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Department of Energy Loan Guarantees: $8 Billion Allocated for Fossil Fuel Projects

August 02, 2012 | Energy

While the program was intended for emerging energy technologies, mature industries like coal and nuclear are eligible as well. Congress provided the program with funding in several areas including advanced nuclear reactors, renewable and energy efficiency, front-end nuclear fuel cycle technology, and advanced fossil fuels.... Read More

With Agriculture Disaster Aid Congress Pays Now, Hopes to Save Later

August 01, 2012 | Agriculture

Citing record drought conditions throughout the country, the House is debating today legislation to retroactively extend four... Read More

Coal Industry Profits

July 26, 2012 | Energy , Natural Resources

For centuries the federal government has been in the business of providing billions in subsidies to coal companies in order to ensure... Read More

Taxpayers Lose with More Unnecessary Farm Subsidy Layers

July 26, 2012 | Agriculture

Federal farm programs are ripe for reform, especially those that lock in record high prices and guarantee farmers’ expected income. As... Read More

Turning a Drought into a Fiscal Disaster

July 24, 2012 | Agriculture

Turning a Drought into a Fiscal Disaster Politicians on both sides of the aisle are trying to take advantage of the drought crisis to foist a trillion-dollar farm bill on... Read More

Zombie Earmarks in Defense Spending Bill

The Fiscal Year 2013 defense spending bill heading to the House floor Wednesday is a lesson in why it’s so hard to cut defense spending... Read More

House Farm Bill Draft Analysis: Squanders Savings, Recycles Wasteful Ideas, and Creates New Subsidy Entitlement Programs

July 05, 2012 | Agriculture

Yesterday, the House Agriculture Committee released its 2012 Farm Bill draft which eliminates some wasteful commodity programs but... Read More

Senate’s New Way to Lock in Unlimited Farm Subsidies

July 04, 2012 | Agriculture

On June 21, the Senate passed a few long-awaited reforms to the farm subsidy maze. Unfortunately, at the same time, they also increased... Read More

Congress Relies on Billions from Treasury in Transportation Reauthorization

A quick note: This analysis is based upon best available data at the time it was written. As of this posting (6:20pm), the final... Read More

Green Scissors 2012

June 26, 2012 | Agriculture , Energy

Green Scissors 2012 Left-Right coalition identifies practical steps Congress could take to slash deficits, save natural resources.... Read More

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Weekly Wastebasket

Our weekly reality-check for federal spending. View All

February 15, 2013

Engineering Boondoggles

While Washington is wringing its hands about the automatic across-the-board budget cuts known as... Read More