order to the appropriations process is an important step toward reasserting Congress’... Continue Reading
August 21, 2018
Striking, Streamlining, and Simplifying Regulations
KEY TAKEAWAYS Republicans have saved Americans at least $50 billion in regulatory costs over the past 19 months – an average of $150 for every man, woman, and child in the country. The Trump administration has repealed or eased 17 major regulations, each of which cost at least $100 million. In addition, the administration is planning future deregulatory moves that will save Americans as much as $175 billion more when fully implemented. Republicans have racked up an impressive record of... Continue Reading
August 21, 2018
Senator Warren's Plan for a Command Economy
KEY TAKEAWAYS Senator Elizabeth Warren has introduced legislation that would fundamentally change the federal government’s relationship with private enterprise. The proposal would create a powerful new bureaucracy, the Office of United States Corporations, and require all large businesses to serve the “general public benefit” as decided by Washington. By effectively commandeering thousands of corporations, Senator Warren’s bill would be a major step toward a... Continue Reading
