Policy Papers
July 2015 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 5.3 percent Unemployed Americans: 8.3 million Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent for July, unchanged from last month. It reported an increase of 215,000 nonfarm jobs in July. Employment for May was revised up from 254,000 to 260,000 jobs created; and June was revised up from 223,000 to 231,000. Unemployment in July among those ages 16-19 was 16.2 percent, down 1.9 percentage points from last month. Among... Continue Reading
August 4, 2015
A Senate Working for the American People
Republicans have delivered on their promise to lead the Senate responsibly. Congress has been reenergized, and it’s working again on bipartisan bills. Under Republican leadership, the Senate is now known for its record of accomplishment, not the gridlock of the past. The American people asked for a Senate that works as hard as they do. After seven months, the record is clear: Senate Republicans are making good on their promise to govern. A Record of Success Last month, National Journal... Continue Reading
August 4, 2015
Climate Rule Worse Than We Thought
President Obama’s new multi-billion dollar “Clean Power Plan” will be another expensive burden on American families and a struggling economy. The final rule announced on Monday is even worse than the draft rule the administration proposed 14 months ago. There is bipartisan legislation in the Senate that would strike the rule. On Monday, the Obama administration finalized another regulation – the Clean Power Plan. This rule will cost the American economy $8.4 billion... Continue Reading
August 3, 2015
Protect Women’s Health, not Planned Parenthood
Recent videos imply that Planned Parenthood engages in an illegal practice of harvesting and selling organs of aborted fetuses. Senate Republicans have introduced legislation that will protect the current level of funding for women’s health – redirecting federal funds received by Planned Parenthood to other health care organizations. In recent weeks, several videos have emerged that paint a troubling picture of the operations at Planned Parenthood. The videos, which even Hillary... Continue Reading
July 30, 2015
Q2 Economic Growth Disappoints
Today the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that inflation-adjusted GDP grew at an annualized rate of 2.3 percent, below expectations, in the second quarter of 2015. The Wall Street Journal had predicted 2.7 percent growth. BEA also upgraded the first quarter estimate to a paltry 0.6 percent. This news is disappointing in that growth seems to be stuck in a range somewhere between disappointing and barely acceptable. Very good growth levels remain elusive. This is... Continue Reading
July 30, 2015
Medicare at 50: In Urgent Need of Reform
Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law 50 years ago. Unfortunately today the programs are on an unsustainable path and need reform. The president has failed to lead on entitlement reform: Obamacare cut Medicare, using the savings to pay for new and expanded entitlements rather than shoring up the program. There have been successful reforms to parts of Medicare that can provide a roadmap for broader reform of the program. The United States confronts substantial long-term fiscal... Continue Reading
July 28, 2015
A Solution on Highways
The Highway Trust Fund has had 33 short-term extensions since 2009; current authorization for funding expires on July 31. The bipartisan DRIVE Act is the first long-term highway bill since 2005. The DRIVE Act authorizes federal surface transportation programs for six years. It requires $47 billion in offsets to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent for three years. On July 31, authorization for funding the Highway Trust Fund expires. Since 2009, Congress has passed 33 short-term... Continue Reading
July 28, 2015
Options to Loosen the Grip of Obamacare
Obamacare is raising premiums and restricting choice; the law is fundamentally flawed. Republicans have offered proposals to replace the entire law. Republicans have also proposed targeted changes to reduce the law’s taxes and mandates, and to make health care more personal, individual, and local. On July 26, Republican Senators supported repealing the president’s fundamentally flawed health care law. No Democrats joined this effort. While Democrats believe in having Washington... Continue Reading
July 23, 2015
Big Trouble for Entitlements
A new report shows the Social Security Disability Insurance trust fund will be out of money by the end of next year. The Social Security retirement trust fund is in long-run financial trouble. Medicare continues on an unsustainable path, with total projected unfunded obligations approaching $30 trillion over the next 75 years. On Wednesday, the Social Security and Medicare trustees released their annual reports on the state of the country’s two largest entitlement programs –... Continue Reading
July 21, 2015
Obamacare’s Ongoing Plague of Problems
The past two weeks, Americans saw Obamacare’s ongoing problems quantified: Obamacare networks have 1/3 fewer providers than commercial plans do. GAO found it’s easy for people to falsify information and qualify for subsidized Obamacare coverage. 7.5 million taxpayers paid the individual mandate penalty in 2014. An economic model predicts soaring Obamacare premiums. Far fewer providers in Obamacare plan networks Narrow provider networks are one way insurers are attempting to keep... Continue Reading
July 21, 2015
15 Questions on the Iran Agreement
Congress must be vigilant in reviewing the final agreement with Iran, given the many concerns it raises. The inspection regime does not meet the “anywhere, anytime” standard that was promised. Rather, it is a time of Iran’s choosing. President Obama promised that sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program would remain in place. Instead, many of them will be lifted. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing with Cabinet secretaries to review the... Continue Reading
July 20, 2015
Greece Should Be a Lesson for the U.S.
Greece’s primary fiscal problem is the same as the U.S. – they spent more than they took in for far too long. Washington should heed the warning and take care of our debt problem before it gets completely out of control. It appears that Greece will eventually receive an 86 billion euro bailout from other European governments. This is in exchange for raising taxes, raising the retirement age, privatizing some public-sector activities, and making market reforms. However, Greece has... Continue Reading
July 15, 2015
President Obama’s Failure on Social Security Disability
The Social Security Disability Insurance trust fund will be depleted in late 2016, forcing a 19 percent cut in payments to beneficiaries. The DI trust fund has significantly worsened during the Obama administration, and its depletion is coming 10 years sooner than experts predicted in 2007. President Obama has failed to lead on this issue, just recently putting forward a kick-the-can proposal that harms retirees and does not address DI’s problems. Social Security Disability Insurance... Continue Reading
July 14, 2015
Appeals Court Challenges Executive Amnesty
Last week, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on whether the president’s executive amnesty should be allowed to go forward. Until the circuit court resolves this case, the president’s program is on hold. Ultimately, it seems likely that the U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether the president’s amnesty program will be implemented. Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit heard oral arguments on whether a federal district court was correct... Continue Reading
July 14, 2015
Lift Sanctions on American Oil
Lifting sanctions on Iranian oil exports and not lifting sanctions against American oil exports empowers Iran while hurting America and its allies. A Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee report notes: “Many U.S. allies and trading partners are interested in purchasing American oil to diversify away from Russia, Iran, and other problematic sources.” The oil export ban is a de facto sanctions regime against U.S. oil producers. This morning, six major powers including the... Continue Reading
July 9, 2015
Michigan v. EPA: Costs and Benefits Matter
In Michigan v. EPA, the Supreme Court remanded the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule to the D.C. Circuit because EPA failed to consider cost as a factor when deciding to promulgate the regulation. The ultimate fate of the MATS rule will make little difference for power companies and energy consumers since it has already forced coal-fired power plants to shut down. The ruling may force EPA to justify their regulations with more reasonable cost-benefit analyses in the future. On... Continue Reading
July 8, 2015
Iran Deal: “At best, an unsatisfying and risky compromise”
With President Obama in legacy-seeking mode and desperate for a deal, Iran is revisiting resolved issues in the hopes of extracting further concessions. If an agreement is reached, President Obama’s authority to waive sanctions likely will be suspended for 60 days under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. Congress must closely review any agreement during that time. Another deadline has come and gone in the negotiations with Iran over its illicit nuclear program. If President... Continue Reading
July 8, 2015
Improving Health Care for Americans
Obamacare has significantly increased the cost of health care insurance. The law’s complicated subsidies hide the true cost of health insurance and care. Republican ideas on health care would increase choice and lower costs, reform Medicaid, improve the economy, and increase freedom. Obamacare has significantly increased the cost of health insurance in the individual and small group markets. A 2014 Manhattan Institute study found that individual market premiums increased nearly 50... Continue Reading
July 7, 2015
The Education Act Needs to Be Reauthorized
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act has not been reauthorized since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which expired in 2007. In the absence of congressional action to reauthorize the ESEA, the Obama administration has taken unilateral action through conditional waivers from portions of the law. The bipartisan Every Child Achieves Act restores responsibility to states and local school districts for improving public schools. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is the primary... Continue Reading
July 7, 2015