Issues

Washington wastes billions of taxpayer dollars annually on inefficient and outdated agriculture policies that do not address the realities of 21st-century agriculture, modern economies, or our nation’s current financial challenges. Many of these policies were created in the 1930’s as temporary measures More

Budgets are about more than numbers, they are a reflection of our priorities. Each year, the President and Congress make decisions about which federal programs to fund. These budget choices should all be transparent and accountable to the nation’s taxpayers. During the 112th Congress, lawmakers More

Congressional earmarks are one of the best examples of how Congress’ appetite for parochial spending led the nation into our current budgetary hole. Too often, lawmakers have based federal spending decisions on the needs of narrow private interests, rather than appropriating funds More

America's energy policy is riddled with unnecessary subsidies such as loan guarantees, corporate welfare, and special interest tax breaks. Many of the most profitable and powerful energy industries in the world receive federal handouts from cradle to grave. More

Providing for the common defense is a government function enshrined in our constitution. But every defense dollar we spend beyond our needs “has a long-term weakening effect upon the nation and its security,” in the words of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Defense spending accounts for the More

Public lands and waters are taxpayer assets that Congress should manage to preserve their value, ensure a fair return from private interests using them for profit, and avoid future taxpayer liabilities. Yet much federal policy governing the use of these valuable public assets is based on grossly outdated laws. More

Congress faces a challenge in providing enough funding to keep the nation’s transportation system in good repair in a manner that preserves the “user-pays” principle. The current gasoline tax does not generate enough revenue to meet lawmakers’ transportation spending desires, however. More