Policy Papers
Supreme Court Update
The Supreme Court has issued opinions in all but two of its cases. The remaining decisions will be released on Monday. In addition to the decision in the Noel Canning case, the court released opinions in several other cases of note: American Broadcast Companies v. Aereo: In an important copyright law decision, the court ruled that Aereo violated copyright laws by retransmitting television programming to consumers. Aereo’s internet-based alternative to cable TV provided equipment that... Continue Reading
June 26, 2014
Supreme Court Rebukes Obama Appointments
Two and a half years ago, President Obama flagrantly bypassed the Senate and appointed three members to the National Labor Relations Board, claiming the Senate was in recess. Today, a unanimous Supreme Court held that the president’s actions were unconstitutional. The court reaffirmed that it is the Senate that controls the procedure and manner of carrying out its constitutionally assigned advice and consent role on executive appointments, not the president. The Ruling In invalidating... Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
Worst Quarter Since 2009
Today the Bureau of Economic Analysis updated its 2014 first quarter economic report. The economy shrank at a staggering 2.9 percent annualized rate, down from the previous estimate of shrinking 1.0 percent. The White House’s projection of 3.1 percent growth for all of 2014 now seems like a pipe dream. CBO’s more modest projection for 2.7 percent growth in 2014 also will be very hard to meet. Looking back at the last three quarters: the economy has actually shrunk in... Continue Reading
June 24, 2014
Republican Solutions: Fiscal Policy
Fiscal policy has languished under Majority Leader Reid. The national debt has increased by nearly $7 trillion under President Obama, and the Senate has not fully addressed the causes of our skyrocketing debt. When crises have happened or we’ve reached some deadline, Democrats have agreed only to the minimum reforms possible – they’ve pushed the real reforms further into the future. In contrast, a Republican-led Senate would take steps to secure our economic future by... Continue Reading
June 24, 2014
Supreme Court Update
The Supreme Court has seven cases still to decide before the end of its term. It is expected to issue the remaining decisions on Wednesday and Thursday of this week and possibly next Monday. Yesterday, the court released its opinion in one case of note: Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA – The court held that the EPA may apply “best available control technology” requirements for greenhouse gases from fixed sources, like power plants and factories, that are already subject to... Continue Reading
June 24, 2014
Obamacare Failing Its Premiums Standard
Last week Mandy Cohen, the head of insurance oversight at the Department of Health and Human Services, told Congress that the Obama administration is pleased with the increases in next year’s health insurance premiums. The administration expects average increases to be less than 10 percent. This is a long way from the president’s promise to lower premiums by $2,500 per family per year. “I think if you look at the rate increases before the Affordable Care Act and what they were... Continue Reading
June 18, 2014
Highway Trust Fund Going Broke
In early August, the Highway Trust Fund is expected, by law, to stop making payments to states to avoid a negative balance. In the past, Congress kept the HTF solvent primarily with general fund money – transferring $54 billion since 2008. But the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 stipulated that any transfer to the HTF now must be offset. Congress is currently working through options to keep the HTF solvent. FY 2014 Estimates for End-of-Month Cash Balances Highway Account of the... Continue Reading
June 17, 2014
Obamacare’s Premium Manipulations
Obamacare’s preliminary premium rates are gradually being released across the country for next year’s plans. Democrats promised insurance premiums for families would decrease by $2,500 a year. This is just one of the many broken promises of the president’s health care law. Since the law’s passage, insurance premiums have skyrocketed in many parts of the country. Preliminary estimates for 2015 show the problem is getting worse. These rate increases are troubling for middle... Continue Reading
June 17, 2014
Obama/Reid Obstruction Crushes Landrieu “Clout” on Keystone
This Wednesday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is expected to pass legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline. The new chairwoman, Senator Mary Landrieu, will likely claim that this vote demonstrates her ability to get things done. But the committee-reported bill will do nothing to ensure construction of the Keystone XL pipeline unless the full Senate passes it and the president signs it into law. Success can only be measured at the end, not the beginning, of the lawmaking... Continue Reading
June 17, 2014
Supreme Court Update
The Supreme Court has yet to decide 15 cases before the end of its term. It is expected to issue the remaining decisions on the following two Mondays, and possibly the two remaining Thursdays, this month. Yesterday, the court released opinions in two cases of note: Abramski v. United States – In a 5-4 decision, the court upheld restrictions on straw purchases of guns, even if the third-party recipient of the firearm could legally possess it. Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus – In a... Continue Reading
June 11, 2014
Obama Administration Falls Behind in Cybersecurity
Late last month, the Government Accountability Office released its study of cyber incidents reported by federal agencies. From 2011 to 2013, cyber attacks on federal government systems increased approximately 38 percent, reaching 46,160 incidents in 2013. Despite the increase in number and sophistication of cyber attacks, GAO found that federal agencies “did not consistently demonstrate that they are effectively responding to cyber incidents.” Number of cyber attacks on federal... Continue Reading
June 10, 2014
June 2014: Policy by the Numbers
The key number for June is 57,000. An audit by the Department of Veterans Affairs of 731 VA hospitals and clinics showed 57,000 veterans have been waiting more than 90 days for their first appointment. Other recent numbers that also have major policy implications. Continue Reading
June 10, 2014
Six Appropriations Amendments in Two Fiscal Years
The Senate may begin consideration of appropriations bills during this work period. This comes in the midst of an intense debate about the way Majority Leader Harry Reid is running the Senate. He has tried to prevent Senators from both parties from fully representing their constituents by shutting down amendments on all types of legislation, including appropriations bills. Before the Reid era, appropriations were taken seriously, and Senator Reid himself followed this tradition in his first year... Continue Reading
June 10, 2014
Democrats Play Politics with Student Loans Again
Next up on the Democrats’ cynical election-year agenda is student loans. Never mind that Congress addressed this issue just last year with bipartisan support. Now Democrats are rallying behind S.2432, the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act. This legislation would allow borrowers to refinance any type of student loan (private or federal) to market rates set in 2013. In coordination with the Democrats’ bill in the Senate, yesterday President Obama signed a memorandum to... Continue Reading
June 6, 2014
May 2014 Unemployment Report
Unemployment Rate: 6.3 percent Unemployed Americans: 9.8 million Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 6.3 percent for May 2014, unchanged from last month. It reported an increase of 217,000 nonfarm jobs over last month. Payroll employment for April was revised down from 288,000 to 282,000 jobs created, with the figure for March unchanged at... Continue Reading
June 5, 2014
Obamacare Enrollment Chaos Continues
On June 4, the Associated Press reported 2.1 million people, one out of four enrollees in the Obamacare exchanges, have data discrepancies in their applications that affect their subsidy and put their coverage at risk. A discrepancy means that the person’s health insurance exchange application doesn’t match certain details that the federal government has on file, such as income, citizenship, or immigration status. All these factors affect how much people must pay to get subsidized... Continue Reading
June 4, 2014
Taliban Terrorist Transfer
Last weekend, President Obama transferred five high-threat Taliban terrorists out of Guantanamo in exchange for a U.S. soldier detained by the enemy in the Afghan theatre. The transfer raises many questions about who these terrorists are, the statutes President Obama disregarded in this action, and the administration’s claim that it did not negotiate with terrorists. The recidivism rate of transferred Guantanamo detainees is close to 30 percent. Taliban terrorists All five of the Taliban... Continue Reading
June 3, 2014
Supreme Court Update
The Supreme Court will close out its current term at the end of this month. Before the court adjourns for the summer, it is expected to issue decisions in 28 cases that have yet to be decided. Some of the more notable cases include: Case Name Question for the Court NLRB v. Noel Canning The court will decide whether the president’s appointment of NLRB board members during a pro forma session of the Senate in January 2012 breached the constitution’s appointments clause. Sebelius... Continue Reading
June 3, 2014
Obamacare’s Looming 2015 Rate Hikes
Insurers are currently engaged in the process of setting their 2015 Obamacare premiums and states have begun releasing proposed rates. As The Hill reported on May 22, “news about Obamacare premiums will hit nearly every week this summer … guarantee[ing] a drumbeat of news about rate hikes all the way to the November midterm elections.” Expected release date for preliminary 2015 premium rates Source: Media reports Empty Promises When Washington Democrats were trying to win... Continue Reading
June 3, 2014