Policy Papers
Executive Amnesty Put on Hold
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals last Tuesday decided to halt the president’s unilateral changes to immigration law for the foreseeable future. The appellate court rejected the Obama administration’s request to undo a lower court decision, keeping its injunction of executive amnesty in place. While the Fifth Circuit and other courts will be taking up other aspects of the case over coming months, it will most likely be the Supreme Court that will ultimately decide whether executive... Continue Reading
June 1, 2015
Medicaid Consuming Federal Assistance to States
In fiscal year 2014, federal Medicaid spending was $276 billion – a $42 billion increase (18 percent) from the year before. Now more than half of the money Washington sends to state governments goes for Medicaid. Exploding Medicaid rolls are busting state budgets and crowding out spending on other priorities like transportation and education. Obamacare’s perverse Medicaid expansion to able-bodied adults has exacerbated the program’s numerous problems. Recent reports show poor... Continue Reading
May 21, 2015
Obamacare Plan Premiums Increasing Again – Maybe a Lot
The largest insurers in Maryland, Oregon, South Dakota, and Tennessee are seeking average premium increases of between 25 and 43 percent. Insurers have enrolled a relatively older and sicker population than they anticipated. Young, healthy, and middle class people appear to be shunning Obamacare plans and the law’s reinsurance and risk corridor program subsidies for insurers are disappearing. One of Obamacare’s central effects on health care was creating new mandates and... Continue Reading
May 21, 2015
Quantifying Obamacare’s Premium Increases
Eliminating Obamacare’s coverage mandates will reduce premiums – up to 44 percent for people in their early twenties. In 2014, more than four times as many people buying insurance in the individual and small group markets were subject to Obamacare’s costly coverage mandates as received subsidies. Among people eligible for exchange coverage who do not receive federal financial assistance, 98 percent find Obamacare plans not worth the cost. Obamacare forced millions of people to... Continue Reading
May 19, 2015
Republicans Pave Way for Transportation Funding
On May 31, authorization for funding the Highway Trust Fund expires. Beginning in October 2009, the Democrat-controlled Senate passed 12 short-term highway bill extensions. Senate Republicans are working to find a long-term solution for funding our nation’s highways and transportation programs. “I am committed to finding a long-term solution on highways. I plan to keep working with my colleagues … on finding a way to get us... Continue Reading
May 19, 2015
Six Myths About the NSA Metadata Program
The Supreme Court has made clear that acquisition of telephone metadata is consistent with the Fourth Amendment. There is oversight of this program by all three branches of government. Terminating the program would be a policy choice to eliminate this intelligence tool in a time of war against Islamist terrorists. On June 1, three provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expire – business records; roving wiretaps; and the “lone wolf” provisions. Since the... Continue Reading
May 13, 2015
EPA CO2 Rule Threatens Electric Reliability
EPA’s proposed power plant rule threatens electric reliability. Long generation and transmission construction lead times make short compliance deadlines impossible to meet. Switching coal-fired power plants to a seasonal peaking role puts them at risk, further undermining diversity of electric generation mix. Last month, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation issued a report concluding that the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule regulating carbon... Continue Reading
May 12, 2015
National Security Benefits of Trade Promotion Authority
Completing Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation is a prerequisite to completing trade agreements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). President Reagan explained how economic strength, supported by international trade, is a key element of national power. TPP is a critical pillar of the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region. Completing TPP can show it will be America that will write the rules for the 21st century international trade regime. Otherwise, China will do it. Trade... Continue Reading
May 12, 2015
Policy by the Numbers
May 8, 2015
S. 995 – Trade Promotion Authority
Noteworthy Floor Situation: On Tuesday May 12, the Senate will vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 1314, which will serve as the vehicle for the trade debate, particularly the Trade Promotion Authority bill. Background/Executive Summary: Trade Promotion Authority is the legislative framework Congress created for executive-legislative interaction on international trade agreements. It outlines the legislature’s views on what the negotiating objectives should be in trade... Continue Reading
May 8, 2015
April 2015 Unemployment Report
April 2015 Unemployment Rate: 5.4 percent Unemployed Americans: 8.5 million Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent for April, a decrease of 0.1 percent from March. It reported an increase of 223,000 nonfarm jobs over last month. Employment for February was revised from 264,000 to 266,000 jobs created; and March was revised down from 126,000 to 85,000. The number of unemployed people in April was 8.5 million,... Continue Reading
May 7, 2015
Saving Taxpayers from Obamacare’s Insurer Bailout
A new report shows insurance companies expect to receive at least 10 times more in payments from Obamacare’s risk corridor program than they expect to pay in. The deficit is likely in the billions of dollars for the 2014 plan year. Early last year, the administration intervened to increase the size of Obamacare’s insurance company bailout through the risk corridors. Republicans blocked the administration from using taxpayer funds for this. “This report confirms, once... Continue Reading
May 5, 2015
Obamacare Discourages Upward Mobility
Obamacare discourages many people with lower incomes from earning more. The additional taxes – combined with the loss of government benefits – take a substantial portion of the extra money. Obstacles like these can make it harder for lower-income people to move into the middle class. Obamacare discourages many people with lower incomes from earning more. The additional taxes – combined with the loss of government benefits – take a substantial portion of the extra... Continue Reading
May 5, 2015
State of the Highway Trust Fund
On May 31, authorization for funding the Highway Trust Fund expires. Prior to last year’s transportation bill, Congress kept the HTF solvent primarily with general fund money; the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 stipulates that any transfer to the HTF must now be offset. While authorization expires at the end of this month, DOT has said that funds will be available through late July or early August. Congress will need to reauthorize the Highway Trust Fund by May 31 to continue... Continue Reading
May 5, 2015
May 2015 Policy Calendar
April 29, 2015
The Economy Stalls Again
First quarter GDP increased at an inflation-adjusted rate by only 0.2 percent. President Obama should work with the Republican Congress on common-sense, bipartisan proposals to increase economic growth. Today the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that first quarter GDP increased at an inflation-adjusted, annualized rate of 0.2 percent, far below expectations. Economists had predicted growth of one percent for the quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2014, GDP increased at an annualized rate of... Continue Reading
April 28, 2015
A Review Timeline for Iran Nuclear Deal
The bipartisan Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act provides a process for Congress to review any final agreement between the president and Iran. Through this bill, the American people will have a voice in the most significant nuclear agreement of this decade. After 30 days of review (or in some cases 60), Congress can approve the deal, disapprove it, or do nothing. The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act provides a process for Congress to review any final agreement concerning Iran’s nuclear... Continue Reading
April 28, 2015
Republican Senate Moves Beyond Gridlock
In the last four Congresses, the Democrat leader Harry Reid locked out committees and consensus. Under Republican leadership, Senate committees are working and producing bipartisan legislation. During the past four Congresses, Democrat Leader Harry Reid ignored committees and committee chairs. He operated the Senate as a one-man show. By allowing all members to contribute to the work of the Senate, and by respecting the committee process, the Republican-led Senate has moved beyond the gridlock... Continue Reading
April 21, 2015
Obamacare Is Hurting the Middle Class
Obamacare has cost the middle class money and freedom. Not even one in five people eligible for Obamacare plans who earn more than 250 percent of the federal poverty line have signed up for exchange coverage. Many chose to pay the individual mandate tax penalty instead. 98 percent of people who don’t get premium tax credits find Obamacare plans are not worth the cost. Hard-working American taxpayers face a double whammy of higher health insurance premiums and higher taxes to finance... Continue Reading
April 21, 2015
Legal Challenges to EPA Regulating CO2 Begin
The D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments challenging EPA regulating CO2. In the consolidated cases, 15 states and the nation’s largest privately owned coal producer raised the first of many legal objections against the rule. The president’s 2016 budget requests $52 million to hire lawyers to defend the rule. On April 16, the D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments in three consolidated cases challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule regulating carbon... Continue Reading