Policy Papers
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The Threat of Mandatory Spending
While Congress should cut spending wherever possible, the emphasis should be on cutting mandatory spending. Mandatory spending currently makes up nearly three-quarters of the federal budget, and this share is growing. Before the enactment of the Budget Control Act, most of the discussion in Congress on budget savings centered on mandatory spending. This made sense. Mandatory spending, combined with the aging of the population, was driving large spending increases in future decades. After the... Continue Reading
April 19, 2016
Supreme Court Hears Executive Amnesty Case
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday on the legality of the president’s executive amnesty. The justices appeared divided down ideological lines, suggesting that a 4-4 split is likely – meaning the injunction blocking the amnesty program would remain through the rest of President Obama’s term. Much of oral argument focused on the technical legal question of whether Texas has standing to challenge the president’s amnesty program in court. On Monday, the... Continue Reading
April 19, 2016
Appropriations Bills will get Earliest Start
The Senate will begin debate on an appropriations bill at the earliest point in the year since the Budget Act of 1974 was enacted. Last year, Democrats prevented the Senate from fulfilling one of its most basic responsibilities: funding the government through individual appropriations bills. This year, Democrats should allow the Senate to do its job and work on appropriations bills. Senate Republicans are poised to begin debate on appropriations bills early this year. Last year, Republicans... Continue Reading
April 19, 2016
Watching Obamacare's Risk Corridors
Obamacare’s death spiral is accelerating, hurting consumers and insurers. As insurers struggle financially under the law, Americans will see even more rising premiums and even fewer options in the Obamacare markets. To try to stay afloat, insurers have sued to grab taxpayer money that Republicans have fought to protect. UnitedHealthcare shook the foundations of the health care law earlier this month when it announced that it would leave Obamacare exchanges in Georgia, Arkansas, and... Continue Reading
April 15, 2016
Health Innovation Package Nears Completion
On April 6, the Senate HELP Committee held its final health innovation executive session and passed a package of five bipartisan bills. During previous executive sessions, the committee approved 14 bills. HELP is now trying to reach an agreement on the outstanding issue of NIH funding. PROGRESS ON INNOVATION The Senate HELP Committee has passed 19 bills as part of its Biomedical Innovation Project, which Senator Alexander has called the committee’s “cure’s agenda.” The... Continue Reading
April 12, 2016
Puerto Rico's Financial Crisis
With $72 billion in outstanding debt and $43 billion in unfunded pension obligations, Puerto Rico will not be able to repay all of its debts without reform. Puerto Rico is suffering from an economic recession. Its population is shrinking, while unemployment is double that of the rest of the United States. Reforms encouraging economic growth and fiscal responsibility are necessary to address Puerto Rico’s crisis, but Democrats advocate for bankruptcy. Puerto Rico is in the middle of a... Continue Reading
April 12, 2016
Tax Reform Solves Two Problems: complexity and competitiveness
Tax day is a disappointing reminder that the U.S. has not enacted tax reform in 30 years. This year, Tax Freedom Day – the day the country earns enough money to pay off its tax bill – will not come until one-third of the way through the year. The Obama administration released new regulations trying to make inversions more difficult. To fix the true problem, we need a more competitive tax code. It is currently the least competitive in the developed world. AN OVERLY COMPLEX TAX... Continue Reading
April 12, 2016
Obamacare Tax Increases Hit Millions
Obamacare continues to give power to the IRS to mandate Americans’ health care decisions. This year, tax penalties for not complying with the law’s individual mandate will increase to $325 per adult. They will rise again next year to $695. The employer mandate went into effect in 2016 for employers with 50 to 99 workers. HIGHER PENALTIES Next Monday is tax day for most of the country, and the penalties for not buying Washington-approved health insurance are significantly higher... Continue Reading
April 5, 2016
Garland's Judicial Philosophy is Not Moderate
Democrats and the media portray Judge Garland as a moderate, but the judicial philosophy of Washington Democrats is anything but moderate. President Obama has said that he will select nominees who seek “fair outcomes,” rather than the outcomes dictated by law. Judge Garland is just this kind of nominee. In this election, the American people will choose between a Supreme Court that understands it is bound by the law or one that believes it is not. In this presidential election, one... Continue Reading
April 5, 2016
Obamacare over the Recess
While the Obama administration celebrated the law’s sixth birthday, Americans continued to get more bad news. New reports from the Government Accountability Office, Kaiser Family Foundation, Congressional Budget Office, and Blue Cross Blue Shield spotlight the law’s failures. Obamacare is at the Supreme Court again, this time regarding the law’s contraception mandate “accommodation.” THE DEATH SPIRAL BEGINS When insurance policies attract those who are the... Continue Reading
April 1, 2016
March 2016 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 5.0 percent Unemployed Americans: 8.0 million Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 5.0 percent for March, up 0.1 from last month. It reported an increase of 215,000 nonfarm jobs in March. Today’s job growth figure exceeded analysts’ job growth prediction of 210,000. Employment for January was revised down from 172,000 to 168,000 jobs created; and February was revised up from 242,000 to... Continue Reading
March 31, 2016
Labor's fiduciary rule hurts American families
The proposed rule will restrict access to retirement advice, particularly for low- and moderate income workers. The rule will cause the majority of retail investors to see average increased costs of 73 to 196 percent due to a mass shift toward fee-based accounts The proposed changes will also harm small business retirement plans, which represent more than 9 million U.S households with approximately $472 billion in retirement savings. The Obama administration will soon finalize its... Continue Reading
March 15, 2016
State Dept's $500 Million Transfer to the U.N.
Last week, the Obama administration transferred $500 million in U.S. funds to the United Nations’ Green Climate Fund. Congress never authorized the Green Climate Fund or any appropriations to it. The State Department must fully account for how it decided to give taxpayer dollars to a U.N. fund that Congress never authorized. Last week, the Obama administration transferred $500 million in U.S. funds to the United Nations’ Green Climate Fund. Other countries will welcome the... Continue Reading
March 15, 2016
Health Innovation in the Senate Continues
On March 9, the Senate HELP Committee held its second health innovation executive session and passed a package of seven bipartisan bills. During the first executive session, held in February, the committee approved seven bills. HELP plans to hold a third and final executive session on April 6, and Senator Alexander is looking to finish the innovation bill quickly. PROGRESS ON INNOVATION The Senate HELP Committee is continuing work on its Biomedical Innovation Project, a complement to the... Continue Reading
March 15, 2016
A Double Standard on Nominations
Like Senate Democrats, the New York Times has a short memory and a flexible understanding of Senate procedure. The editorial board’s statements on past confirmation battles show that its understanding of the Constitution and Senate practice depend on who is in office. No matter what Senate Democrats and the Times may wish, the Constitution, historical practice, and their own words support giving the American people a voice in the future direction of the Supreme Court. Like Senate... Continue Reading
March 15, 2016
Obamacare Turns Six: No Cause for Celebration
March 23 will mark Obamacare’s sixth birthday. In the past six years, Americans have lost freedom in their health care decisions; had their health plans canceled; and faced higher premiums, higher deductibles, and higher taxes. A recent survey found that 25 percent of Americans say they have been personally harmed by Obamacare, while only 15 percent say they have personally benefitted. Obamacare’s sixth birthday is next week. The administration and congressional Democrats... Continue Reading
March 9, 2016
Internet Freedom, Not Neutrality
A year ago, the FCC passed new regulations that depart from the bipartisan consensus that the Internet should be lightly regulated. FCC Chairman Wheeler’s Open Internet Order will stifle innovation and investment in Internet infrastructure and jobs; create uncertainty; and lead to years of litigation. Republicans have offered bipartisan proposals to achieve net neutrality without the heavy-handed approach favored by the Obama administration For years, the Internet has thrived while... Continue Reading
March 8, 2016
Clinton Wants to Stop Hydraulic Fracturing
Over the past decade, energy producers have relied on hydraulic fracturing to drive America’s shale oil and gas renaissance. On Sunday, Hillary Clinton promised to regulate hydraulic fracturing out of existence. Stopping hydraulic fracturing and imposing other regulatory constraints on oil and gas production would cost more than 800,000 jobs by the end of the next president’s first term. Over the past decade, energy producers have relied on hydraulic fracturing to drive... Continue Reading
March 8, 2016
More Jobs Needed
The unemployment rate has improved, but many groups have not benefited. Unemployment is still higher than pre-recession levels in 36 of 50 states. Labor force participation shows many Americans are not participating in the economy. Greater economic growth and job creation is needed. The national unemployment rate held steady at 4.9 percent in February, but many Americans are not yet experiencing a full economic recovery. African-Americans, Hispanics, and teens continue to have unemployment... Continue Reading
March 8, 2016
A Functioning Supreme Court
Contrary to Democrats’ claims, the Supreme Court continues to function with eight justices. Since Justice Scalia’s death, the court has heard oral arguments in 10 cases and released written opinions with clear majorities in five cases. The court will hear oral argument in the contraceptive mandate case on March 23, and in the case challenging the president’s immigration executive action on April 18. Contrary to Democrats’ claims that having only eight members on the... Continue Reading