Policy Papers
House Bills Coming to the Senate
In the last Congress, dozens of bipartisan jobs bills passed by the House were blocked by Senator Reid. Through regular order and an open amendment process, bipartisan jobs bills and important policy priorities will go to the president’s desk. The Senate will finally have an opportunity to take up bills passed by the House. It is important to note that Democrats will insist on a 60-vote threshold for most legislative matters. While the Senate cannot simply pass everything the House... Continue Reading
January 13, 2015
Ending Obamacare’s 30-Hour Work Week
Twelve House Democrats voted with Republicans to change Obamacare’s definition of a full-time worker from 30 to 40 hours per week. The bill would lower tax penalties and lead to more jobs and higher wages, particularly for women and the young. Largely because of its unworkability, the Obama administration has already delayed the employer mandate twice. On January 8, the House of Representatives passed the Save American Workers Act by a vote of 252 to 171. Twelve Democrats joined a... Continue Reading
January 13, 2015
December Jobs Report: New Jobs, Low Wages
Wage growth remains stagnant. In December, average hourly earnings on nonfarm payrolls fell by 5 cents, to $24.57. Last month, labor force participation was 62.7 percent, down 0.2 percentage point, and tied for the lowest level in more than 36 years. In December, 8.7 million workers remained unemployed and the unemployment rate was 5.6 percent. The December jobs report, while posting 252,000 new jobs, reveals it’s still too soon to be bullish on an economic recovery. Wage data and labor... Continue Reading
January 9, 2015
December 2014 Unemployment Report
December 2014 Unemployment Rate: 5.6 percent Unemployed Americans: 8.7 million Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 5.6 percent for December, down 0.2 percent from November. It reported an increase of 252,000 nonfarm jobs over last month. Employment for October was revised upward from 243,000 to 261,000 jobs created, and November was revised up from 321,000 to 353,000. The number of unemployed people in December was 8.7... Continue Reading
January 7, 2015
January 2015 Policy Calendar
January 7, 2015
The High Stakes in King v. Burwell
In June, the Supreme Court will decide the legality of the IRS’s regulation that extends health insurance subsidies to people in 37 states who buy insurance on the federal exchange. The clear language of the law, and comments from the law’s supporters, show the subsidies were designed to force states to set up their own exchanges. The IRS decision to issue subsidies in the federal exchange (in violation of the letter of the law) increased spending, taxes, and debt beyond what... Continue Reading
January 7, 2015
Approve Keystone XL; Make the Senate Work
The Obama State Department concluded the Keystone XL pipeline would have no significant environmental impact and would support more than 42,000 jobs. The Obama administration has delayed the pipeline for more than six years – and has misled Americans with false claims about the project. The new Republican majority calls on the administration to put the political games aside and work to support the Keystone XL pipeline – a bipartisan infrastructure and jobs bill. Time to... Continue Reading
December 16, 2014
Administration Puts HealthCare.gov Enrollees at Risk
Last year the Obama administration put Americans at risk as it ignored numerous warnings about the readiness of HealthCare.gov. Its decision to go ahead with the website caused confusion and frustration at the same time Obamacare was causing people to lose their insurance. This year, the administration has created another large risk for federal exchange enrollees. It’s been providing potentially unlawful tax credits for people to buy insurance in states with federal exchanges. The Supreme... Continue Reading
December 16, 2014
Abusing the Lame Duck
This week, in the last days of the 113th Congress, the Senate is considering a series of nominations. None of these nominees are essential to keep the government running. The Senate could be using this week to debate important tax and spending issues, including matters that actually have a deadline or could help to create American jobs. A Moment of Scrutiny, a Lifetime Appointment Majority Leader Reid’s decision to proceed with the confirmation of a dozen nominations to the federal... Continue Reading
December 10, 2014
FCC Has a Full Plate at Tomorrow’s Meeting
On Thursday morning, the FCC will meet to consider and discuss several subjects. Most notably, the agenda will include: Modernizing the E-rate program for schools and libraries; Connect America Fund report and order; and Broadcast incentive auction public notice. These items affect millions of Americans and will require billions of dollars to implement. E-rate Proposal Fails to Modernize Program and Eliminate Inefficiencies E-rate, the federal government’s initiative to connect schools... Continue Reading
December 9, 2014
December 2014 Policy by the Numbers
The key number for December is 54. Following Saturday’s runoff election in Louisiana, Congressman Bill Cassidy brought the total number of Republican Senators in the 114th Congress to 54. Other recent numbers that also have major policy implications. Continue Reading
December 9, 2014
Obamacare Bad for People, Good for Insurers
It’s been clear for some time that Obamacare has failed to deliver on the president’s key promises – including that family premiums would drop by $2,500 per year, and people would not lose their insurance. The law is failing America’s families on many other promises as well. New evidence shows that insurance market concentration has increased and that more Americans than ever are foregoing medical treatment because of the high out-of-pocket cost. While American families... Continue Reading
December 9, 2014
Closing Out the 113th Congress
Before the end of the year, the Senate must take up three important bills to deal with hard deadlines. These include a continuing resolution to fund the government beyond the current deadline of December 11; authorization for continued defense spending; and legislation to extend expiring tax provisions. Omnibus/Continuing Resolution The central issue of the omnibus/CR revolves around proposals to use the appropriations process to stop the president’s executive actions on immigration. The... Continue Reading
December 5, 2014
November 2014 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 5.8 percent Unemployed Americans: 9.1 million Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 5.8 percent for November, unchanged from October. It reported an increase of 321,000 nonfarm jobs over last month. Of this figure, 314,000 were jobs created in the private sector. Employment for September was revised upward from 256,000 to 271,000 jobs created, and October was revised up from 214,000 to 243,000. The... Continue Reading
December 2, 2014
December 2014 Policy Calendar
December 2, 2014
End Obamacare’s Insurance Company Bailout
Hidden in section 1342 of the president’s health care law is a potential taxpayer-financed bailout of insurance companies – the so-called risk corridor program. The risk corridor provision was designed to transfer money from insurers that earned “excess” profits on Obamacare plans to insurers that incurred excess losses on these plans. However, if total excess losses exceeded total excess profits, the law put taxpayers on the hook to cover the shortfall. Last summer,... Continue Reading
December 2, 2014
Congress Must Strengthen Iran Sanctions
At the beginning of this year, President Obama promised the American people in his State of the Union address that he would be “the first to call for more sanctions” if Iran failed to complete an agreement on its illicit nuclear program. Instead, he has once again extended relief from certain sanctions. It is time for President Obama to implement his own stated policy. Never-ending negotiations over Iran’s illicit nuclear program Extension breaks the president’s... Continue Reading
December 2, 2014
Obama Unleashes Most Expensive Regulation Ever
On the day before Thanksgiving, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new 626-page (plus a 575-page appendix) ground-level ozone standard of 65 to 70 parts per billion. This would be down from 75 ppb established in 2008 by the Bush administration. EPA estimates that a 65 ppb standard would impose costs of $15 billion per year on the nation (except California) in 2025, and $1.6 billion per year on California after 2025. The National Association of Manufacturers warns, “This new... Continue Reading
November 21, 2014
Obama Ignores the Law and the American People
After years of disclaiming authority to do so, and failing to work with Congress to come to a legislative solution, last night President Obama announced unilateral action on immigration. The more controversial aspects of the president’s plan include: Expand deferred action for young illegal immigrants. In June 2012, the president deferred prosecution for illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. before June 2007 and were under age 31 as of June 2012. The expansion would cover anyone who... Continue Reading
November 20, 2014
Democrats Block Keystone XL Pipeline Again
On Tuesday, Democrats blocked legislation introduced by Senator John Hoeven in the Senate and Rep. Bill Cassidy in the House to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. Senate Democrats were on the verge of passing serious, common-sense, bipartisan policy for the first time in recent memory. At the last moment, they chose to deny the country an opportunity for energy security and economic growth. The American people rejected this brand of politics on November 4th. Republicans will end it starting on... Continue Reading