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Organizational Review of the Office of the Secretary of Defense

September 17, 2013 | Our Take | National Security

Organizational Review of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter have instituted a review of the organization of the Office... Read More

Taxpayers Cannot Afford a $1 Trillion Farm Bill

September 11, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Taxpayers Cannot Afford a $1 Trillion Farm Bill Today, TCS sent a letter urging the House to reject a new trillion dollar farm bill and instead enact a short-term extension.... Read More

TCS Submits Comments on Draft Solicitation for Advanced Fossil Energy Projects

September 10, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources

TCS Submits Comments on Draft Solicitation for Advanced Fossil Energy Projects On July 2, the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office announced a draft loan guarantee solicitation for advanced fossil energy... Read More

New Report Finds Millionaires Still Receive Farm Subsidies

September 04, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

New Report Finds Millionaires Still Receive Farm Subsidies Last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report finding that farm subsidies are still being paid to... Read More

It’s Been a Busy Summer!

August 09, 2013 | Our Take |

It’s Been a Busy Summer! It’s been a busy summer! So far, we’ve been instrumental in exposing corporate subsidies in the farm bill. We gained ground in our... Read More

USEC Posts Net Loss in Second Quarter; Seeking Further Taxpayer Handouts

August 08, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

USEC Posts Net Loss in Second Quarter; Seeking Further Taxpayer Handouts The United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) recently released its midterm financial report and in addition to troubling financials,... Read More

Left-Right Agree: Disclose Senate Tax Reform Proposals

August 01, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Left-Right Agree: Disclose Senate Tax Reform Proposals   August 1, 2013 Dear Senator, American taxpayers deserve to know the priorities of... Read More

Senate Finance Subcommittee Discusses Energy Tax Reform

August 01, 2013 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

Senate Finance Subcommittee Discusses Energy Tax Reform The Senate Committee on Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure met Wednesday, July 31 to discuss the... Read More

Congressional Summer Ends with a THUD

August 01, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Congress is on the verge of heading home for a five-week vacation (“home work period” is the euphemism they use). In the run-up to... Read More

It’s Time for Tax Reform Transparency

July 31, 2013 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

It’s Time for Tax Reform Transparency Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Hatch (R-UT) should be commended for their ‘Blank Slate’ approach to... Read More

Essential Air Service: Why Reform Isn’t Reducing Overall Cost

July 30, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Early last year, the President signed the “FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012,” authorizing spending for the Federal Aviation... Read More

Big Oil Continues to Receive Billions in Taxpayer Subsidies While Profits Soar

July 30, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

Big Oil Continues to Receive Billions in Taxpayer Subsidies While Profits Soar As midyear profit results are released this week, the oil and gas industry is asserting itself once more as one of the most lucrative and... Read More

Letter to House: Support McClintock-Bridenstine-Hudson Amendment to Cut Essential Air Service

July 30, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Support McClintock amendment to cut Essential Air Service funding.... Read More

Press Release: Report Shows Motorcoaches Should be Part of Transportation Mix

July 30, 2013 | Press Releases | Transportation & Infrastructure

A new study by M.J. Bradley and Associates prepared for the American Bus Association Foundation, Taxpayers for Common Sense, and the Reason Foundation reveals lower consumer and taxpayer costs and reduced emissions associated with motorcoach travel as compared with Amtrak’s rail system. ... Read More

Make Tax Reform Proposals Public

July 26, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Make Tax Reform Proposals Public Today, TCS joined 29 other diverse organizations in a letter urging transparency within the tax reform debate.... Read More

Letter to Senate: Support Common Sense Amendments to Transportation/HUD Appropriations Bill

July 24, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Propsals would cut wasteful spending and increase transparency.... Read More

Letter to Energy & Commerce Committee: Support Comprehensive Review of the Renewable Fuel Standard

July 24, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Energy

Letter to Energy & Commerce Committee: Support Comprehensive Review of the Renewable Fuel Standard Yesterday, TCS joined 12 other diverse organizations in a letter supporting a comprehensive review of the federal biofuels mandate.... Read More

TCS Testifies on Revenue Sharing before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

July 23, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

TCS Testifies on Revenue Sharing before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Today, TCS President Ryan Alexander testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on proposed state-federal revenue... Read More

Credit Downgrade Likely For Pending DOE Loan Guarantee Recipient

July 16, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

Credit Downgrade Likely For Pending DOE Loan Guarantee Recipient Last Thursday, Moody’s Investor Service released a new credit report finding that Georgia Power Company’s (subsidiary of The Southern... Read More

Fiscal Conservatives Urge Open Rule for Defense Spending Bill

July 16, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

Fiscal Conservatives Urge Open Rule for Defense Spending Bill   July 22, 2013 Dear Speaker Boehner, We understand that the House of... Read More

Important Cuts Fail & Wasteful Subsidies Hang On in House Energy & Water Bill

July 12, 2013 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

Important Cuts Fail & Wasteful Subsidies Hang On in House Energy & Water Bill Late Wednesday night the House wrapped up debate on the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2014. Several... Read More

TCS Statement on House Passage of Ag-Only Farm Bill

July 11, 2013 | Statements | Agriculture

TCS Statement on House Passage of Ag-Only Farm Bill Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, released the following statement on the House's passage of an agriculture-only farm bill.... Read More

A Lesson in What Saving Money Means to Congress: Essential Air Service

July 11, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

A Lesson in What Saving Money Means to Congress: Essential Air Service Essential Air Service (EAS) reforms passed as part of last year’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization bill were intended... Read More

Oppose Ag-Only Farm Bill: Spends More Than Senate Bill; Changes Make Subsidies Permanent

July 11, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Oppose Ag-Only Farm Bill: Spends More Than Senate Bill; Changes Make Subsidies Permanent Today, TCS urged the House to vote no on an agriculture-only farm bill that would spend more than the Senate-passed bill. ... Read More

Joint Letter to Congress: Trim Fossil Fuel Giveaways in Energy Spending Bill

July 10, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Energy , Natural Resources

Joint Letter to Congress: Trim Fossil Fuel Giveaways in Energy Spending Bill Members of the Green Scissors Campaign sent a letter to Congress today urging cuts to wasteful fossil fuel subsidies.... Read More

House Leadership Proposes Outspending Senate in Farm Bill

July 09, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

House Leadership Proposes Outspending Senate in Farm Bill Fresh on the heels of losing a farm bill vote on the Floor because the rushed bill did not cut spending enough, House leadership is... Read More

Letter to Congress: Trim Funding for B61 Bomb in Energy Spending Bill

July 09, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , National Security

Letter to Congress: Trim Funding for B61 Bomb in Energy Spending Bill Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to Congress today urging support to trim funding for the B61 bomb.... Read More

Joint Letter to Congress: Support for Amendment to Cut Wasteful R,D&D

July 09, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Energy

Joint Letter to Congress: Support for Amendment to Cut Wasteful R,D&D Taxpayers for Common Sense joined several groups today in urging Congress to eliminate wasteful subsidies for the United States Enrichment Corporation.... Read More

DOE Recommits To Fossil Fuel Loan Guarantees

July 08, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

DOE Recommits To Fossil Fuel Loan Guarantees The Department of Energy (DOE) announced last week it would offer an expanded, second solicitation for advanced fossil energy loan... Read More

Another Vogtle Reactor Deadline Passes

July 02, 2013 | Press Releases | Energy

Another Vogtle Reactor Deadline Passes TCS published a press release today on another deadline passed by DOE to reach an agreement on loan guarantee terms for Southern Company's Plant Vogtle... Read More

USEC Avoids NYSE Delisting—For Now

July 01, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

USEC Avoids NYSE Delisting—For Now Shareholders of the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) have approved a reverse stock split (artificially raising the share price... Read More

A Cigar for SIGAR – Documenting Hundreds of Millions of Dollars of Waste in Afghanistan

June 28, 2013 | Our Take | National Security

A Cigar for SIGAR – Documenting Hundreds of Millions of Dollars of Waste in Afghanistan The title says it all: “[Department of Defense] Moving Forward with $771.8 Million Purchase of Aircraft that the Afghans Cannot Operate... Read More

Medicine Bow Liquid Coal Facility on the Rocks

June 27, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

Medicine Bow Liquid Coal Facility on the Rocks Medicine Bow Fuel and Power LLC—subsidiary of DKRW Advanced Fuels LLC—has filed updated construction and development plans with the state... Read More

Baucus and Hatch Propose Blank Slate Tax Reform

June 27, 2013 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Baucus and Hatch Propose Blank Slate Tax Reform Today, Senate Finance Chairman Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Hatch (R-UT) sent a letter to their colleagues proposing “blank slate”... Read More

Truth Checking Trillion-Dollar Farm Bill Apologists

June 26, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

Truth Checking Trillion-Dollar Farm Bill Apologists The rhetoric from defenders of Washington’s heavy-handed role in agriculture reached a peak during recent House debate on a nearly $1... Read More

Rhetoric on Adjusted Gross Income Grossly Distorts the Facts

June 26, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

Rhetoric on Adjusted Gross Income Grossly Distorts the Facts Many farm bill apologists attacked basic means testing as a “poison pill” for the farm bill. House Agriculture Committee leaders Frank... Read More

Math Like Chairman Lucas’ is the Reason We Have a $17 Trillion Debt

June 26, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

Math Like Chairman Lucas’ is the Reason We Have a $17 Trillion Debt "And if you look at how [crop insurance] has worked in the 7 years prior to the onset of the drought of 2011, basically the Federal... Read More

Golden Fleece Award to Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority for a Decade of Waste Cheerleading a Bridge in Alaska

June 26, 2013 | Press Releases | Transportation & Infrastructure

Golden Fleece Award to Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority for a Decade of Waste Cheerleading a Bridge in Alaska A press release from TCS on the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority being awarded the most recent "Golden Fleece."... Read More

TCS Statement on President’s Climate Speech

June 25, 2013 | Statements | Budget & Tax , Energy , Natural Resources

TCS Statement on President’s Climate Speech Below is a statement by Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the President's Speech on Climate Change.... Read More

TCS Statement on House Rejection of 2013 Farm Bill

June 20, 2013 | Statements | Agriculture

TCS Statement on House Rejection of 2013 Farm Bill Below is a statement by Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the House's rejection of the 2013 farm bill. ... Read More

Support Common Sense Amendments to Rein in Trillion Dollar House Farm Bill

June 19, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Support Common Sense Amendments to Rein in Trillion Dollar House Farm Bill Today, TCS sent a letter urging the House to support common sense amendments to rein in the trillion dollar farm bill. ... Read More

Fiscal Conservative Organizations Outraged at Farm Bill Process

June 19, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Earmarks & Appropriations

Fiscal Conservative Organizations Outraged at Farm Bill Process Today, TCS joined other fiscal conservative organizations expressing outrage at the farm bill process. ... Read More

Small Taxpayer Victory: Outdated Airport Subsidy Reduced

June 19, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Small Taxpayer Victory: Outdated Airport Subsidy Reduced In a small victory for taxpayers, the Department of Transportation (DOT) last week issued an order terminating Essential Air Service... Read More

Letter to House Rules Committee: Allow Open Debate on Farm Bill

June 18, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Letter to House Rules Committee: Allow Open Debate on Farm Bill Today, TCS urged the House Rules Committee to allow a full and open debate on the farm bill.... Read More

Energy and Water Spending Bill Passes Subcommittee

June 18, 2013 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , Energy

Energy and Water Spending Bill Passes Subcommittee The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies voted today to pass the fiscal year 2014... Read More

Reject House Farm Bill: Costs 60% More Than Last Bill

June 17, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Reject House Farm Bill: Costs 60% More Than Last Bill Today, TCS sent a letter to the House opposing the trillion dollar farm bill, HR 1947.... Read More

Washington Post Slams Charlottesville Bypass

June 17, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Washington Post Slams Charlottesville Bypass Over the weekend, Washington Post columnist Robert McCartney published a piece about the ridiculous proposal to build the Charlottesville... Read More

Joint Letter to the House: Reduce Wasteful Pentagon Spending

June 14, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

Joint Letter to the House: Reduce Wasteful Pentagon Spending      June 13, 2013 Dear Representative: We, the leaders of our undersigned... Read More

Letter to House: Support Common Sense Amendments to FY14 NDAA

June 14, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

Letter to House: Support Common Sense Amendments to FY14 NDAA These amendments would help bring the total level of spending in line with what is already agreed to in current law.... Read More

House Committee Passes Legislation That Could Siphon Billions in Royalty Revenue from Treasury

June 13, 2013 | Our Take | Natural Resources

House Committee Passes Legislation That Could Siphon Billions in Royalty Revenue from Treasury The House Natural Resources Committee voted 23-18 Wednesday to send the “Offshore Energy and Jobs Act” (H.R. 2231) to the House Floor.... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense Awarded Highest Rating from Leading Charity Evaluator

June 12, 2013 | Our Take |

Taxpayers for Common Sense Awarded Highest Rating from Leading Charity Evaluator Once Again, Taxpayers for Common Sense Awarded Highest Rating – “4 Stars” – from Leading Charity Evaluator... Read More

It’s Gonna be a Long Summer!

June 12, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

It’s Gonna be a Long Summer! Yesterday was yet another low for Congress. The Senate passed a Farm Bill without any real effort to trim the bloat and waste. ... Read More

Letter to Senate: Oppose Subsidies for Unconventional Fuels in NDAA

June 12, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , National Security

Letter to Senate: Oppose Subsidies for Unconventional Fuels in NDAA   Oppose Amendments to Defense Authorization Bill that Provide Subsidies for Unconventional... Read More

TCS Testifies on Revenue Sharing before House Natural Resources Subcommittee

June 11, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources

TCS Testifies on Revenue Sharing before House Natural Resources Subcommittee Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander testified before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and... Read More

TCS Statement on Passage of 2013 Senate Farm Bill

June 10, 2013 | Statements | Agriculture

TCS Statement on Passage of 2013 Senate Farm Bill Statement of Ms. Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on passage of the 2013 Senate farm bill. ... Read More

Oversight Hearing on Federal Renewable Fuel Standard

June 06, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture , Energy

Oversight Hearing on Federal Renewable Fuel Standard Yesterday, the House Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements held a hearing... Read More

The Farm Bill is $1 Trillion of Business as Usual

June 05, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

The Farm Bill is $1 Trillion of Business as Usual The Farm Bill IS NOT a Deficit Reduction Bill The last two farm bills cost $400 billion more than predicted   Most of this... Read More

Fiscal Watchdogs Oppose Farm Bill Gutting Flood Insurance Reform

June 04, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Budget & Tax

Fiscal Watchdogs Oppose Farm Bill Gutting Flood Insurance Reform Sen. Landrieu (D-LA) has offered an amendment to the farm bill that would delay National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) reforms adopted last summer. ... Read More

Not a Check, It’s a Bill

May 31, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture , Energy , Transportation & Infrastructure

Not a Check, It’s a Bill Federally subsidized crop insurance is on pace to cost at least $27 billion – 57 percent – more than was promised in the last farm bill... Read More

TCS Presents “Subsidizing Small Modular Reactors”

May 30, 2013 | Event Summary | Earmarks & Appropriations , Energy

TCS Presents “Subsidizing Small Modular Reactors” Taxpayers for Common Sense was invited today to present on federal taxpayer subsidies and liabilities surrounding small modular nuclear... Read More

USEC’s Paducah Uranium Enrichment Facility Closing

May 29, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

USEC’s Paducah Uranium Enrichment Facility Closing The United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) announced Friday it will shut down its Paducah gaseous diffusion plant, a Cold War-era... Read More

TCS Submits Comments on Proposed Oil Shale Management Rule

May 28, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources

TCS Submits Comments on Proposed Oil Shale Management Rule Earlier this year, the Bureau of Land Management proposed new regulations for royalty collection from oil shale leases on public lands.... Read More

Skagit River Bridge Collapse

May 24, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Skagit River Bridge Collapse As you have no doubt heard by now, an interstate bridge collapsed on a major travel corridor in Washington State. The bridge spans the... Read More

Letter to Senate: Oppose Bloated Farm Bill

May 23, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Letter to Senate: Oppose Bloated Farm Bill Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to the Senate, urging support for common sense reforms to the 2013 farm bill.... Read More

Support McCain-Flake Amendment No. 955

May 23, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Energy

Support McCain-Flake Amendment No. 955     Support McCain-Flake Amendment No. 955 May 23, 2013 The... Read More

Disaster Reforms for Resiliency

Disaster Reforms for Resiliency Over the past decade, extreme weather and storms have become increasingly commonplace – including coastal storms, wildfires, droughts,... Read More

Fighting Deficit Reduction

May 20, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

Fighting Deficit Reduction The most recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s $955 billion farm bill continues to show... Read More

2013 House and Senate Farm Bills Stack on More Subsidies

May 15, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

2013 House and Senate Farm Bills Stack on More Subsidies As we expected, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees went to great lengths this week to save as little money as possible in their... Read More

Support Bipartisan Crop Insurance Reform Legislation

May 15, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Support Bipartisan Crop Insurance Reform Legislation Today, TCS joined 11 other fiscal conservative groups in supporting the Bipartisan Assisting Family Farmers through Insurance Reform Measures Act.... Read More

Paltry Savings Proposed in 2013 House and Senate Farm Bills

May 14, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

Paltry Savings Proposed in 2013 House and Senate Farm Bills Late last week, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees released new drafts of five-year farm bills that propose paltry savings--$18... Read More

Fiscal Conservatives Letter on Farm Policy: The “Terrible Twelve”

May 13, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Fiscal Conservatives Letter on Farm Policy: The “Terrible Twelve” Today, TCS joined 10 other fiscally conservative groups highlighting a dozen wasteful farm policy programs. ... Read More

Letter to the Senate: Oppose Fiscally Irresponsible Amendments to S. 601,  Water Resources Development Act of 2013

May 13, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Letter to the Senate: Oppose Fiscally Irresponsible Amendments to S. 601,  Water Resources Development Act of 2013 This bill is irresponsible and we urge you to oppose it and amendments that will make the bill worse.... Read More

Water Waste: Cut Costly Provisions from Water Resources Development Act

May 08, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Water Waste: Cut Costly Provisions from Water Resources Development Act The Senate WRDA bill is too costly to stand.... Read More

House Subcommittee Discusses BLM Budget

May 07, 2013 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

House Subcommittee Discusses BLM Budget The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and related Agencies held a hearing today to discuss the FY2014... Read More

TCS Mourns the Passing of Board Member Jay McAllister

May 06, 2013 | Statements |

With heavy hearts, Taxpayers for Common Sense mourns the passing of Jay McAllister, member and Treasurer of our Board of Directors, who... Read More

New Report Casts Further Doubt on Troubled FutureGen Project

April 19, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

New Report Casts Further Doubt on Troubled FutureGen Project A recent report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) questions whether or not the nearly decade long, $1.65 billion FutureGen... Read More

First Award for Small Modular Reactor Program Announced

April 16, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

First Award for Small Modular Reactor Program Announced The Department of Energy (DOE) and Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) announced yesterday that a subsidiary of B&W—B&W mPower, LLC—will... Read More

Comments to House Ways and Means Committee 2013 Tax Reform Working Groups

April 15, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Comments to House Ways and Means Committee 2013 Tax Reform Working Groups The House Ways and Means Committee created eleven tax reform working groups to focus on select issues within the U.S. tax code as part of... Read More

White House Budget Proposes Spending More On Small Modular Reactors, Winner of 2013 “Golden Fleece Award”

April 10, 2013 | Press Releases | Energy

White House Budget Proposes Spending More On Small Modular Reactors, Winner of 2013 “Golden Fleece Award” FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2013 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis, (202) 546-8500 x126, or... Read More

Diverse Stakeholders Applaud Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Reform

April 10, 2013 | Press Releases | Agriculture , Energy

Diverse Stakeholders Applaud Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Reform Today, a bipartisan set of Representatives introduced a bill to take long overdue steps toward reforming the broken Renewable Fuel... Read More

Costly Water Projects Bill Demands Scrutiny

April 10, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Earmarks & Appropriations , Transportation & Infrastructure

Costly Water Projects Bill Demands Scrutiny Taxpayers for Common Sense and eight other organizations allied on this issue urge scrutiny of S.601, the Water Resources Development Act of 2013... Read More

TCS Analysis of the FY14 Presidential Budget Request

TCS Analysis of the FY14 Presidential Budget Request Taxpayers for Common Sense staff will be combing through the budget over the next several hours and days and bringing to light various... Read More

Essential Air Service: Illustrating Coming Changes to the Program

April 04, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Essential Air Service: Illustrating Coming Changes to the Program The Essential Air Service (EAS) is a federal subsidy program created in the 1970s as part of airline deregulation. Though the program was... Read More

Hagel Grabs the Axe

April 03, 2013 | Our Take | National Security

Hagel Grabs the Axe There was never any question that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel would have to wield the budget axe—simple fiscal and political math... Read More

It’s Budget Season…Play Ball!

April 02, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

It’s Budget Season…Play Ball! Dear Taxpayer, Classic inside baseball. Above is just one nugget Taxpayers for Common Sense came across while reading page 237 of... Read More

Support Bill to Prioritize Payments on U.S. Debt

April 02, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Support Bill to Prioritize Payments on U.S. Debt Today, TCS sent a letter to Rep. McClintock supporting his bill to prioritize payments on U.S. debt.... Read More

Second Fossil Energy Loan Guarantee Solicitation Coming Soon

March 26, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

A second Energy Department solicitation for advanced fossil energy loan guarantees is coming soon, according to a recent Government... Read More

Interior punts decision to determine royalty rate on risky oil shale speculation

March 22, 2013 | Press Releases | Energy , Natural Resources

Interior punts decision to determine royalty rate  on risky oil shale speculation TCS released a statement on the Interior Department's proposed rule making on oil shale development... Read More

Joint Letter to the Senate: Support Crop Insurance Transparency

March 21, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Budget & Tax

Joint Letter to the Senate: Support Crop Insurance Transparency Taxpayers for Common Sense and eight other fiscal conservative organizations urge support for a crop insurance transparency amendment. ... Read More

$15 Billion in Taxpayer-Backed Loan Guarantees Likely to Go Out the Door from Flawed DOE Program

March 21, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

$15 Billion in Taxpayer-Backed Loan Guarantees Likely to Go Out the Door from Flawed DOE Program The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released their annual analysis of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Guarantee... Read More

Fiscal Year 2013 Continuing Resolution/Spending bills

Fiscal Year 2013 Continuing Resolution/Spending bills The current CR and spending bills theoretically mimic the FY13 appropriations bills, but we’ve started looking to see where lawmakers added and subtracted dollars.... Read More

The Beat Continues on the Charlottesville Bypass

The Beat Continues on the Charlottesville Bypass In a great piece about the proposed Charlottesville (VA) Bypass, James Bacon from Bacon’s Rebellion lays out several significant problems... Read More

Energy Department Announces Second Round of Small Modular Reactor Funding

March 12, 2013 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , Energy

Energy Department Announces Second Round of Small Modular Reactor Funding The Department of Energy (DOE) announced yesterday a second funding opportunity for its Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Program. The new... Read More

Oil and Gas Production on Federal Lands High-Risk For Waste, Fraud

March 08, 2013 | Our Take | Natural Resources

Oil and Gas Production on Federal Lands High-Risk For Waste, Fraud The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released its bi-annual “High-Risk” report detailing federal programs and... Read More

New Analysis: Farm Bills Save Billions Less Than Previously Expected

March 04, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

New Analysis: Farm Bills Save Billions Less Than Previously Expected Last year's trillion-dollar farm bills would have saved billions less than proponents claimed.... Read More

Senate Dems’ Plan to Avoid Sequester Fails to Save

February 28, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture , Earmarks & Appropriations

Senate Dems’ Plan to Avoid Sequester Fails to Save Senate Democrats' plan to avoid sequestration cuts fails to save taxpayers enough money.... Read More

Report: Foxes Guarding U.S. Nuclear Henhouse

February 27, 2013 | Our Take | National Security

Report: Foxes Guarding U.S. Nuclear Henhouse Anyone familiar with a few fairy tales knows it’s not a good idea to let a fox guard a henhouse. But that’s just what the federal... Read More

TCS President Statement on Golden Fleece Awarded for Federal Spending on Small Modular Reactors

February 27, 2013 | Statements | Energy

TCS President Statement on Golden Fleece Awarded for Federal Spending on Small Modular Reactors Today we present the Golden Fleece Award to the Department of Energy for providing federal subsidies for small modular reactors or SMRs. ... Read More

An Open Letter to President Obama and the Congress: Spend Less, and Spend Smarter at the Pentagon

February 27, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

An Open Letter to President Obama and the Congress: Spend Less, and Spend Smarter at the Pentagon TCS joined groups from across the political spectrum telling the President and Congress that the Pentagon’s budget must be right-sized.... Read More

Golden Fleece Award Goes to Department of Energy for Federal Spending on Small Modular Reactors

February 27, 2013 | Press Releases | Energy

Golden Fleece Award Goes to Department of Energy for Federal Spending on Small Modular Reactors TCS awarded the Golden Fleece to DOE for wasting taxpayer funds on small modular reactors.... Read More

Charlottesville Bypass Not a Worthy Federal Investment

February 22, 2013 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Charlottesville Bypass Not a Worthy Federal Investment Recently, TCS was invited to Charlottesville, Virginia to speak with citizens and reporters about a project we have opposed since the... Read More

Military Brass Play a Fiscal Requiem for Defense

February 15, 2013 | Our Take | National Security

Military Brass Play a Fiscal  Requiem for Defense Capitol Hill’s hearing rooms again witnessed a vale of tears this week as the Armed Services Committees of both the House and Senate... Read More

Letter to Congress: Harvest Real Savings by Reforming Agriculture Policy

February 14, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Letter to Congress: Harvest Real Savings by Reforming Agriculture Policy Taxpayers for Common Sense and twelve other fiscal watchdogs sent a letter to Congress urging they harvest real savings in any new farm bill.... Read More

Step Outside the MOX

February 06, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

Step Outside the MOX The Project On Government Oversight and Taxpayers for Common Sense are encouraged by reports of waning support for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX) at the Savannah River Site... Read More

Defense Savings Strengthen Our Economic Security

February 06, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , National Security

Defense Savings Strengthen Our Economic Security February 6, 2013 Dear Member of Congress, On behalf of the undersigned organizations and... Read More

Big Oil, Big Profits: Industry Tops $120 Billion in 2012

February 05, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

Big Oil, Big Profits: Industry Tops $120 Billion in 2012 As annual financial reports come in, it’s clear the oil and gas industry is looking to continue its decade long trend of being one of the... Read More

Even More Options for Cutting Crop Insurance Costs

February 05, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

Even More Options for Cutting Crop Insurance Costs Defenders of agricultural subsidies at all costs are starting to feel the heat. Yesterday, professors from Ohio State University,... Read More

TCS Testifies before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee

February 05, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Budget & Tax , Energy , National Security , Natural Resources

TCS Testifies before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ryan Alexander testified before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee... Read More

Heard On The Hill: Support TCS Today

February 05, 2013 | Our Take |

Heard On The Hill: Support TCS Today Dear Fellow Taxpayer, I wanted you to know you’re getting your money’s worth. Earlier today I testified before the House Committee on... Read More

TCS Moderates Congressional Briefings on Reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard

February 05, 2013 | Event Summary | Agriculture , Energy

TCS Moderates Congressional Briefings on Reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard             February 5, 2013 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis, 202-546-8500 ext... Read More

FutureGen Project Moves Forward: $1 Billion in Taxpayer Funds Still Pending

February 05, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

FutureGen Project Moves Forward: $1 Billion in Taxpayer Funds Still Pending The Department of Energy (DOE) announced the approval of Phase II for the $1.65 billion experimental FutureGen 2.0 Project located in... Read More

Big Oil Boasts High Profits; Subsidies Continue

February 01, 2013 | Our Take | Energy

Big Oil Boasts High Profits; Subsidies Continue Oil and gas companies continue to boast substantial profits while reaping billions in taxpayer-backed subsidies. As of February 1st, four... Read More

Alexander to testify before Government Reform Committee today

February 01, 2013 | Coming Up | Budget & Tax

Alexander to testify before Government Reform Committee today Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander will be testifying before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on... Read More

Sandy Spending Accountability

January 31, 2013 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

Sandy Spending Accountability With the Senate's 62-36 vote, lawmakers have sent in aggregate more than $60 billion to help those affected by Superstorm Sandy. You can... Read More

It’s Official: 2012 Drought Cost Taxpayers a Record $14 Billion

January 16, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

It’s Official: 2012 Drought Cost Taxpayers a Record $14 Billion This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed what taxpayers have feared for months. After tallying losses from last... Read More

Congress: Only Fund Emergency Needs in Sandy Supplemental

January 11, 2013 | Letters & Testimony | Earmarks & Appropriations , Transportation & Infrastructure

Congress: Only Fund Emergency Needs in Sandy Supplemental   January 11, 2012 Dear Representative, As you know, the House of... Read More

Farm Bill Extension Better Than Trillion-Dollar Bill

January 03, 2013 | Our Take | Agriculture

Farm Bill Extension Better Than Trillion-Dollar Bill As we predicted, all the hype about the “dairy cliff” hitting consumers with sky-high milk prices was nothing but a hoax.... Read More

TCS Statement on Fiscal Cliff Deal

January 02, 2013 | Statements | Budget & Tax

TCS Statement on Fiscal Cliff Deal The following is a statement by Ryan Alexander, President Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the fiscal cliff deal signed into law.... Read More

Top 10 Fiscal Cliff Tax Fails

January 02, 2013 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Top 10 Fiscal Cliff Tax Fails Washington’s last minute deal to avert the fiscal cliff saw the return of many never-ending “temporary” tax breaks. While the bulk of the... Read More

Lactose Intolerance: There is No Dairy Cliff

December 28, 2012 | Our Take | Agriculture , Budget & Tax

Lactose Intolerance: There is No Dairy Cliff Don’t believe the hype. There is no milk cliff. Yes, after the new year, permanent farm law from 1949 (and 1938) will take effect, but... Read More

Defense Authorization Bill: More Money, Less Savings

December 21, 2012 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

Defense Authorization Bill: More Money, Less Savings The Senate today passed the final version of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which, though late, will still beat the... Read More

Government Report: Taxpayers Losing Billions in Unaccounted Minerals Extracted from Federal Lands

December 20, 2012 | Our Take | Natural Resources

Government Report: Taxpayers Losing Billions in Unaccounted Minerals Extracted from Federal Lands The federal government does not know the value of hardrock minerals being extracted from public lands, a new report by the Government... Read More

Golden Fleece Awarded to Agriculture Risk Management Agency

December 13, 2012 | Press Releases | Agriculture

Golden Fleece Awarded to Agriculture Risk Management Agency TCS awarded the Golden Fleece to USDA's Risk Management Agency for wasting taxpayer funds... Read More

House Science Subcommittee Debates Oil Shale Subsidies

December 12, 2012 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy , Natural Resources

The House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a hearing November 30th to discuss the development... Read More

Hall Bill to Create Millions in New Taxpayer Handouts for Oil Shale

December 10, 2012 | Press Releases | Energy , Natural Resources

Last month, Representative Ralph Hall (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 6603) to create $50 million in new taxpayer-funded handouts for oil shale speculation.... Read More

TCS Cited in Bipartisan Congressional Letter on Defense Savings

December 10, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

TCS Cited in Bipartisan Congressional Letter on Defense Savings A group of eleven Democratic and eleven Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to President Obama and... Read More

Fiscal Conservatives: Taxpayers Won’t Harvest Farm Bill Savings

December 07, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Fiscal Conservatives: Taxpayers Won’t Harvest Farm Bill Savings Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a joint letter today urging Congress to reject a five-year farm bill as part of a deficit reduction package.... Read More

Use Common Sense to Rappel the Fiscal Cliff

December 05, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Use Common Sense to Rappel the Fiscal Cliff Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a “Common Sense Proposal to Rappel the Fiscal Cliff” to the President and congressional... Read More

Don’t Toy With the Cliff: Support TCS Today

December 02, 2012 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Don’t Toy With the Cliff: Support TCS Today Dear Friends: Congress, the administration, and the punditry at large have been bemoaning the federal government’s fiscal situation.... Read More

TCS Supports Extending Whistleblower Protections

November 30, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

TCS Supports Extending Whistleblower Protections November 28, 2012 An Open Letter to the Senate in Support of More Protections for Taxpayer Dollars Dear Senator: We the undersigned... Read More

Drought Fails to Dry Up Farm Profits

November 30, 2012 | Our Take | Agriculture

Drought Fails to Dry Up Farm Profits Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that even after this year’s drought, farm profits are on pace to... Read More

Letter to Congress: Oppose Any Fiscal Cliff Farm Bill Deal

November 29, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Letter to Congress: Oppose Any Fiscal Cliff Farm Bill Deal Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to Congress urging members to reject passing a nearly trillion-dollar farm bill in the lame duck session.... Read More

Report shows billions risked on oil shale speculation

November 29, 2012 | Press Releases | Budget & Tax , Energy , Natural Resources

Report shows billions risked on oil shale speculation With fiscal cliff looming, TCS calls for end to government handouts for failed oil shale experiments.... Read More

Preserve NNSA Cost Controls in Defense Authorization Bill

November 28, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

Preserve NNSA Cost Controls in Defense Authorization Bill Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees today asking members to protect cost-controlling language for nuclear weapons in the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). ... Read More

The Department of Everything

November 15, 2012 | Our Take | National Security

The Department of Everything We love to remind people that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is the world’s largest bureaucracy, employing more than the world’s... Read More

Congress: Avoid Fiscal Cliff and Go Home

November 14, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Congress: Avoid Fiscal Cliff and Go Home Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter today to all members of the 112th Congress outlining what they should do regarding the fiscal cliff.... Read More

DOD Acquisition Reforms: Spending Money is Hard!

November 13, 2012 | Our Take | National Security

“It turns out acquisition reform is hard,” said Undersecretary of Defense Frank Kendall at yesterday’s rollout of the Defense... Read More

Remarks by TCS President Ryan Alexander on Fiscal Cliff

November 08, 2012 | Press Releases | Budget & Tax

Remarks by TCS President Ryan Alexander on Fiscal Cliff Taxpayers for Common Sense held a media conference call earlier today to discuss the outcomes of the election and what the Lame Duck... Read More

TCS president Ryan Alexander on the 2012 election results

November 07, 2012 | Statements |

"This is not the time for small ball. Congress and the President need to work together and enact legislation that makes the fiscal cliff a distant memory."... Read More

President Ms. Ryan Alexander Sliding Past Sequestration Statement

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2012 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis 202-546-8500... Read More

Letter to the Speaker: Washington Cannot Make It Rain

September 14, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Letter to the Speaker: Washington Cannot Make It Rain Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to Speaker Boehner to oppose $1 trillion worth of bad agriculture policy.... Read More

House Scuttles Debate on Amendment to Truly Stop Next Solyndra

September 12, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

House Scuttles Debate on Amendment to Truly Stop Next Solyndra The House Committee on Rules decided yesterday to sideline an amendment offered by Representative Tom McClintock (R-CA) to stop all new... Read More

Statement: TCS President on Passage of No More Solyndras Act

September 12, 2012 | Statements | Energy

Today House lawmakers passed the fatally flawed "No More Solyndras Act" enabling tens of billions of dollars in high-risk, costly loan guarantees to move forward. Instead of fulfilling its promise, this misleadingly named bill will... Read More

Statement Opposing Transportation Omnibus Bill

August 30, 2012 | Press Releases |

Statement Opposing Transportation Omnibus Bill Washington, DC - We are deeply disappointed that Congress has chosen the easy way out in funding transportation reauthorization. By... Read More

More Solyndras Act Passes Committee

July 31, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Today the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the so-called “No More Solyndras Act.” While the bill includes some taxpayer... Read More

Letter to the Speaker: Don’t Cut the House out of the Farm Bill Debate

July 31, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Letter to the Speaker: Don’t Cut the House out of the Farm Bill Debate Taxpayers for Common Sense joined 13 other organizations representing a diversity of interests in calling on Speaker Boehner to not let taxpayers be subjected to a "bait and switch" on the Farm Bill. Recent comments from House Agriculture Committee leadership clearly outline a strategy to use supplemental drought assistance and a one year extension of the Farm Bill as a “Trojan Horse” to get to conference with the Senate on a five-year Farm Bill.... Read More

Letter to Congress: No More Solyndras Act Fails to Fully Protect Taxpayers

July 30, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Letter to Congress: No More Solyndras Act Fails to Fully Protect Taxpayers Taxpayers for Common Sense joined several groups today urging Congress to support changes to the 'No More Solyndras Act' in order to... Read More

“No More Solyndras Act” Moves Forward

July 26, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power voted 14-6 Wednesday to send the “No More Solyndras Act” to the full... Read More

Fiscal Conservatives: Farm Bill Will Not Solve Drought

July 23, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Following the old adage "never let a crisis go to waste," special interests in Washington are trying to exploit the current drought... Read More

TCS Statement on Amendment to Freeze Pentagon Budget

July 19, 2012 | Statements | Budget & Tax , National Security

TCS Statement on Amendment to Freeze Pentagon Budget The following is a written statement by Ms. Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the adoption of the Frank-Mulvaney... Read More

Support Amendments to Cut Waste in Defense Spending Bill

July 17, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

  July 18, 2012 Dear Representative:  Taxpayers for Common Sense Action, a... Read More

No More Solyndras Act Falls Short for Taxpayers

July 11, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

The House Subcommittee on Energy and Power and the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a joint hearing today to... Read More

Taxpayer and Environmental Groups Endorse Flake-Chaffetz Crop Insurance Reform Legislation

July 10, 2012 | Press Releases | Agriculture

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined several groups in urging Congress to support H.R. 6098, "Crop Insurance Subsidy Reform... Read More

Oppose House Farm Bill Draft: Fails to Reform; Creates New Subsidy Entitlement Programs

July 09, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined together with several groups today urging Congress to oppose the House of Representative's Draft Farm... Read More

TCS Statement Opposing Transportation Omnibus Bill

June 28, 2012 | Statements | Transportation & Infrastructure

The following is a written statement of Ms. Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on H.R. 4348, the transportation... Read More

Green Scissors 2012 Finds Environmentally Destructive Federal Programs

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

TCS Statement on Passage of Senate Farm Bill

June 20, 2012 | Statements | Agriculture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 21, 2012 CONTACT: Joshua Sewell 202-546-8500  Statement of Ms. Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers... Read More

Senate Finance Committee Meets to Talk Energy Tax Reform

June 17, 2012 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

The Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing last week on tax reform and its impacts on energy policy. Among the four witnesses from... Read More

Dept. of Energy Offers USEC $280 Million Handout

June 13, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Dept. of Energy Offers USEC $280 Million Handout In yet another attempt to revive the struggling United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC), the Department of Energy (DOE) has offered... Read More

Statement by Ryan Alexander, President of TCS on Common Sense Limit to Taxpayer Subsidies for Crop Insurance

June 13, 2012 | Statements | Agriculture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 21, 2012 CONTACT: Steve Ellis, 202-546-8500 x126 The following is a statement by Ryan Alexander,... Read More

Congress Votes to Keep Same Program That Brought You Solyndra Alive

June 11, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Last week the House of Representatives passed the Energy and Water spending bill that provides funding for the Department of Energy's... Read More

TCS Testifies before House Natural Resources Subcommittee

June 10, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Natural Resources , Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) Vice-President Steve Ellis testified about federal subsidies for western water contractors and... Read More

House Cuts $25 Million in Subsidies for Oil Shale

June 06, 2012 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy , Natural Resources

Yesterday the House of Representatives cut $25 million in new funding for oil shale development. Instead of directing more subsidies at... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense Awarded Highest Rating ‘4 Stars’ from Leading Charity Evaluator

June 05, 2012 | Press Releases |

We are excited to announce that Charity Navigator, the largest nonprofit evaluator in the US, has awarded Taxpayers for Common Sense a... Read More

BETA - New TCS Digital Infrastructure

June 05, 2012 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

BETA - New TCS Digital Infrastructure Our new website and digital toolkit is live in BETA testing.... Read More

End USEC Giveaways in Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

June 04, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Energy

Congress is considering spending $100 million on the United States Enrichment Corporation’s (USEC) Piketon, Ohio enrichment project... Read More

Stop the Next Solyndra: Put the Brakes on Troubled Loan Guarantee Program

June 04, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Reps. Kucinich (D-OH) and McClintock (R-CA) have offered an amendment to stop new loan guarantees from the Department of Energy (DOE)... Read More

Defense Authorization Antics Begin

May 24, 2012 | Our Take | National Security

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is the largest policy bill directing the nation’s annual spending, accounting for some $650... Read More

Taylorville Energy Center Pulls Plug on its Coal Project

May 22, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

It appears that one of the top contenders for a loan guarantee under the Department of Energy program has decided to abandon original... Read More

House Backdoor Earmarks $150 million for Parochial Boondoggle

May 17, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Energy , National Security

This morning the House voted down an amendment that would have stripped the $150 million added to the National Defense Authorization Act for the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC). ... Read More

Stop $150 million for troubled uranium project in NDAA

May 15, 2012 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy , National Security

$150 million for the United States Enrichment Corporation's (USEC) Piketon, Ohio enrichment facility has been added to the National... Read More

TCS Statement on Sanders-Ellison Bill Eliminating Fossil Fuel Subsidies

May 09, 2012 | Statements | Energy

Thank you, Senator Sanders, for inviting me to join you today. Some of you might be wondering what Taxpayers for Common Sense is doing at... Read More

Senators Call for Common Sense Changes to Crop Insurance

May 09, 2012 | Event Summary | Agriculture

This week Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) took an important step highlighting the need to rein in the largest taxpayer... Read More

Spending Even Less, Spending Even Smarter Report Released

May 07, 2012 | Press Releases | National Security

Spending Even Less, Spending Even Smarter Report Released Watchdog Groups Identify Nearly $700 Billion in Wasteful Spending on National Security... Read More

Senate Agriculture Committee Proposes Entitlement Filled Farm Bill

April 19, 2012 | Our Take | Agriculture

The Senate Agriculture Committee today released its version of the Farm Bill and it appears to fall far short of needed reforms. And... Read More

House Passes Another Transportation Extension in Attempt to Get to Conference With Senate

April 17, 2012 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

The House today passed a 90-day extension of the nation’s federal transportation program (H.R. 4348) by a vote of 293-197. This... Read More

Golden Fleece Awarded to Riverboat Ripoff

April 11, 2012 | Press Releases | Transportation & Infrastructure

Golden Fleece Awarded to Riverboat Ripoff             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2012 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis, Taxpayers for... Read More

GSA Inspector General Blasts Lavish Conference Spending

April 03, 2012 | Our Take |

The media has been awash with reports on the more than $800,000 Las Vegas, NV conference the Western Regions of the General Services... Read More

National Taxpayer and Free Market Nonprofits Announce New Joint Venture

March 29, 2012 | Press Releases | Agriculture

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 30, 2012 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis, Vice President, Taxpayers... Read More

TCS Statement on passage of ninth extension of the highway bill

March 28, 2012 | Press Releases | Transportation & Infrastructure

For Immediate Release March 29, 2012 Contact: Steve Ellis (202) 546-8500 x126 Statement... Read More

Problems with DOE Loan Guarantee Program Continue

March 21, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Last week the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report in a series of on-going analyses criticizing the Department of... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense Statement on Common Sense Step Toward an Appropriate Agricultural Safety Net

March 20, 2012 | Statements | Agriculture

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) today introduced legislation that is important in efforts to focus federal... Read More

Statement from TCS President Ms. Ryan Alexander on the House Republican Budget Resolution

March 19, 2012 | Statements | Budget & Tax

The following is a statement by Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the House Republican Budget... Read More

TCS Statement on Senate Adoption of “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” (MAP-21)

March 13, 2012 | Statements | Transportation & Infrastructure

The following is a statement by Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on S. 1813, "Moving Ahead for Progress in the... Read More

Senate Defeats Attempt to Attach NAT GAS Act to Transportation Bill

March 12, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Today the Senate defeated an amendment offered by Senators Menendez (D-NJ) and Burr (R-NC) that would have provided billions in lucrative... Read More

Ideologically diverse coalition sends letter to Congress: Stop the NAT GAS Act

March 12, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action joined an ideologically diverse coalition in a letter to the Senate urging them to oppose Amendment... Read More

House Committee Discusses Nuclear Safety and Spending

March 09, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development met Wednesday to discuss the FY2013 Office of Nuclear Energy budget... Read More

House Transportation Bill: The Current State of Play

February 15, 2012 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Despite initial plans to move ahead with debate and of a transportation bill, political reality set in late yesterday and today for House... Read More

President funds transportation with irresponsible ‘Peace Dividend’

February 13, 2012 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Transportation & Infrastructure

The administration's FY 2013 Presidential Budget Request proposes a $476 billion six-year reauthorization bill. This is much higher... Read More

TCS Analysis of the FY13 Presidential Budget Request

Last Updated: February 19, 2012 The FY2013 Presidential Budget Request was released this morning (2/13/2012). TCS staff will be posting... Read More

Coalition Letter Urges Congress to Reject Linking Drilling Revenues to the Highway Trust Fund, Preserve User-Pays

February 13, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Reason Foundation, National Taxpayers Union, and Natural Resources Defense... Read More

Letter: Oppose the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012

February 13, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to members of the House of Representatives as they consider H.R.7, the American Energy... Read More

Statement by Ryan Alexander, president of TCS on the FY13 Presidential Budget Request

February 13, 2012 | Statements | Budget & Tax

The President’s fiscal year 2013 budget request is being released into swirling fiscal, economic, and electoral winds. Those winds... Read More

Data Center

February 12, 2012 |

Welcome to the Data Center! We are pleased to offer direct access to many of the datasets we use in our analysis. Over the years, we have... Read More

White House Loan Guarantee Review

February 10, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Today the White House released a 60 day review of the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program. The review, conducted by former... Read More

New Nuclear Reactors Must Move Forward Without Passing Risk to Taxpayers

February 09, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

For the first time in decades, a new nuclear reactor is getting its federal license to build and operate in the United States. Today, the... Read More

FutureGen Behind Schedule: What’s Happening to Taxpayers’ Billion Dollars?

February 09, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Despite a billion dollar taxpayer investment and years of commitment by the Department of Energy (DOE), in a United States Energy... Read More

TCS’s Reaction to the House’s Most Recent Transportation Bill

February 08, 2012 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense today released the following in reaction to the House’s most recent transportation bill: The House today... Read More

Senate Transportation Bill: Driving in the Wrong Direction

February 08, 2012 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Senate leadership is busy patting themselves on the back in the wake of Senate Finance Committee approval of a slate of “pay-fors” to... Read More

FAA Reauthorization: EAS reforms fail taxpayers

February 03, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to members of Congress as they consider legislation on FAA... Read More

Oil Profits Stay High; Needless Subsidies Continue

February 02, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

It appears the oil and gas industry is looking to continue its decade long trend of record profits. As of February 2nd, Chevron, Exxon... Read More

Speaker’s “Drilling for Transportation Dollars” Proposal: A Dead End for Taxpayers

February 01, 2012 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

[Updated 2/1/2012] The Natural Resources Committee today passed three energy-related bills today, and the royalties that would result... Read More

FAA Reauthorization and the Essential Air Service: When a Cut is Actually an Increase

February 01, 2012 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

After 23 extensions, Congress is finally on the verge of reauthorizing the nation’s air program for the next four years. This would be... Read More

Counting on Speculative Oil and Gas Revenues to Fund our Transportation Needs is Fiscally Reckless

February 01, 2012 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources , Transportation & Infrastructure

Counting on Speculative Oil and Gas Revenues to Fund our Transportation Needs is Fiscally Reckless Today the House Natural Resources Committee considered the energy portions of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (the... Read More

FAA Reauthorization Should Include EAS Reforms

January 31, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to House and Senate conferees before they meet today to negotiate differences between... Read More

An Open Letter to the United States Congress: No Special Tax Treatment for Natural Gas Vehicles!

January 30, 2012 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined several groups today to call on Congress to oppose the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans... Read More

Hill Briefing: Don’t Drill and Drive: Weakening the User-Pays Highway Funding Principle Would Endanger Our Nation’s Transportation Infrastructure

January 26, 2012 | Event Summary | Transportation & Infrastructure

TCS Hill Briefing: Don’t Drill and Drive: Weakening the “User-Pays” Highway Funding Principle Would Endanger Our Nation’s Transportation... Read More

State of the Union Energy Proposals

January 25, 2012 | Our Take | Energy

Oil subsidies must go, but we can’t stop there; Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program will continue to fail; increased... Read More

Outline of House’s Transportation Reauthorization Revealed

January 24, 2012 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

An outline of the House majority’s new transportation reauthorization proposal — The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act — was... Read More

TCS Joins Coalition Against Wasteful Army Corps of Engineer’s Deepening Delaware River Project

January 19, 2012 | Press Releases | Natural Resources , Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined the Delaware Riverkeeper and Water Protection Network to compile a report analyzing the wasteful Army... Read More

Diverse Groups Mark Expiration of Ethanol Subsidy

January 03, 2012 | Press Releases | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joins several groups in marking the expiration of the largest subsidy to the ethanol industry, something TCS... Read More

Coalition Holds Press Conference on Illinois FutureGen Project

December 19, 2011 | Press Releases | Energy

               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: December 19, 2011 Kristina Rasmussen (217)... Read More

Plenty of Money Moving Around Defense Authorization Bill

December 14, 2011 | Our Take | National Security

Plenty of Money Moving Around Defense Authorization Bill Followers of the annual National Defense Authorization Act will recall the kerfuffle that occurred earlier this year after lawmakers in... Read More

This Time, Let the Ethanol Tax Break Expire

December 14, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

The Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, or VEETC, the largest subsidy to the ethanol industry, is set to expire on December 31st. Last... Read More

Letter and Briefing on the Wasteful, Expiring $6 Billion Ethanol Subsidy

December 12, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense worked with Congressional allies to get 73 Representatives to sign a letter last week asking Speaker of the... Read More

Coalition Demands Deficit Plans be Public

December 05, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Taxpayers for Common Sense and a coalition of groups sent a letter to the President, Speaker Boehner, and Majority Leader Reid today... Read More

House Transportation Reauthorization Postponed as Deadline Approaches

December 01, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

With the March 31, 2012 expiration of nation’s surface transportation legislation steadily approaching, House leaders informed... Read More

House Subcommittee Discusses Loan Guarantees

November 30, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

The House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight met as part of an ongoing series of hearings... Read More

Loan Guarantee Program Up for Review

November 29, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

The Department of Energy (DOE) Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program is coming up for some much needed scrutiny after two companies funded... Read More

Super Failure: Time for Congress to Do Its Job

November 21, 2011 | Press Releases | Budget & Tax

For Immediate Release November 21, 2011 Contact: Steve Ellis 202-546-8500 x126 Super Failure: Time for Congress to Do Its... Read More

TCS Testifies on Royalties before House Natural Resources Subcommittee

November 18, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources , Transportation & Infrastructure

TCS Testifies on Royalties before House Natural Resources Subcommittee Ms. Ryan Alexander President Taxpayers for Common Sense   Written Testimony submitted to the... Read More

November 4, 5:43 PM—The Latest on the Deficit Cutting Super Committee

November 14, 2011 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

November 4, 2011-5:43 PM This way madness lies. Because the vast majority of the Super Committee’s activities have occurred behind... Read More

A Legacy for Earmarks (updated 11/14/2011)

November 14, 2011 | Our Take |

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today passed its version of a transportation reauthorization bill, to replace the... Read More

TCS Mourns the Loss of Rob Stuart, One of Our Founding Board Members

November 10, 2011 | Press Releases |

TCS mourns the loss of one of our founding board members, Rob Stuart, 49, who died suddenly on October 26th. Rob was literally present... Read More

Transportation Reauthorization: Congress Needs to Pay to Pave

November 03, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Both the House and Senate are poised to begin deliberations over different versions of transportation reauthorization legislation. Though... Read More

Coalition Letter Opposing Passing Farm Bill Through Super Committee

November 02, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense joined a coalition on a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, asking them to not... Read More

Uranium Loan Guarantee Is A Bad Bet

November 02, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantees are and should be under the magnifying glass. On August 31, 2011, the first company to receive... Read More

California’s Rail Project Costs More Than Double

November 02, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

According to a business plan released by the California High Speed Rail Authority this week, the costs for a high speed rail connection... Read More

TCS Letter In Support of S. 1775, the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act

October 30, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to several senators regarding S. 1775, the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act... Read More

TCS Statement on DOI’s Plans to Lease Public Lands for Solar Development

October 28, 2011 | Statements | Energy

Statement of Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense in response to Department of Interior release of the Supplement to... Read More

Congressmen Support Common Sense Cuts to Wasteful Ag Spending

October 20, 2011 | Our Take | Agriculture , Budget & Tax

Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) sent a letter this week to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense Targets Oil and Gas Tax Breaks

October 19, 2011 | Press Releases | Energy

  October 20, 2011 CONTACT: Mike Surrusco: michael@taxpayer.net (202) 546-8500... Read More

TCS Comments on OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale

October 18, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense submitted comments to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas... Read More

Action Alert: Senate Set to Vote on Ethanol Amendment [Completed Action]

October 17, 2011 | Our Take | Agriculture , Energy

UPDATE: In 2011, Taxpayers for Common Sense celebrated a major policy win. Congress let the wasteful ethanol tax credit (VEETC) expire... Read More

Solyndra Probe Continues

October 13, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

Today the House continued its investigation of the failed Department of Energy loan guarantee to the solar start-up Solyndra. Today... Read More

Deal May Increase Transportation Spending, But at What Cost?

September 27, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Updated 9/28/2011 Reports of a meeting between House Republican leadership and Rep. John Mica (R-FL), Chair of the Transportation and... Read More

Joint Letter in Support of Common Sense Flood Insurance Amendments

September 21, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined other groups in support of the two amendments Senator Hagan (D-NC) filed to the Flood Insurance Reform... Read More

TCS Testifies on the Inland Waterways Trust Fund

September 20, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Today, TCS Vice President Steve Ellis will be testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water... Read More

Clock Ticking Only On Some of the Risky DOE Loan Guarantees

September 20, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

Today, a portion of the Dept. of Energy Loan Guarantee Program will expire. While that’s good news for taxpayers the trouble is far from... Read More

Coalition Letter to Support Transparency in Super Committee

September 19, 2011 | Letters & Testimony |

A coalition of watchdog groups, along with Taxpayers for Common Sense, sent a letter to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction, or the... Read More

The American Jobs Act: Concerns mount over President’s Infrastructure Bank proposal

September 12, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

On Tuesday, September 12th, the Obama Administration released the text of the “American Jobs Act” which includes $447 billion in tax... Read More

House and Senate Craft Disappointing Extension of Surface Transportation, FAA Programs

September 09, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

After negotiations between majority leaders in the House and Senate, a bill was introduced that would extend the surface transportation... Read More

TCS Letter to the ‘Super Committee’

September 08, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Yesterday, Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to all 12 members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or the "Super... Read More

Another Report Points to Taxpayers Losing Billions On Risky DOE Loan Guarantees

August 02, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released a report on federal loan guarantees for nuclear power plants, which seriously... Read More

Support FAA Extension, Reform the Essential Air Service

August 01, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to the Senate, encouraging it to pass H.R. 2553, which would reform the wasteful... Read More

TCS Statement and Analysis on Debt Ceiling Agreement

July 31, 2011 | Statements | Budget & Tax

A statement from TCS President Ms. Ryan Alexander is below.  Analysis on the debt ceiling legislation agreed to by leadership from both... Read More

TCS on the Debt Ceiling

July 28, 2011 | Statements | Budget & Tax

Taxpayers for Common Sense statement on the debt ceiling and deficit reduction bills.          ... Read More

TCS Testifies on Revenue Sharing from Offshore Drilling

July 26, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Ms. Ryan Alexander President Taxpayers for Common Sense Written Testimony submitted to the United States House of... Read More

Support Gang of Six Bi-Partisan Plan to Reduce Our Nation’s Deficit

July 20, 2011 | Statements | Budget & Tax

    Support “Gang of Six” Bi-Partisan Plan to Reduce Our Nation’s Deficit   July 20,... Read More

House Should Support Stronger Reforms to the Wasteful Essential Air Service

July 20, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to the House of Representatives urging strong reforms of the wasteful and outdated... Read More

Senate Energy Committee Should Not Divert Billions in Royalties from Treasury

July 19, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

 Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee asking committee members to oppose... Read More

Analyzing the House Transportation Proposal

July 18, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure John Mica (R-FL) released a summary of his transportation... Read More

Regulatory Comments for Office of Natural Resources Revenue Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Federal Oil and Gas Valuation

July 14, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources

Taxpayers for Common Sense submitted comments to the Office of Natural Resources Revenue concerning Federal Oil and Gas... Read More

Senate Committee Passes Energy Financing Entity

July 13, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

With little debate, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed by voice vote a bill to create the Clean Energy Deployment... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense Supports Consideration of Stillwater Bridge Alternative

July 11, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

A coalition of local organizations released an alternative to the proposed $700 million Stillwater Bridge replacement. This alternative... Read More

Senate Energy Committee Needs to Stop the Clean Energy Deployment Administration

July 10, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined with other groups urging Congress to save taxpayers from footing the bill for billions in risky loans by not creating the Clean Energy Deployment Administration.... Read More

Anchorage Sues FHWA to Stop Knik Arm Crossing

July 07, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

The Municipality of Anchorage (Alaska) filed suit in U.S. District Court challenging the Federal Highway Administration’s approval of the... Read More

TCS Comments on Senators’ Compromise on Ethanol Subsidy Elimination

July 07, 2011 | Our Take |

Today, Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) struck a deal with Sens. Klobuchar (D-MN) and Thune (R-SD) to eliminate the ethanol tax credit (and tariff).... Read More

Coalition letter in support of Reps. Herger and Crowley bill to end 30 years of tax credits to the E

June 27, 2011 | Letters & Testimony |

Today, a diverse coalition of groups including Taxpayers for Common Sense released a letter to Representatives Herger (R-CA) and Crowley (D-NY), expressing strong support for their bill, the Ethanol Subsidy Repeal Act, which would end more than 30 years of tax credits to the ethanol industry. The Act would save taxpayers several billion dollars this year alone, with no impact to the ethanol industry.... Read More

TCS National Security Spending Update: Spending Big on Services

June 23, 2011 | Our Take | National Security

The Senate Armed Services Committee released the report for the FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act on Friday, and though it will... Read More

Ethanol Update: Coalition Applauds Two Important Votes to End Taxpayer-Funded Ethanol Subsidies in t

June 23, 2011 | Press Releases |

WASHINGTON, DC – June 16, 2011 – A broad and diverse coalition that includes business associations, taxpayer advocates, hunger and... Read More

TCS Letter to the Editor in St. Louis Post-Dispatch - “Solution to flood protection is not new earmarks”

Letters to the editor, June 14 Joshua Sewell • Washington, D.C. Policy Analyst, Taxpayers for Common Sense It is disappointing to... Read More

Coalition Letter Supporting Ending Wasteful $6 Billion Annual Ethanol Subsidy

June 12, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined a broad and diverse coalition supporting Senators Coburn (R-OK), Feinstein (D-CA), and McCain (R-AZ) and their amendments this week which will end the $6 billion annual, taxpayer-funded subsidies for conventional ethanol which go to Big Oil when they blend ethanol with gasoline. ... Read More

TCS Releases Report on Largest Ethanol Subsidy

June 08, 2011 | Press Releases | Budget & Tax , Energy

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense released a comprehensive report on the largest subsidy to corn ethanol, the Volumetric Ethanol Excise... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense’s Ellis weighs in on oil, ethanol tax breaks

June 08, 2011 | Press Releases | Energy

OnPoint E&E TV   SYNOPSIS: As the debate over subsidies heats up, should Congress be considering a complete overhaul of the tax... Read More

TCS post in Blue Dog Research Forum’s “Point and Counterpoint” edition on whether or not to end tax benefits to the Oil and Gas Industry

June 07, 2011 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

The Blue Dog Research Forum's "Point and Counterpoint" Edition asked the question: Should We End Tax Benefits to the Oil and Gas... Read More

TCS and Panelists Brief Hill Staff on DoD and Deficit Reduction: Options for Significant Defense Savings

June 06, 2011 | Event Summary | Budget & Tax , National Security

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense senior defense policy analyst Laura Peterson introduced a panel discussion for Capitol Hill staff on... Read More

TCS VP Steve Ellis on CNN discussing ways in which Congress is “Bypassing the Earmark Ban”

June 03, 2011 | Press Releases |

Members of Congress promised an end to earmarks, but guess what? They found another way to spend your money. In this Memorial Day... Read More

$14 Trillion U.S. Debt Leaves No Room for Treasury-Backed Loan Guarantees for Energy Projects

June 01, 2011 | Event Summary | Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C.///June 1, 2011///With Congress poised to move forward on more taxpayer-backed loan guarantees for nuclear, wind, solar,... Read More

Coalition Letter Opposing Clean Energy Deployment Administration

May 25, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense and a coalition of groups sent a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee calling for them to oppose the Clean Energy Deployment Administration.... Read More

Coalition Letter Opposing NATGAS Act—A Bill to Subsidize the Natural Gas Vehicle Industry

May 22, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined 16 other taxpayer and conservative groups on an open letter to Congress urging them to oppose yet another new energy subsidy. ... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense on PBS Nightly Business Report commenting on the National Flood Insurance

May 18, 2011 | Press Releases |

Taxpayers for Common Sense VP Steve Ellis commenting on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the program\'s $17 billion debt... Read More

Federal taxpayers railroaded? New report says California’s rail project needs an overhaul

May 17, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently announced an additional $2 billion in grant money for developing high speed rail (HSR)... Read More

TCS Subsidy Gusher Report Details 16 Billion in Annual Subsidies to Oil and Gas

May 16, 2011 | Press Releases | Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) released “Subsidy Gusher: Taxpayers Stuck with Massive Subsidies while Oil and... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense on PBS Nightly Business Report commenting on the National Flood Insurance Program

May 16, 2011 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense on PBS Nightly Business Report: May 17, 2011 Taxpayers for Common Sense VP Steve Ellis commenting on the... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense Announces New Board Chair Mark D. Smith

May 15, 2011 | Press Releases |

The Board of Directors of Taxpayers for Common Sense is pleased to announce that they elected Mark D. Smith as Chair of the Board at... Read More

Democrats target big oil: Experts debate - Washington Post Live Q&A at 2pm

May 10, 2011 | Coming Up | Energy

Democrats target big oil: Experts debate In an effort to create revenue and decrease the deficit, Democrats are pushing to end tax... Read More

TCS Letter in Opposition to H.R. 1380, the NAT GAS Act

May 03, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

TCS Letter in Opposition to H.R. 1380, the NAT GAS Act Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives calling for Congress to oppose H.R. 1380, the New Alternative Transportation to Give American Solutions or NAT GAS Act.... Read More

Letter Supporting Bipartisan Effort to Cut Billions in Ethanol Giveaway

May 03, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined a broad and diverse coalition applauding Senators Coburn (R-OK) and Feinstein (D-CA) for combining their efforts to end billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies for conventional ethanol by introducing the bipartisan “Ethanol Subsidy and Tariff Repeal Act.”... Read More

TCS Letter to House Speaker John Boehner Agreeing with his Recent Comments on Oil Subsidies

April 25, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, regarding his recent comments that oil companies "ought to be paying their fair share."... Read More

Coalition Letter Opposing Wasteful Mississippi River Locks

April 17, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense recently joined other Nicollet Island Coalition members on a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers detailing how new locks on the Upper Mississippi are economically unjustified.... Read More

Budget Gimmicks in FY11 Defense Bill

April 14, 2011 | Our Take | National Security

Washington is abuzz with talk of the deficit-reduction plan President Obama announced Wednesday, mostly along the lines of “wait, what... Read More

Updates & Budgetary Gimmicks in the Final Continuing Resolution Unveiled by House Appropriations

The House Appropriations Committee released the final Continuing Resolution (CR) funding the federal government for the rest of the 2011... Read More

TCS Letter to the House & Senate Energy & Water Development Subcommittees: Stop New Authority To DOE Loan Guarantee Program

April 13, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense along with the George C. Marshall Institute, the Non-Proliferation Policy Education Center, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the National Taxpayers Union, sent a letter to both the House and Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittees urging lawmakers to not provide additional loan guarantee authority to the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program in the Fiscal Year 2012 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill.... Read More

Briefing on DOE Loan Guarantees:: Should Taxpayers Bear the Risks for the Energy Sector with Loan Guarantees?

April 10, 2011 | Event Summary | Budget & Tax , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense, National Taxpayers Union, The Heritage Foundation, and the Competitive Enterprise Institute will hold a discussion on the impacts of federal energy loan guarantees on the federal budget and energy markets.... Read More

House Subcommittee Hearing on DOE Loan Guarantees

April 07, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense has been critical of the Loan Guarantee Program since its inception in 2005 and we are pleased that Congress... Read More

TCS VP Steve Ellis Op-Ed: Earmarks are dead. Long live earmarks (CNN)

April 06, 2011 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

By Steve Ellis, CNNMoney guest columnist April 7, 2011: 11:31 AM ET Earmark reform: The end-arounds have begun -- Steve Ellis is Vice... Read More

TCS Letter in Support of H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011

April 05, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity, in support of H.R. 1309 the “Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011.”... Read More

Statement from TCS President Ms. Ryan Alexander on the release of the House Republican Budget Resolution

April 04, 2011 | Statements | Budget & Tax

“Chairman Ryan should be congratulated for taking the bull by the horns and releasing a budget resolution that recommends decisive steps... Read More

TCS Statement on the JSF Alternate Engine Cancellation

March 23, 2011 | Statements | National Security

Statement by TCS President Ms. Ryan Alexander on the announcement the Defense Department issued a stop-work order on the Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine program.... Read More

Coalition Letter to Congress Calls for an End to Energy Subsidies

March 17, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense along with a coalition of nearly 30 groups sent a letter to Congress calling for an end to energy... Read More

Broad Coalition Supports Senators Efforts to End VEETC

March 11, 2011 | Press Releases | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense alongside a broad and diverse coalition of groups sent a letter supporting the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax... Read More

TCS Testimony on the National Flood Insurance Program

March 11, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Today, Vice President Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense testified on behalf of the SmarterSafer Coalition at a House Financial... Read More

Energy Loan Guarantee Program Under More Scrutiny

March 10, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

Energy Loan Guarantee Program Under More Scrutiny The Department of Energy Inspector General recently released a report faulting DOE... Read More

TCS Testifies at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

March 03, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Budget & Tax , Energy

On March 3, 2011 Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander testified at a House Committee on Oversight and Government reform... Read More

TCS Mentioned on Capitol Hill (February)

Taxpayers for Common Sense was mentioned numerous times on Capitol Hill this February.  CSPAN video provided below: February 7,... Read More

Broad Coalition Calls for the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit to Expire

March 01, 2011 | Press Releases | Agriculture , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense along with 90 other organizations and associations delivered a letter to Congressional leaders on Tuesday... Read More

Energy Committee Questions DOE on Budget

February 18, 2011 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

Senate Energy Committee’s Hearing on the President’s FY2012 Budget Request Earlier this week the President released his budget request... Read More

Ongoing Analysis of Debate Over FY11 Continuing Resolution

February 16, 2011 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy , National Security

The House of Representatives is debating a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government for the rest of fiscal year 2011 (through... Read More

CR Misses the Mark on Loan Guarantees

February 14, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

The House Continuing Appropriations Bill (CR) offers ample fodder for the chopping block. Unfortunately, House Republicans released a... Read More

TCS Reaction to Sen. Manchin (D-WV) Statement on Coal Subsidies

February 03, 2011 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

We all know that lawmakers are allowed the occasional stretching of the truth, but at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources... Read More

Senate Energy and House Natural Resource Committees Examine New Findings on the Gulf Oil Spill

February 02, 2011 | Our Take | Energy

On January 26, the Senate Energy Committee and House Natural Resources Committee both held hearings on the final report produced by... Read More

A Taxpayer Victory!  Thank You!

February 02, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

With the Senate's begrudging acceptance of an earmark moratorium, taxpayers just achieved a well-earned victory on the road to fiscal... Read More

Senate Appropriations Committee Announces Earmark Moratorium

February 01, 2011 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

Today, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) announced a two year moratorium on earmarks. The call comes after... Read More

Legislation Introduced to End Reverse Royalty for Hardrock Mining

January 31, 2011 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

Last week, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced legislation to eliminate an unnecessary giveaway for mining companies that cost... Read More

TCS on State of the Union: Every Dollar Must be on the Table

January 25, 2011 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Taxpayers for Common Sense statement on the 2011 State of the Union address.                For... Read More

Letter to Congress: Where to Start Cutting to Trim the Deficit

January 11, 2011 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Budget & Tax , Energy , National Security , Transportation & Infrastructure

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense delivered to leadership in both the House and Senate a report on how Congress can quickly cut nearly... Read More

UPDATE: Gates Shifts Defense Dollars

January 06, 2011 | Our Take | National Security

Defense Secretary Robert Gates today gave what was billed as one of the longest speeches in his current job, defining the battlefield for... Read More

TCS President Ryan Alexander Statement on the Defense Cuts Announced by Sec. Robert Gates

January 06, 2011 | Press Releases | National Security

Please find below a statement from Ms. Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the defense cuts announced today by... Read More

CUT-PAYGO-Lite and Other House Rules Changes

January 05, 2011 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

There have been a lot of questions swirling around the Cut-As-You-Go (CUTGO) provision that the House Republicans included in the rules... Read More

TCS President Ryan Alexander Op-Ed: The Appropriations Pork Machine (The New York Times)

January 02, 2011 | Press Releases | Budget & Tax

Ryan Alexander is president of Taxpayers for Common Sense. The early indicators of what to expect from the 112th Congress in terms of... Read More

TCS VP Steve Ellis on NPR: How To Get Around The Ban On Earmarks

December 28, 2010 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense VP Steve Ellis spoke with NPR regarding ways to get around the earmark ban. You can listen to the NPR... Read More

TCS VP Steve Ellis on MSNBC’s The Last Word discussing the Earmark Moratorium

December 23, 2010 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

Steve Ellis appeared on MSNBC's "The Last Word" program to discuss the earmark moratorium with Lawrence O'Donnell and Congressman Tim... Read More

TCS mentioned by media outlets after TCS found 6,700 earmarks worth $8.3 billion in the Omnibus bill

December 20, 2010 | Press Releases |

Senate Democrats unveiled a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill yesterday.  The bill is over 1,900 pages in length.  Taxpayers for Common... Read More

TCS VP Steve Ellis on CSPAN Washington Journal Discussing Tax Cut Legislation and Special Interest Provisions

December 20, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense VP Steve Ellis spoke with host Libby Casey on CSPAN Washington Journal. The discussion focused... Read More

Holiday Honey Baked Hams—Special Interest Carveouts at the End of the Year

December 19, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

(Originally Posted 12/13/2010) The last legislative trains are pulling out of Capitol Hill station and there are a bunch of hobo... Read More

Sen. McCain mentions TCS work on the Earmarks Request Database on the Senate Floor

December 14, 2010 | Press Releases |

Dec. 14, 2010 Taxpayers for Common Sense was mentioned by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) on the Senate floor today about our work on the... Read More

Coalition Urges Congress to Oppose Wasteful $10 Billion Increase in DOE Loan Guarantee Authority in Continuing Resolution

December 08, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense alongside National Taxpayers Union, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the Nonproliferation... Read More

TCS President Ryan Alexander Statement on the National Commission for Fiscal Responsibility and Reform vote

December 03, 2010 | Statements | Budget & Tax

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander issued a statement on the National Commission for Fiscal Responsibility and... Read More

TCS Letter to Deficit Commissioners: Support the Final Report

December 02, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to the commissioners of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform urging... Read More

Deficit Commission Releases its Final Report—The Moment of Truth

December 01, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

So the "The Moment of Truth" is here. We've been combing through the specifics of the aptly titled final report of the National... Read More

Congressional Briefing on Department of Energy Loan Guarantees

November 30, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

(Update 9/30/2010) Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense participated in a discussion on whether taxpayers should bear the risks for the... Read More

Diverse Coalition Calls for Congress to End the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC)

November 29, 2010 | Press Releases | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense, together with a diverse coalition of 58 groups, sent a letter to congressional leaders today urging them to... Read More

Federal workers may not see pay raises for two years (Markeplace Radio)

November 29, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Washington is going to have to make some hard decisions to bring the deficit down. Marketplace's Nancy Marshall Genzer takes a look at... Read More

A Transportation Earmark is Still an Earmark

Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) told a local newspaper this week that she supports a ban on earmarks – but then turned around and said that... Read More

President Pumps up Nuke Budget Again

November 18, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

The White House released a plan yesterday to pump up their investment in the United States’ nuclear weapons complex by another $4.1... Read More

TCS and the Grocery Manufacturers Association Hold a Briefing on the Impacts and Future of the Corn Ethanol Tax Credit

November 17, 2010 | Event Summary | Energy

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense along with the Grocery Manufacturers Association held a briefing on the "Impacts and Future of the Corn... Read More

TCS & Earmark Reforms Mentioned by Sen. James Inhofe on Senate Floor

November 16, 2010 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

Yesterday, while speaking on the Senate floor, Sen. Inhofe (R-OK) highlighted the earmark reforms that TCS developed with other... Read More

TCS Letter to Deficit Commissioners

November 15, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

TCS applauds the Co-chairs for not leaving any stone unturned and acknowledging the difficult budgetary choices that must be made given... Read More

TCS VP Steve Ellis discusses The Future of Earmark Transparency on Capitol Hill

November 15, 2010 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

Yesterday, the Advisory Committee on Transparency hosted “the Future of Earmark Transparency” on Capitol Hill. The Advisory Committee... Read More

Reforms Proposed by National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform Co-Chairs Unveiled Today

The Co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform gave their proposals to fellow Commission members today.... Read More

As the Armed Services Committee Turns

November 03, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

Now that the final ballots have come in, it’s time to assess the impact the midterms will have on the Congressional committees that... Read More

Third Quarter Results are in and still the same story: Billions in profit, billions more in subsidies to Big Oil

November 02, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Ten months into 2010 and Big Oil has pumped in billions in profits. So far this year, top oil companies have made nearly $50 billion in... Read More

TCS VP Steve Ellis on Fox Business News re: Top Ten Congressional Reforms for the 112th Congress

October 31, 2010 | Press Releases | Budget & Tax

TCS VP Steve Ellis discussed our Top Ten Congressional Reforms for the 112th Congress on Fox Business News yesterday.  A link to the... Read More

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Urges Congress to extend $5 billion/year Ethanol Tax Credit

October 21, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday urged members of Congress to reinstate the biodiesel tax credit and extend... Read More

Good Government Groups & Lobbyists Hold a Briefing on The Future of Earmarks

October 20, 2010 | Press Releases |

Yesterday, Taxpayers for Common Sense Vice President Steve Ellis held a briefing alongside Melanie Sloan, Executive Director, Citizens... Read More

TCS Event: Greening the Budget - A Transatlantic Dialogue on Making Environmental and Fiscal Responsibility a Priority

October 20, 2010 | Event Summary | Energy , Natural Resources , Transportation & Infrastructure

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense participated in a discussion on "Making Environmental and Fiscal Responsibility a Priority." TCS was... Read More

Solar Development Train Leaving the Station, Without Congress

October 20, 2010 | Press Releases | Energy , Natural Resources

Congress’ failure to make any progress on energy policy this session is costing taxpayers.... Read More

TCS VP Steve Ellis debates American League of Lobbyists’ President Dave Wenhold on CNBC

October 20, 2010 | Press Releases |

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense Vice President Steve Ellis debated American League of Lobbyists President Dave Wenhold on the record... Read More

GAO Report Slams DHS Management of SBInet Contractor

October 18, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

  The Department of Homeland Security did not effectively manage or oversee the prime contractor on its over-budget, behind-schedule... Read More

Press Release: Broad Coalition Opposes Ethanol Industry Proposal, Supports Real Reform

October 11, 2010 | Press Releases | Energy

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense alongside environmental groups and business associations hosted a conference call with members of the... Read More

Taxpayer Victory: Costly Nuclear Loan Guarantee Shelved

October 11, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Score one for the taxpayers!  A $7.5 billion Department of Energy loan guarantee for the Calvert Cliffs nuclear reactor near Lusby,... Read More

Keep it Clean

September 29, 2010 | Our Take |

The key word here is simply.  Congress can pass and should pass what is referred to as a “clean” CR, where nothing changes from last... Read More

Press Briefing: Nonpartisan Coalition of Lobbyists and Advocates to Announce Commonsense Earmark Ref

September 29, 2010 | Press Releases |

 Date: Monday, September 27, 2010 CAGW Leslie K. Paige 202-467-5334 lpaige@cagw.org TCS: Steve Ellis 202-546-8500... Read More

VA Senators Author Amendment to Stop JFCOM Closure

September 27, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

Democratic Virginia Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner said today they will introduce an amendment to the FY2012 defense authorization... Read More

Press Briefing: Nonpartisan Coalition of Lobbyists and Advocates to Announce Commonsense Earmark Reform Principles

September 26, 2010 | Event Summary | Earmarks & Appropriations

  On Tuesday, September 28th, 2010, a diverse coalition of good government groups, and Washington lobbyists from both sides of the... Read More

Hearing on Loan Guarantee Program Raises Concerns for Taxpayers

September 26, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Last week the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee held a hearing on the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program.  The... Read More

Earmark Lobbyist Pleads Guilty; Lobby Shop’s Earmarks Detailed

September 24, 2010 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

September 24, 2010 (Update) Former high-powered PMA lobbyist Paul Magliocchetti has pleaded guilty to an illegal contribution scheme in... Read More

TCS testifies at a Senate Hearing on Reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program

September 21, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Today, TCS presented testimony to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on "Reauthorization of the National Flood... Read More

UPDATE: Senate adds $2.6 billion in earmarks to defense spending bill

September 15, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

(September 16)  In passing its edition of the FY2011 defense spending bill today, the Senate Appropriations Committee didn’t add much to... Read More

Gates Mandates Affordability in Defense Spending

September 14, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

 Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday unveiled details of his effort to overhaul procurement processes, just ahead of Senate markups... Read More

Tribute to Beth Daley: A Friendly Watchdog

August 22, 2010 | Statements |

Taxpayers for Common Sense mourns the passing of our friend and colleague Beth Daley, a fierce and dedicated advocate at the Project on... Read More

New Report Urges Comprehensive Security Spending

August 11, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

A bipartisan group of national security experts including Taxpayers for Common Sense today released a report calling for a budget that... Read More

TCS Statement on SACE FOIA lawsuit against DOE Loan Guarantee Program

August 10, 2010 | Statements | Energy

  Statement by Steve Ellis, Vice President, Taxpayers for Common Sense at Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Tele-Press Conference... Read More

TCS on Gates Defense Reforms: One Small Step Forward

August 10, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ new belt-tightening initiatives at the Department of Defense are a positive step forward. But much more... Read More

FutureGen: Massive Clean Coal Project Changes Track, Still Securing $1 Billion Earmarked in the Stimulus

August 04, 2010 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , Energy

Today, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the plan to build “FutureGen” a massive commercial “clean coal” facility in Mattoon,... Read More

Joint Letter in Opposition to H.R. 1264: The Multiple Peril Insurance Act of 2009

July 29, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense and National Taxpayers Union joined together in opposition to H.R. 1264 - The Multiple Peril Insurance Act of... Read More

Senate Takes a Step Toward Earmark Transparency

July 27, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

By an 11-5 vote today the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed  S.3335, the Earmark Transparency Act of 2010.... Read More

Letter to Chairman Oberstar: TCS Supports Efforts to Rescind Unused Transportation Earmarks

July 26, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Earmarks & Appropriations , Transportation & Infrastructure

Chairman James Oberstar House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 2165 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC... Read More

TCS Urges Congress to Enact Farm Bill Reforms

July 26, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

The House Committee on Agriculture is currently holding a series of hearings reveiwing our country's agriculture policy in order to lay... Read More

Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Energy and Water Bill—Includes $17 billion in Risky Loan Guarantees

July 23, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

On July 22, the Senate Committee on Appropriations passed the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. The $34.97 billion bill... Read More

Taxpayer Victory—Senate Strips Energy Loan Guarantees from Emergency Spending Bill

July 22, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Late yesterday the Senate rejected the House passed Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill, which included $18 billion in new loan... Read More

Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Energy and Water Bill—Includes $17 billion in Risky Loan Guarantees

July 22, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

 On July 22, the Senate Committee on Appropriations passed the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. The $34.97 billion bill... Read More

Clean Energy Development Must Not Clean Out Taxpayer Pockets

July 22, 2010 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

Energy Legislation and Clean Energy Development The House of Representatives took another step closer to considering energy legislation... Read More

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Passes Energy & Water Bill—Includes $17 BILLION in Risky Loan Guarantees

July 20, 2010 | Event Summary | Earmarks & Appropriations , Energy

 On July 20, the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee approved a whopping $17 billion in new loan guarantees... Read More

House Appropriations Subcommittee Passes Energy & Water Bill—Includes $50 BILLION in Risky Loan Guarantees

July 20, 2010 | Event Summary | Earmarks & Appropriations , Energy

 On July 15, the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee approved a $34.7 billion FY 2011 funding bill. Drafts of the bill are... Read More

Joint Letter to Senate Energy and Water Subcommittee Opposing Any Loan Guarantee Authority in the Appropriations Bill

July 19, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense released a joint statement to the Senate Energy and Water Development Subcommittee urging members to oppose... Read More

Alaska Adopts Sensible Policy on Transportation Earmarks

Earlier this week, our attention was pointed to a new earmark policy released by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public... Read More

Another Loan Guarantee Putting Taxpayer Dollars at Risk

July 08, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

On Wednesday, AREVA, a French nuclear power conglomerate, accepted a Department of Energy conditional loan guarantee of $2 billion for... Read More

Blumenauer, Menendez Call for an End to Big Oil Subsidies

July 08, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

On June 30, 2010, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced the End Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act to cut a number of subsidies for big... Read More

Abandoned Gulf Wells Could Cost Taxpayers

July 07, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

An AP investigation released yesterday found that in the gulf region alone, there are approximately 27,000 abandoned wells lying... Read More

$36 Billion Dollar Giveaway to Nuclear Industry Causes Meltdown in Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee

June 24, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

As we posted yesterday, the Fiscal Year 2011 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill mark-up scheduled in the Subcommittee was postponed. ... Read More

House Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Mark-Up Delayed

June 23, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Today the House Committee on Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee was scheduled to hold the first mark-up on a Fiscal Year... Read More

Taxpayers Stand to Lose Billions on Risky Reactor

June 21, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

After receiving a 30 day extension, Georgia Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, accepted an $8.3 billion taxpayer-backed loan guarantee... Read More

Faulty Virtual Fence Could Cost Taxpayers $8 Billion

June 20, 2010 | Event Summary | National Security

A recent hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee on SBInet, Boeing’s borderland “virtual fence” that has failed to function... Read More

Still Fortifying Against Barge Company Bailouts

June 17, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

The IWTF was created to pay for construction and maintenance on much of the nation’s most used waterways. Funded by a tax on fuel used... Read More

U.S. Deficit Double-Edged Sword for Defense Budget Cuts

June 15, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

TCS National Security Analyst Laura Peterson published the following commentary as a guest writer on Budget Insight, the blog of the... Read More

TCS Statement on BLM’s Setting of Fees for Solar Energy Development on Federal Lands

June 14, 2010 | Statements | Energy , Natural Resources

Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released the schedule of rental fees it will charge for development of solar generation... Read More

New Report Urges Pentagon Role in Deficit Reduction

June 10, 2010 | National Security

Today, the Sustainable Defense Task Force held a press conference at the Capitol Visitors Center releasing a report identifying roughly $1 trillion in Pentagon budget savings over the next ten years. ... Read More

Senator Seeks Repeal of Billions of Dollars in Subsidies to Oil and Gas Companies

June 08, 2010 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

 Today, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) filed an amendment, 4318, to so-called tax extenders legislation that would repeal $35 billion... Read More

Bipartisan Support for Earmark Database Bill Continues

June 01, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

(June 2)  Fully one-fifth of Senators have now joined efforts to show American taxpayers the true priorities of Congress. ... Read More

BP Circular Logic on Taxpayer Subsidies For Cleanup

June 01, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

 “And our efforts will not come at any cost to the taxpayers.” – BP advertisement, New York Times, June 2, 2010 BP’s assurance that... Read More

Stop Billions MORE in Risky Treasury-Backed Loan Guarantees in Emergency War Spending Bill

May 26, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

 The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill being considered today in committee in the House includes an additional $18 billion in... Read More

House Appropriations Committee Releases Emergency Spending Bill Summary

May 26, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The House Appropriations Committee has released the Summary of the proposed FY2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act.  This more than $80... Read More

TCS President Ryan Alexander’s Hearing Testimony on The Legality and Efficacy of Line-Item Veto

May 26, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander testified at the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on the Legality and Efficacy of Line-Item Veto Proposals... Read More

TCS President Ryan Alexander Op-Ed: Why two jets are not better than one (Politico)

May 25, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

 Today, President Ryan Alexander issued an Op-Ed to Politico.com regarding the recent $485 million alternate engine addition by the House... Read More

Federal Oil and Gas Agency Divided

May 20, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Yesterday Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued a Secretarial Order dividing the Minerals Management Agency, the federal manager of oil... Read More

War Spending Bill is No Place for More Nuclear Loan Guarantees

May 20, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

 Recent press reports indicate that the Administration and leadership on Capitol Hill have brokered a deal to add billions of dollars... Read More

Taxpayers Oppose Barge Company Bailout

May 18, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense recently joined a number of other organizations in opposing attempts to further weaken cost-sharing... Read More

Senate Climate Bill Loads up Taxpayer Giveaways

May 11, 2010 | Statements | Budget & Tax , Energy

Washington, DC -- Today Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) will release their long awaited climate legislation, the... Read More

DOD Audit Still Nowhere in Sight

May 09, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

The Defense Department yesterday turned over to Congress an update on its attempts to pass an audit. Though Congress mandated audits back... Read More

UPDATED: TCS Statement on the IMPROVE Acquisition Act

April 28, 2010 | Statements | National Security

(April 28) The full House of Represenatives today passed the IMPROVE Act with only a couple hours of debate and few amendments. The bill... Read More

Energy Department Wants $9 Billion More in Taxpayer-Backed Nuclear Loan Guarantees

April 28, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Yesterday at a Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Energy Secretary Chu said an additional $9 BILLION in... Read More

GAO Reports Oil & Gas Royalties Not Measuring Up

April 14, 2010 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

In its latest of many critical reviews, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) this week issued a report criticizing the Department... Read More

Taxpayers Must Not Carry Water for Bad Projects: Comments on the Draft Principles and Standards for Water Resource Projects

April 14, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense submitted comments to the Federal Register concerning revisions to how the nation's water resources are... Read More

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Discusses Funding for Different Energy Sectors

April 07, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

On March 17th, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development donned green ties for St. Patrick’s Day and met to... Read More

TCS Supports New OMB Contracting Guidance

March 31, 2010 | Statements | National Security

The White House took an important step this week toward rolling back one of the most pernicious pieces of contracting law on the federal... Read More

Energy Savers That Don’t Exist

March 29, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Would you approve a gas powered alarm clock for Energy Star certification without actually reviewing the device to see if the product is... Read More

Bill Introduced to Extend Wasteful Ethanol Tax Credits

March 24, 2010 | Press Releases | Agriculture , Energy

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense joined together with representatives from the Grocery Manufacturers Association, American Meat... Read More

Secretary Salazar Reiterates ‘Taxpayers Must Receive Fair Return’ for Our Natural Resources

March 23, 2010 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

In early March, the Senate Energy Natural Resources (ENR) Committee met to hear testimony from Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary... Read More

Gates: Defense Cuts Saved Taxpayers $330 Billion

March 23, 2010 | Our Take | National Security

Eliminating wasteful defense programs like the F-22 Raptor last year saved taxpayers $330 billion, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said... Read More

TCS Statement on SBInet’s Funding Freeze

March 19, 2010 | Statements | National Security

Below is a comment from TCS President Ms. Ryan Alexander on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s announcement that she will... Read More

The Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program: History and Taxpayer Risk

March 11, 2010 | Energy

Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program to provide loan guarantees... Read More

House Republicans Adopt One-Year Earmark Moratorium

March 11, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

It’s been quite a whirlwind the last couple days. On Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-WI) announced a... Read More

Ensuring Taxpayer Losses

March 10, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Transportation & Infrastructure

TCS Vice President Steve Ellis was invited to testify before a House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee holding a hearing... Read More

House Spending Committee Continues Down Path of Earmark Reform

March 10, 2010 | Event Summary | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

The House Appropriations Committee took a positive step today on the long journey toward earmark reform. Chairman David Obey (D-WI)... Read More

Murtha’s Legacy

March 05, 2010 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) last night received a sendoff befitting a 36-year titan of Capitol Hill. In the Capitol’s Statuary Hall,... Read More

The Flap Over the Jobs Bill: Flawed Politics of the Past Would Continue to Distribute Funds in the Future

March 01, 2010 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Earlier this week, the Senate passed its version of the jobs bill—a bill which is flawed from a transportation and taxpayer perspective. ... Read More

Ongoing TCS Analysis of the FY2011 Budget Proposal

February 26, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , National Security

(February 23, 2010) Border Security Still Not Paying its Dues Funding for the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s Secure Border Initiative... Read More

Oil and Gas Orphans Cost Taxpayers Millions

February 26, 2010 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

Today the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a detailed report documenting taxpayer costs for cleaning up oil and gas wells... Read More

Ethics Committee Ignores Earmark Problems

February 26, 2010 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

The House Ethics Committee today closed their investigation into ties between campaign donation to seven lawmakers and earmarks to the... Read More

Senate Energy Panel Discusses President’s Proposed Budget Cuts, Increases

February 22, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

On February 4th, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee held a hearing on the President’s FY2011 Department of Energy... Read More

Department of Energy Announces Risky Loan Guarantee for Southern Company

February 16, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 16, 2010 – Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, issued the following statement today in... Read More

Taxpayers for Common Sense Statement: Nuclear Industry Must Pay For Its Renaissance

February 16, 2010 | Statements | Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 16, 2010 -- The following is a written statement by Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense... Read More

FY11 Budget Cuts Agriculture Waste

February 10, 2010 | Our Take | Agriculture , Earmarks & Appropriations

The President’s proposed FY2011 Department of Agriculture (USDA) budget is $25.8 billion, slightly reduced from the FY2010 level of $26.9... Read More

TCS Letter in Opposition to Potentially Costly Water Bill

February 04, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Transportation & Infrastructure

Today the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on  Water and Power held a hearing on H.R. 4225, a bill sponsored by Rep.... Read More

FY2011 Budget Request: President Terminates Yucca Mountain, Increases Funding for Other Nuclear Projects

February 01, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

The President’s budget ends funding for the Yucca Mountain project, which was intended to be a permanent nuclear waste disposal site.... Read More

FY2011 Budget Request: Administration Triples Risky Loan Guarantees for Nuclear Reactors

February 01, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

The President’s FY2011 budget proposal triples funding to the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program.  This includes $36 billion in... Read More

FY2011 Budget Request: President Expands Cuts to Fossil Fuel Subsidies

February 01, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

Similar to last year’s budget request, the Fiscal year 2011 budget request eliminates several longstanding oil and gas subsidies.  TCS is... Read More

FY2011 Budget Request: Department of Energy Request

February 01, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

The Presidents fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) budget request includes a $28.4 billion discretionary budget for the Department of Energy (DOE).... Read More

Top Nuclear Loan Guarantee Contenders in Financial Shambles

January 29, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

***Updated February 15, 2010*** The Department of Energy announced in December 2009 that they would soon issue Treasury-backed loan... Read More

Joint Letter Urging Administration Not to Increase Risky Loan Guarantee Program

January 29, 2010 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC... Read More

TCS Applauds President’s Commitment to End Big Oil’s Tax Breaks but Disappointed in Call for Nuclear and Clean Coal Subsidies

January 28, 2010 | Statements | Budget & Tax , Energy

Written Statement by Ms. Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense: Last night in his State of the Union address,... Read More

Statement by Ms. Ryan Alexander, President, Taxpayers for Common Sense on the State of the Union Address

January 27, 2010 | Statements | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

Washington, DC - The President laid out the economic and fiscal challenges facing the country tonight in the State of the Union. The... Read More

TCS on the President’s Proposed FY2011 Budget Freeze

January 26, 2010 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Ms. Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the President’s reported proposed three-year budget freeze that excludes... Read More

Senate Energy Committee Discusses Costly Nuclear Legislation

January 07, 2010 | Our Take | Energy

On December 15th, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee held a hearing on two pieces of legislation aimed at boosting... Read More

Citigroup Returning TARP Money May Cost Taxpayers Billions

December 16, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

A Washington Post story this morning throws some cold water on the rosy reports of taxpayers turning a profit under the financial... Read More

Bailout Bank Bio: Citigroup Inc.

December 14, 2009 | Budget & Tax

Citigroup continues to be one of the largest recipients of taxpayer assistance under TARP (the financial industry bailout). Citigroup is... Read More

TCS Earmark Analysis and Proposal for Reform

December 11, 2009 | Our Take |

The traditional partisan earmark split was maintained. Of earmarks requested by only Republicans or only Democrats, the old 60/40... Read More

Department of Energy Issues the “final rule” on Loan Guarantees

December 07, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Today the Department of Energy (DOE) released their amended final rule governing the Title XVII loan guarantee program. The program’s... Read More

Troop Surge Dollars Must be Watched

December 03, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

Since President Obama announced a 30,000 troop buildup for Afghanistan Tuesday, everyone is asking the inevitable question: How much is... Read More

House Ethics Committee Investigation Memo Available

November 30, 2009 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

The July House Ethics Committee weekly summary report the Washington Post reported on last month is now available here. Wikileaks posted... Read More

House Office Expenditures Available Electronically

November 30, 2009 |

The U.S. House of Representatives has taken one more step toward transparency with the inaugural publication of an electronic version of... Read More

Dollars Fly Overseas to Military Bases

November 12, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

The annual military construction spending bill is not generally a big deal for Congress, which treats it as an opportunity to fund gyms... Read More

Make the Contractor Performance Database Available to the Public

November 05, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

After years of debate, taxpayers are close to finally getting a federal contractor misconduct database that should stop their money from... Read More

Taxpayer Risk Soars as Congress Considers Nuclear Option

October 30, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

While Congress considers proposals to funnel billions in loan guarantees for the construction of new nuclear reactors, the costs of... Read More

Watchdogs to Defense Secretary Gates: Tell Congress Earmarks Cannot be Tolerated

October 14, 2009 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

Government watchdogs yesterday sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates urging him to make it unmistakably clear to Congress... Read More

Senators Deliver Earmark Cash for Campaign Contributors

October 07, 2009 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) has cross-referenced earmarks sought and obtained by Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee members... Read More

Bailout Transparency Continues to Fall Short

October 07, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) just released its eighth report on TARP, this one a look back over the life of the program. ... Read More

Oil Companies To Reap More Profits on Backs of Federal Taxpayers

October 04, 2009 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

Taxpayers will likely lose at least $19 billion to oil and gas companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court... Read More

Inouye, Cochran Benefit from Earmark Recipients

September 28, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

Taxpayers for Common Sense has mapped the connections between earmarks and campaign contributions for the chairman and ranking member of... Read More

Administration Calls for an End to Fossil Fuel Subsidies

September 24, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

At the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh today, President Obama and the other G-20 leaders called for an international end to fossil fuel... Read More

House Approves 3-Month Highway Bill Extension

September 23, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Transportation & Infrastructure

The House of Representatives last night voted overwhelmingly – 335-85 – to extend the nation’s transportation program (SAFETEA-LU), which... Read More

TCS Weighs in on Proposed Changes to the DOE Loan Guarantee Program

September 22, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Yesterday TCS submitted comments to the Department of Energy (DOE) on proposed changes to the Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program. In early... Read More

A Billion Here A Billion There

September 17, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Taxpayers received a bit of good news this morning.  The Treasury Department announced it will be letting the Guarantee Program for Money... Read More

NEW ANALYSIS: Royalty-in-Kind Program Costing Taxpayers Millions

September 15, 2009 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

Oil and Gas companies have skirted millions of dollars in payments owed to the federal government for the extraction of natural gas from... Read More

Salazar Announces Termination of Royalty-in-Kind Program

September 15, 2009 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

This morning, Interior Secretary Salazar announced that he will end the mismanaged and wasteful Minerals Management Service’s (MMS)... Read More

Watchdogs Release Database Detailing Earmarks and Campaign Contributions

August 12, 2009 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

                                                                          For immediate... Read More

Taxpayers at Risk: Expansion of Nuclear Loan Guarantees Could Cost Billions

August 04, 2009 | Event Summary | Energy

This fall, Congress is poised to consider an energy financing entity that would allow for the distribution of extensive loan guarantees... Read More

Important Legislation Calls for End to Double Subsidies for Hardrock Mining Operations

August 03, 2009 | Our Take | Natural Resources

Taxpayers for Common Sense applauds Senators Feingold (D-WI), Cantwell (D-WA), and Feinstein (D- CA) for introducing the Elimination of... Read More

TCS Thanks Representatives Jim McDermott and Tom Petri for Introduction of Fiscally Responsible Salmon Bill

July 30, 2009 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Today Congressmen Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Tom Petri (R- WI), along with 23 other cosponsors from across the country, introduced the... Read More

House Opportunity to Shoot Down Funding for Defense Contractor Raided by FBI

There are several amendments on the House Defense spending bill that is on the floor this morning. In addition to the important earmark... Read More

House Committee on Science and Technology Hearing on Advancing Technology for Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

July 28, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Last month, the House Committee on Science and Technology held a hearing on nuclear fuel reprocessing. The hearing covered a range of... Read More

DOE Halts Plan for Commercial Reprocessing: Global Nuclear Energy Partnership Shelved

July 27, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

The Obama Administration has put the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) on hold until further notice. GNEP, an international... Read More

Contracts for Synthetic Fuels not Included in Senate Defense Bill

July 23, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Late last night the Senate completed their work on the Defense Authorization bill, S. 1390.  The bill passed with an overwhelming... Read More

House Defense Appropriators Rake in Earmarks for Campaign Contributors

July 23, 2009 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

Taxpayers for Common Sense analyzed the FY2010 Defense Appropriations spending bill that recently passed the House Appropriations... Read More

TCS Statement on the Senate’s F-22 Cut

July 23, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , National Security

The following is a statement by Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander on the 58-40 Senate vote to eliminate additional... Read More

Hearing on Alaska Native Corporations Probes Wasteful Spending

July 21, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

A July 16 hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight on federal procurement... Read More

UPDATE: Senate Strips F-22s From Defense Authorization Bill

July 20, 2009 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

(July 21) The Senate today took a small step for Pentagon reform and a giant step for fiscal sanity when it voted 58-40 to approve the... Read More

Another Huge Year for Oil and Gas Industry Profits

July 16, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Exxon Mobil likes breaking records. In 2007, it posted the biggest annual profit number reported by any American company ever — $40.6... Read More

House Defense Appropriations Committee Members Rake in Nearly $1 million from Potential Earmark Beneficiaries

A Taxpayers for Common Sense analysis found that the House lawmakers who write the annual defense spending bill asked for billions of... Read More

House Appropriators Reject Weapons Cuts

July 15, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

The House Defense Appropriations Subcommitte today set the tone for the upcoming debate over Congresses’ biggest spending bill. Following... Read More

TCS Holds Congressional Briefing on Defense Spending

July 14, 2009 | Event Summary | National Security

Taxpayers for Common Sense sponsored a briefing for House of Representatives members and staffers Wednesday, July 15, titled Defense... Read More

TCS and NTU to House: Don’t Fund F-22

July 14, 2009 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense and the National Taxpayers Union sent a joint letter to all members of the House of Representatives... Read More

TCS Letter to Congress: Protect Taxpayers from Risky Reactors

July 13, 2009 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to each member of the House and Senate urging them to oppose any legislative actions to... Read More

House Energy and Water Subcommittee Cuts a Billion Dollars from the President’s Budget Request

June 29, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Last Thursday, the House Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development held their mark-up of the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water... Read More

Captain Morgan’s Bailout Binge

June 26, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Bloomberg News reports today on some of the more egregious unintended consequences of the Economic Stabilization legislation (Bank... Read More

Oversight and Government Reform Hearing on the V-22 Osprey

June 25, 2009 | Event Summary | National Security

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing Tuesday on the future of the V-22 Osprey, an aircraft with a... Read More

House Passes Cap and Trade Legislation

June 25, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Today, the House took an historic step towards addressing climate change by passing The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.... Read More

Obama Waves Veto Pen at Wasteful Fighter Jet

June 24, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , National Security

President Obama came out swinging yesterday, issuing the first veto threat of his presidency to tackle a congressional sacred cow... Read More

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee: Hearing on Highway Trust Fund Insolvency

June 24, 2009 | Event Summary | Transportation & Infrastructure

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discussed the looming insolvency of the highway trust fund today with Secretary of... Read More

TCS Letter to the Senate on Hardrock Mining Laws

June 23, 2009 | Letters & Testimony | Natural Resources

               June 23, 2009 Dear Senator, For more than 137 years the law... Read More

Congressional Watchdog Reviews Bailout Program

June 17, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Congress’s watchdog, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), just released its fifth and the most recent of its required reports on... Read More

Senate Energy Committee Passes American Clean Energy Leadership Act

June 16, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Today, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources completed work on the American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA), passing... Read More

Changes to Loan Guarantee Program Adopted by Senate Committee

June 16, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

On June 17, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee adopted S. 949, the 21st Century Energy and Technology Deployment Act as... Read More

Taxpayer Giveaway to Oil and Gas Industries Repealed in Senate Energy Committee

June 15, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Today the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee narrowly passed an amendment to repeal the outer continental shelf deep water and... Read More

House Agriculture Committee Hearing on Pending Climate Change Legislation

June 14, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Last Thursday, the House Agrculture Committee questioned Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a hearing on pending climate change... Read More

Hearing on the 2010 Dept. of Transportation Budget: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development

June 14, 2009 | Event Summary | Transportation & Infrastructure

On June 4th, Rep. John Olver (D-MA) led the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and... Read More

Ethics Committee Reviewing Lawmaker-PMA Group Ties

June 11, 2009 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

As reported by Roll Call, the House Ethics Committee has announced that it is reviewing the PMA Group, a lobbying firm under... Read More

GAO and Land Swaps

June 11, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Natural Resources

The GAO has just released a lengthy report on the questionable land exchange process.  TCS has frequently pointed out how the process is... Read More

House Commerce, Justice, Science Earmarks

June 09, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

The House Appropriatations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) released the list of earmarks from its... Read More

Congressional Oversight Panel June Report

June 08, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The Congressional Oversight Panel, a Congressionally appointed watchdog for last fall's bailout, has released its June report.  Access... Read More

House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing on Department of Energy FY10 Budget Request

June 07, 2009 | Event Summary | Budget & Tax , Energy

On Wednesday, the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee heard testimony from Department of Energy Secretary... Read More

Nuclear Weapons: Transformation or Business As Usual?

June 04, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

Two Senate hearings on nuclear weapons this week showed that the Obama administration’s charge toward a smaller—and hopefully... Read More

Letter to Congress: Don’t Overload the Supplemental

June 02, 2009 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

Keep C-17s and earmarks out of the 2009 war spending bill.   Download a pdf of TCS's joint letter to Congress     June 2,... Read More

John Wilke: Americans Lose a Taxpayer Champion

May 10, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

May 4, 2009: Taxpayers across the country have lost a great friend and ally. John Wilke, Wall Street Journal reporter and editor, lost... Read More

Ongoing TCS Analysis of the FY2010 Budget Proposal

May 10, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

(May 11, 2009; 3:15 pm) The Treasury's Office of Tax Policy has released its General Explanations of the Administration's Fiscal Year... Read More

Massive Increase for DOE Loan Guarantee Program Dropped from Budget Resolution

April 28, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

The Conference Agreement on the Budget Resolution that is expected to pass the House and Senate today does not include language... Read More

Congress Releases 2010 Joint Budget Resolution Conference Report

April 27, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Congress just released the conference report on its joint Budget resolution. The House may take it up as soon as today and the Senate... Read More

Corps of Engineers Releases Stimulus Project List

April 27, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Transportation & Infrastructure

Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released their stimulus project list. The first thing that comes to mind is that the Obama... Read More

Bailout Inspector General Report: Tremendous Expansion in the Scope, Scale, and Complexity of TARP

April 20, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Neil Barofsky, Special Inspector General for the Treasury's Toxic Assets Relief Program (SIGTARP), released his quarterly report on the... Read More

Fight Over Weapons Cuts is About to Get Ugly

April 08, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

At Monday’s unveiling of major weapons cuts in the 2010 defense budget, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he hoped members of Congress... Read More

Senate Adopts Amendment Supporting Massive Expansion of the DOE Loan Guarantee Program

April 02, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Late last night the Senate passed an amendment to the Budget Resolution supporting a $50 billion reserve fund for the Department of... Read More

Members of Congress Voice Support for Cost-Effective Salmon Recovery

April 02, 2009 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

This week more than 70 Representatives sent a bipartisan letter to President Obama asking for his commitment to restoring Columbia and... Read More

$50 Billion Expansion for Loan Guarantee Program is back

April 01, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Today the Senate is voting on dozens of amendments to its annual Budget Resolution; the blueprint for the Congress’s spending plan for... Read More

No Joke: Stevens Conviction to be Thrown Out

March 31, 2009 | Our Take |

According to media reports, the Justice Department will ask for dismissal of the indictment against former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens (R)... Read More

Bank Bailouts: Federal Watchdogs Critical of TARP

March 30, 2009 | Coming Up | Budget & Tax

This morning the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to receive updated information from the federal watchdog agencies charged with... Read More

Recommendations to the President for Earmark Reform

March 10, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

At Taxpayers for Common Sense, we believe that all funding decisions must be made on the basis of merit, federal priorities and national... Read More

The President’s Energy Budget

March 03, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

The President’s budget released last week includes $ 26.3 billion for the Department of Energy, a $2.1 billion increase over 2008 and... Read More

President Cuts Oil and Gas Subsidies

March 02, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

The President’s budget highlights, released last week, took the ax to major subsidies to the oil and gas industry. Through the... Read More

National Security Spending in the 2010 Budget

February 27, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , National Security

Though the topline numbers in the Obama administration’s national security budget for 2010 may not make headlines, there’s a lot of... Read More

Billions in Risky Energy Loan Guarantees Included in Omnibus

February 26, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

The Omnibus Appropriations bill that passed yesterday in the House and is expected next week in the Senate includes $47 billion for the... Read More

President Obama Releases 2010 Federal Budget

February 26, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

President Obama has released his proposed federal budget for FY2010.  Download a copy of the budget here:  FY10 Federal Budget... Read More

Agriculture Policy Reform in the Federal Budget

February 26, 2009 | Our Take | Agriculture , Budget & Tax

The President’s budget proposals for the Department of Agriculture includes a number of items that TCS would like to see come to... Read More

TCS Presents: Loan Guarantees and You

February 25, 2009 | Event Summary | Energy

TCS explained today the basics of the Department of Energy's loan guarantees program at an Institute for Energy and Environmental... Read More

Letter to the President: Pledge to Keep the Stimulus Earmark Free

February 23, 2009 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

The President The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President, On behalf of the millions of members of our respective... Read More

Final Stimulus Bill Posted

February 13, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The House of Representatives website is being bombarded by taxpayers trying to read the final economic stimulus bill. All 1500... Read More

Senate Holds Hearing on Energy Loan Guarantee Program

February 12, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Today the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program. The program,... Read More

$50 Billion Expansion of Loan Guarantee Program Cut from Stimulus

February 12, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

During conference negotiations over the stimulus bill, the egregious $50 billion expansion of the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan... Read More

Knik Arm Crossing Gets Another Cost Estimate

February 11, 2009 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

An independent cost estimate puts the price tag for the Knik Arm Crossing—a.k.a. Don Young’s Way—in Anchorage, Alaska at $686 million... Read More

Causes of the Financial Crisis (CRS Report)

February 10, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

A handy website called Open CRS has been tracking down as many Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports they can get their hands on... Read More

Taxpayer Victory—We Have Stopped the Congressional Pay Raise

February 10, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

UPDATE--February 10, 2009 The House of Representatives has heard your call. Today, Speaker Pelosi instructed the Appropriations... Read More

FBI Raids Lobby Firm with Murtha Ties

February 09, 2009 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

ABC News is reporting that the FBI has raided the offices of PMA Group, a powerful lobbying outfit here in Washington, D.C. The firm... Read More

CBO: Senate Stimulus Costs $838.2 Billion

February 09, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released its score for the Senate version of the stimulus legislation.  CBO estimates the... Read More

Senate Reaches Deal on Stimulus Bill

February 07, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

This evening the Senate reached a deal on the economic stimulus bill. The deal was cut after agreement was met over what money should  be... Read More

Two Bailout Oversight Reports Released

February 06, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Two official reports on the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), a.k.a. the bailout,  have been released.  One is from the TARP... Read More

Senate Starts Debate on Economic Stimulus This Week

February 02, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Starting today, the Senate will be debating its version of the Economic Stimulus bill. The Senate Appropriation Committee has posted its... Read More

Senate Substitute Economic Stimulus Bill Released

February 02, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The Senate has released its final version of the Economic Stimulus bill.  Download the full bill here.  Debate on the bill began Monday,... Read More

Clean Coal Gets Boost in House and Senate Stimulus Bills

January 30, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

Both the House and Senate included increase for clean coal technologies in their stimulus bills. The House provided $2.4 billion for... Read More

Bank Bailout: GAO to Treasury Department - More Effort Needed

January 30, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has just released its second report on the progress of the Treasury Department’s in... Read More

Stimulus Aid to States: Some Room for Improvement

January 29, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

States are struggling in the current recession, and unlike the federal government, most are required to balance their budgets.  ... Read More

Bailout Oversight Panel Releases Special Report

January 29, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Today the Congressional Oversight Panel released a special report on regulatory reform. The bottom line, it calls for a complete overhaul... Read More

Senate Puts Taxpayers on the Hook for More than $50 Billion in Risky Loan Guarantees

January 29, 2009 | Our Take | Energy

This week, both the House and Senate included increases for the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee program in their stimulus bills, but... Read More

Key Accountability and Transparency Provisions in the Economic Stimulus Legislation

January 28, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

There are a lot of legitimate concerns about the size of the economic stimulus legislation and where some of the specific funds are... Read More

National Geographic To Air Government-Funded Homeland Security Special

January 28, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

A friend of Taxpayers for Common Sense in Maine just alerted us to something very interesting. Tonight, National Geographic is going to... Read More

Evaluating Economic Stimulus Legislation

January 27, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The House of Representatives is expected Wednesday to vote on an economic stimulus package, H.R. 1, the ‘‘American Recovery and... Read More

House Economic Stimulus Bill Released

January 25, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The latest version of the economic stimulus legislation that contains both the appropriations and tax portions of the legislation has... Read More

Stimulus Adds to Stratospheric Satellite Costs

January 23, 2009 | National Security

Despite energetic lobbying by the defense industry (and some lawmakers) the $825 billion stimulus bill now emerging from committee... Read More

Senate Finance Committee Releases Portion of Stimulus Bill

January 23, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on its version of an $825 billion economic stimulus package next week. The House package... Read More

GAO and Bailout banks

January 16, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

As part of the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) work on offshore tax havens, their most recent report – released today – really... Read More

House Releases $825 billion Economic Stimulus Bill

January 15, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Today, the House Appropriations committee released their portion of the proposed $825 billion economic stimulus package. Here is the... Read More

Are Bailout Banks Lending Money?

January 14, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

This morning, The New York Times published an excellent story about some of the problems with the financial sector bailout – the Troubled... Read More

Better Bailout Disclosure Coming?

January 08, 2009 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

One of the concerns Taxpayers for Common Sense and others have raised about the bailout funds is that the beneficiaries weren’t being... Read More

Earmark Reform Bill Introduced in the Senate

January 08, 2009 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

Taxpayers for Common Sense applauds Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) for... Read More

Stimulus Not Needed for Department of Defense

January 06, 2009 | Our Take | National Security

Of all the industries in line for a handout in this financially frightening time, the defense industry would seem to bring up the rear.... Read More

Congressman Gets Earmark for His Church

January 06, 2009 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL) appears to have taken the saying “taking care of your flock” to another level. Rush, who is also an... Read More

House, Senate Appropriators Offer Further Earmark Reforms

January 06, 2009 | Statements | Earmarks & Appropriations

Today, the House and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman announced new earmark reforms for FY10 spending bills. The new reforms:... Read More

Treasury Department Releases Report on Bailout Progress

December 31, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

On New Year's Eve day, the Treasury Department released their response to the questions posed by the Congressional Oversight Panel over... Read More

Ring in the New Year with Citibank Rose Bowl

December 23, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

We caught an ad earlier for the Rose Bowl, excuse us, we mean, the “Rose Bowl presented by Citi”. That’s right, for the first time the... Read More

Capitol Visitor Center Still Not Completed

December 23, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Hundreds of millions of dollars overbudget, four years overdue and the Capitol Visitor Center is still not finished. Although... Read More

New Reports Document Wasteful War Spending

December 16, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Just in time for a new war funding request to hit Capitol Hill, a trio of recently released documents recall just how badly the Pentagon... Read More

What $24 Million Gets These Days

December 15, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

The controversial National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), located in a former department store in the congressional district of Rep.... Read More

Read the Big 3 Automakers’ Bailout Plans

December 10, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Last week, the CEOs of Detroit’s “big 3” automakers made their second trip to Washington to plead for government support in the form of a... Read More

Private Industry Finds Coal-to-Liquids too Risky So Why Should Taxpayers Pick-Up the Tab?

December 10, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

A new report today released by the RAND Corporation addresses the costs, benefits and risks associated with commercial development of... Read More

Sens. McCaskill and Grassley Support Strengthened Bailout Watchdog

December 09, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Today, Sens. McCaskill (D-MO), Grassley (R-IA) and several others introduced legislation to strengthen the Inspector General for Troubled... Read More

Auto Bailout Draft Legislation

December 08, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

TCS has obtained a draft copy of the auto bailout legislation. Read the text here. We just got it and are looking through it, but... Read More

Sources Say Secret Hold on Bailout Watchdog Lifted

December 04, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Reuters News Agency reported late last night that, according to Senate aides, the secret hold on Neil Barofsky’s nomination as Inspector... Read More

Bailout Lacks Measures of Success and Oversight Tools

December 02, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

It’s been about two months since the U.S. Treasury Department implemented its Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). With nearly half of... Read More

Uncle Sam Should Review Sports Sponsorships by Bailout Banks

November 24, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Under the financial bailout, taxpayers are becoming silent investors in numerous banks and other financial institutions. While Uncle Sam... Read More

Final Regulations for Oil Shale Leasing on Federal Lands

November 18, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

Despite the federal government’s recognition that “any significant production of oil shale is not likely to occur for a number of years,”... Read More

TCS Statement on Colorado Public Awareness Effort on Energy

November 18, 2008 | Statements | Energy

Statement by Jill Lancelot, Co-founder/Senior Advisor, regarding Colorado public awareness effort on energy.   Statement by Jill... Read More

The Non-Oversight Cannon

November 10, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Last week we told you about a congressman’s efforts to feed the already overstuffed Army modernization program called Future Combat... Read More

Bring Home the Bailout Bucks

November 10, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Got a pen? Taxpayers for Common Sense has obtained the application needed to get a piece of the bailout pie. We’re all for streamlining... Read More

New Tax Breaks Increase Bailout Cost

October 30, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Outside of the financial sectors and the business pages of newspapers and magazines, most people likely missed the recent Treasury... Read More

Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Bank Bailout Spending

October 30, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Concerns are rising that the Treasury Department is allowing banks too much leeway to decide how they spending the bailout funds. Reports... Read More

Oil and Gas Companies Continue Receiving Billions in Taxpayer Subsidies while Reaping Record Profits

October 30, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

As was the case for much of the last decade, profits for major oil and gas companies continue to skyrocket.  Exxon brought in over $14... Read More

Banks Pressed on Bonus Plans

October 29, 2008 | Press Releases | Budget & Tax

Andrew Cuomo, the Attorney General of the State of New York, sent a letter yesterday to nine banks seeking each bank’s “expected payments... Read More

Gates: New Nukes Are Good For You and Cheaper Too

October 28, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates fired a preemptive strike against potential cuts to the U.S. nuclear weapons program this week by... Read More

New Report Raises Concerns with Royalty-In-Kind Program

October 28, 2008 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

A report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concludes that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) is at risk of... Read More

New Congress Should Freeze Own Pay

October 26, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

With the economy on the ropes, hundreds of thousands of Americans losing their jobs, and a national debt over $10 trillion, it is time... Read More

Rum Producers Benefit from Bailout Bill

October 26, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Little noticed beneficiaries of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, commonly known as the $810 billion bailout bill, are... Read More

Highway Group Calls for Doubling of Transportation Spending

October 23, 2008 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

In case you missed it, the American Association of State and Highway Officials (AASHTO) earlier this week announced its proposal for a... Read More

Stevens Trial: Senator Takes Stand in Own Defense

October 16, 2008 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), on trial for failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars of gifts from Veco Corporation and its former... Read More

50% of Bailout Package Spent

October 15, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

With Treasury’s $250 billion bank investment plan, and notice served on Congress that an additional $100 billion will be tapped to... Read More

President Approves $5 Billion in Defense Earmarks

October 13, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

The President today signed the 2009 Defense Authorization bill. While the levels of earmarks are down significantly from previous years,... Read More

Top 10 Tax Sweeteners in the Bailout Bill

October 09, 2008 | Budget & Tax

Update: The House has just passed the final version of the 2008 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, without making any changes to the... Read More

Treasury Releases Interim Oversight Policies

October 05, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , National Security

The Treasury Department today released interim policies on hiring contractors to manage the bailout and to handle potential conflicts of... Read More

House Passes Bailout Bill

October 02, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

The House of Representatives today passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 by 263-171. Click here to read about the $110... Read More

TCS Statement on the Upcoming Senate Bailout Vote

September 30, 2008 | Statements | Budget & Tax

Washington, D.C – The following is a prepared statement by Ms. Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the upcoming... Read More

Oversight Provisions in Bailout Bill

September 30, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

The 2008 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act contains stronger oversight protections than the three-page bill Treasury Secretary Henry... Read More

TCS Statement on the Bailout Plan

September 29, 2008 | Statements | Budget & Tax

Washington, D.C – The following is a prepared statement by Ms. Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the Emergency... Read More

Coal-to-Liquid Earmarks DOD Appropriations

September 23, 2008 | Our Take | Energy , National Security

Today the House passed a Continuing Resolution and a minibus that included the final FY09 Defense spending bill, which had 6 earmarks for... Read More

Joint Letter to Congress: Don’t Extend Loan Guarantee Program in the Continuing Resolution

September 23, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Energy

       Congress Can’t Afford to Fund Risky Loans; Don’t Extend DOE Loan Guarantee Program in... Read More

Official TCS Comments on Oil Shale Management - Proposed Rule

September 21, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed rule for Oil Shale Management. Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) is a... Read More

Senate Turns Against Earmark Reform

September 17, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

Tonight, the Senate passed the $612.5 billion Fiscal Year 2009 defense authorization bill. Virtually all the amendments to the... Read More

New Report Details Problems with Oil and Gas Royalty System

September 11, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

A new report finds that the federal oil and gas systems inability to adapt royalty rates or lease contracts to market conditions could... Read More

DHS Needs to Slow Down, Rethink Fencing Future

September 11, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

The Department of Homeland Security blames its doubled cost estimates for the border fence on pricey fuel, labor and materials. But it’s... Read More

White House Targets Contract Reform

September 10, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

The White House has targeted several contracting reform initiatives in the Senate defense authorization bill as veto-worthy, though its... Read More

Highway Trust Fund Fix Hurts Taxpayers

September 10, 2008 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

The Senate yesterday approved an $8 billion transfer from the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) (the House passed the same measure... Read More

Sex, Drugs, and Mismanagement at the Department of the Interior

September 10, 2008 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

Government officials responsible for the collection of billions of dollars of oil royalties to the federal treasury accepted gifts from... Read More

GAO: Border Costs Climbing the Fence

September 09, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Federal watchdogs confirmed our suspicions today when they revealed that the cost of building a 600+ mile fence along our southern border... Read More

Wasilla, Alaska Benefited from Nearly $27 Million in Earmarks from 1996 to 2002

September 01, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

As Mayor of Wasilla between 1996-2002, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) helped get nearly $27 million in earmarked federal funding. Under her... Read More

New Analysis: Lawmakers Cutting Their Earmark Calories

August 17, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

During this election year, lawmakers are showing slight restraint in writing the earmarks in the FY 2009 spending bills, according to an... Read More

Roadless Rule Struck Down Again

August 12, 2008 | Our Take | Natural Resources

The so-called roadless rule, promulgated in the final days of the Clinton Administration, has once again been struck down by U.S.... Read More

Free Ride for Foreign Companies

August 11, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

No one likes paying taxes. But most of us suck it up and do so every year, which helps pay for everything from new roads and bridges to... Read More

CBO: $85 Billion for Iraq Contractors

August 11, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

The Congressional Budget Office today released a report providing some of the most comprehensive estimates we’ve seen to date on the... Read More

Don Young Legal Defense Fund Disclosures Released

August 06, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

New documents show that Rep Don Young (R-AK) has raised $54,000 for his legal defense fund. This money was raised mainly from Alaskan... Read More

Missile Defense Finds Funds in Milcon Earmarks

August 06, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

This week we finished databasing earmarks in the Fiscal Year 2009 Senate bill that funds military construction and veterans’ affairs,... Read More

Alaska’s Federal Spending Bounty

July 31, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Like we needed any other facts to verify that Senator Ted Stevens has had the appropriations committee wired for some time, we used... Read More

Stevens Obtained $3.2 billion in earmarks between 2004-2008

July 29, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

Taxpayers for Common Sense has released the last four years of earmark data for Alaska to help create an understanding of how powerful... Read More

Senator Stevens Indicted on Corruption Charges: Taxpayers for Common Sense Calls for Senator’s Removal from Committees

July 28, 2008 | Press Releases |

Written Statement from Steve Ellis, Vice President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on Sen. Stevens (R-AK) indictment “Taxpayers for... Read More

Quick Overview of the Stevens Indictment

July 28, 2008 | Our Take |

The indictment handed down today in the federal case against Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK): Click Here Stevens was indicted on seven federal... Read More

TCS Statement on Don Young Ad Controversy

July 25, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

Washington, D.C. – The following is a written Statement by Ms. Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense: It has come to... Read More

TCS Requests Don Young Campaign Remove Misleading Ads

July 24, 2008 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations , Transportation & Infrastructure

Recently it was brought to our attention that Alaskans for Don Young has been running radio ads claiming that Taxpayers for Common Sense... Read More

Bad Contracts Hurting Good People

July 24, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Our men and women in the military face enough problems without dealing with faulty wiring, contaminated water and corroded ammunition. So... Read More

House Strongly Opposes Funds for Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

July 23, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

The FY09 House Energy and Water Bill specifically denies funds for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), a large-scale DOE... Read More

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the Mortgage Bailout

July 21, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

There have been a lot of numbers floating around the proposed bailout backstop for the government sponsored mortgage giants Fannie Mae... Read More

Should Duke Cunningham be Pardoned?

July 20, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

Former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA), currently in the middle of an 8-year prison sentence for taking $2.4 million in bribes from... Read More

Los Alamos’ Insecurity Complex

July 15, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Though two of the nation’s largest nuclear labs are no doubt sad to see their patron Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) depart Congress, the... Read More

Marines Advertising on Hummers

July 14, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Anyone who has a TV knows the military spends tons of money for recruiting prospective troops into the services. Recently, while watching... Read More

TCS, Allies and Taxpayers Find 76 Lawmakers Publish Earmark Requests

July 14, 2008 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

Every year lawmakers submit tens of thousands of earmark requests to the Appropriations Committees. Only a percentage of these make it... Read More

End of a Nuclear Era

July 10, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Nuclear weapons labs and the Senator who loves them closed a chapter yesterday when the Senate cut funding for a controversial program to... Read More

Schoolyard Antics Derail House Spending Bills

July 09, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

In a tussle worthy of a schoolyard, the spending bosses in the House of Representatives have decided to hang up their cleats and go home.... Read More

GAO Recommends Congress Limit Loan Guarantees

July 07, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

In a new report released today, the Government Accountability Office recommends Congress limit the amount of loan guarantees issued by... Read More

House Amps Up Energy Loan Guarantees

July 01, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 established the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program to grant loan guarantees for innovative... Read More

Joint Letter to the President on Suspension of Ethanol Tariff

July 01, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

TCS joined other groups in a letter to President George W. Bush on suspension of the ethanol tariff. ... Read More

GAO Finds Funny Fence Numbers at DHS

June 30, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

At last, the Department of Homeland Security has given us some idea of what its border fence is going to cost—and it looks like a... Read More

House Appropriations Committee Smackdown

June 25, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

The House appropriations committee had a melt down today. After a bit of posturing, it appeared they were going to get down to business... Read More

House Appropriations Committtee Disciplines DHS

June 24, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

The $40 billion Homeland Security spending bill marked up by the House Appropriations Committee yesterday is $2.3 billion over the... Read More

Independent Audit Ordered for Bridge to Nowhere

June 22, 2008 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

The Anchorage Daily News reports today that the state of Alaska will ask for an independent cost estimate of the Knik Arm bridge.  This... Read More

Highway Trust Fund Being Driven to Bankruptcy

June 22, 2008 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

Last week, USA Today had a story about how the decline in miles traveled by America’s drivers, largely the result of historically high... Read More

Appropriations Committees Ramp Up Activities

June 19, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations

Theyyyyyyyyyyy’re back. On both sides of the Capitol, the spending gears are starting to turn as the Appropriations committees meet to... Read More

Don Young’s “A Team” Lobbyist List Uncovered

June 17, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

A two-page “survival guide” issued in 2007 to interns in Rep. Don Young’s (R–AK) office lists nine transportation lobbyists as “The A... Read More

GAO Sides with Boeing in Tanker Contract Dispute

June 17, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

The Hill is reporting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has sided with Boeing in a dispute between aerospace giants over a... Read More

Pouring Concrete on the Border

June 05, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

As Congress continues to threaten to withhold funds from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for failing to provide cost estimates... Read More

GAO: Gulf Leases Could Cost Taxpayers $53 Billion

June 04, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released today estimates taxpayers will lose up to $53 billion from Gulf of Mexico oil... Read More

Defense Earmarks

June 04, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , National Security

What a week! So we are slogging through the defense spending bill. From our counting of the earmark disclosure tables at the end of the... Read More

Energy Campaign Overview

June 03, 2008 | Our Take | Energy

TCS fights to keep unnecessary subsidies, loopholes and tax breaks out of America's energy policy For more than a decade, TCS has led... Read More

Istook Sent Earmarks to Six Abramoff Clients

June 02, 2008 | Press Releases | Earmarks & Appropriations

A chief of staff for a former House Appropriations Committee Chairman pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to conspiring to defraud... Read More

TCS Letter to Congress: Oppose Farm Bill Conference Report

May 12, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Letter to Congress:  Oppose Farm Bill Conference Report May 13, 2008 Dear... Read More

The Nine Lives of the C-17

May 08, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Now that the first drafts of the defense spending bills are rolling in, the tea leaves are beginning to curl into place to reveal which... Read More

TCS and NTU Joint Letter to the President: Veto the Farm Bill

May 06, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

May 7, 2008 The Honorable George W. Bush President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,... Read More

Fencing in the Dark

May 01, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Members of Congress are finally waking up to the fact that a billion-dollar behemoth is about to rise from America’s southwestern border.... Read More

The Gas Tax Holiday:  Good Politics, Bad Policy

April 29, 2008 | Press Releases | Transportation & Infrastructure

With the average price of a gallon of gasoline over $3.601 and diesel well over $4.002, it’s no surprise that political solutions to the... Read More

TCS Testimony: Fiscal Implications of Border Security Strategies

April 27, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | National Security

Testimony of Laura Peterson, Senior Policy Analyst for Taxpayers for Common Sense before the House Subcommittee on National Parks,... Read More

Bipartisan Group of Senators Call for Taxpayer Protections in New Mining Law

April 23, 2008 | Press Releases | Energy

Washington, D.C. – Today Senators Feingold (D-WI), Sununu (R-NH), Cantwell (D-WA), and Gregg (R-NH) led a bi-partisan push for the... Read More

More Money, More Problems

April 09, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

Can earmarks be too much of a good thing? Some high-level Defense Department officials think so. TCS commented this week on a recent DoD... Read More

Dude, Who’s Watching My Contract?

April 03, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

The first question that demands answering after reading last week’s story about the 22-year-old who sold the Army $300 million worth of... Read More

DeMint Earmark Moratorium Amendment Fails

March 12, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

So it finally happened at 10:30 tonight. The DeMint earmark moratorium amendment to the budget resolution came to a vote. When faced... Read More

More on Earmark Transparency

March 11, 2008 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations

We’re still waiting to see what Speaker Pelosi does; word has been that it will be today. Over in the Senate, it keeps getting more... Read More

Boeing’s Fence Operation

February 28, 2008 | Our Take | National Security

While the Pentagon is investigating why Boeing spent its own money to keep the operations line for its C-17 aircraft open, the company... Read More

Letter to the President and Congressional Leaders: Veto the Farm Bill

February 28, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

February 28, 2008 The Honorable George W. Bush President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave... Read More

Congressional Letter to House Leaders on Farm Bill Reform

February 28, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

Below is a February 2008 letter to House Speaker and Minority Leader, and Agriculture Committee chairman and ranking member. The letter,... Read More

Coalition Letter Welcoming New Agriculture Commissioner

February 06, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

February 6, 2008 The Honorable Edward Schafer Secretary of Agriculture U.S. Department of... Read More

Future Cash Combat

February 05, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , National Security

11:30 a.m. -- The Army’s Future Combat Systems, a sprawling modernization program that encompasses several phased deployments of weapons... Read More

Missile Defense

February 05, 2008 | Press Releases | Budget & Tax , National Security

11:20 a.m. -- The administration’s request included $9 billion for the Missile Defense Agency, the organization within the Defense... Read More

Interest Payments on Debt Skyrocket

February 05, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

3:25 p.m. -- With the economy in the tank and rising federal debt, the costs of servicing the federal debt is skyrocketing. According to... Read More

President Supports Controversial Loan Guarantee Program

February 04, 2008 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Energy

The administration’s 2009 budget for the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program requests $38.5 billion in loan guarantee... Read More

Testimony before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Reform of 1872 Mining Law

January 24, 2008 | Letters & Testimony | Natural Resources

Good morning Chairman Bingaman, Ranking Member Domenici, members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you... Read More

As the Omnibus Turns

December 12, 2007 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

While House Appropriations Cardinals are supposedly shaking the spending trees to find programs to cut from the end-of-the-year... Read More

Maintain Congressional Oversight and Stringent Budget Cap on DOE Loan Guarantee Program

December 06, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

           Dear Representative, On behalf of our combined memberships, we urge you to... Read More

Examples of Federal Government Loan Guarantee Failures

November 07, 2007 | Our Take | Energy

Increasing reliance has been placed on federal government-backed private loan guarantees as a vehicle to fund private business... Read More

Veto – Channeling Ike on WRDA

November 02, 2007 | Our Take | Transportation & Infrastructure

It’s a Friday afternoon, but I thought you might be interested in another veto statement from a few years back. The WRDA bill was called... Read More

Oppose Blank Check Loan Guarantees in Final Energy Bill

October 31, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

              Dear Senator, We urge you to oppose the inclusion of language in the... Read More

Support H.R. 2262 and Reform of General Mining Law of 1872

October 25, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Natural Resources

End a 135 Year Old Taxpayer Giveaway Support the Reform of the General Mining Law of 1872 Vote “YES” on H.R. 2262 Dear... Read More

TCS Requests Ethics Investigation of Coconut Road Earmark

September 26, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Earmarks & Appropriations

The Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Chairwoman The Honorable Doc Hastings, Ranking Member House Committee on Standards of Official... Read More

Hardrock Mines on Federal Lands Provide No Return to Taxpayers

September 12, 2007 | Our Take | Natural Resources

Overview Under the General Mining Law of 1872, mining companies pay no royalties to the federal government for hardrock minerals... Read More

Ask Senator Stevens to Give Up Committee Assignments

July 31, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Earmarks & Appropriations

Dear Leader McConnell: I'm writing to request that you ask Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) to temporarily recuse himself from his... Read More

End Unnecessary Handouts to Big Oil

June 20, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

            Dear Senator: We are writing to urge you to vote for the Wyden-Sununu Amendment to the... Read More

Take a Bite Out of Oil and Gas Giveaways

June 04, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

  Dear Natural Resources Committee Member: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action urges you... Read More

Oppose Efforts to Increase Dairy Price Support Program

May 13, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

May 14, 2007 Dear Chairman Peterson and Ranking Member Goodlatte: During reauthorization of the... Read More

Testimony - Federal Crop Insurance Program

May 03, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

(Download a pdf of this testimony)   Testimony of Steve Ellis Vice President,... Read More

Land Swap for Cash Puts Rep. Rick Renzi in the Hot Seat

May 01, 2007 | Our Take | Natural Resources

Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ) was indicted in federal court on Feb. 22, 2008, on 35 counts including official extortion and money laundering.... Read More

Written Testimony Royalties at Risk Hearing before House Natural Resources Committee

March 27, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources

Good morning Chairman Rahall and members of the committee.  Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.  My name is Ryan Alexander... Read More

Oral Testimony Royalties at Risk Hearing before House Natural Resources Committee

March 27, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources

Good morning Chairman Rahall and distinguished members of the committee.  Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.  My name is... Read More

Bold Reform Needed in 2007 Farm Bill

February 08, 2007 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

February 8, 2007 Dear Member of Congress: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action, a... Read More

Time to Learn the Hard Lessons from Hurricane Katrina: Support Real Fiscal Reforms in Water Resources Development Act

September 20, 2006 | Letters & Testimony | Earmarks & Appropriations , Transportation & Infrastructure

Dear Member of Congress: For many years, our organizations have examined the standard operating practices of the Corps of Engineers and... Read More

Support Funding Cuts for Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

June 21, 2006 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

            The U.S. Senate 724 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C.... Read More

Cut Subsidies for Big Oil: Support the Sanders-Hinchey Amendment to H.R. 5522, the FY 2007 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill

June 07, 2006 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

            Dear Representative: On behalf of the Green Scissors campaign, a coalition... Read More

Cut Wasteful Spending in Emergency Supplemental Bill: Stop the $4 Billion Farm Subsidy Handout

June 04, 2006 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

June 5, 2006 Dear Speaker Hastert and Leader Pelosi: Earlier this month several Members of... Read More

Support the Blumenauer-Flake Amendment to Reduce Sugar Subsidies and the Chabot-Brown Amendment to Cut the Market Access Program

May 25, 2006 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

May 26, 2006 Dear Representative: On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we urge you to... Read More

Support Amendments to Reign in Agriculture Appropriations’ Earmarks

May 22, 2006 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture , Earmarks & Appropriations

May 23, 2006 Dear Representative: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action urges you to support... Read More

Preserve Language to End Royalty Relief for Oil and Gas Industry in Interior Appropriations Bill

May 15, 2006 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

             Dear Representative, Taxpayers for Common Sense urges you to support... Read More

“Relief” for Oil and Gas A Fiscal Headache for Taxpayers

May 10, 2006 | Our Take | Energy , Natural Resources

“Now, we don’t think oil companies need tax incentives or subsidies to drill for oil at $70 a barrel, or for that matter at $25.”  Wall... Read More

North Shore Road

January 12, 2006 | Transportation & Infrastructure

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Swain County), North Carolina Projected Cost to Federal Taxpayers: $604 million January 12,... Read More

Oppose Farm Bill Extension in Budget Reconciliation

December 14, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

                Oppose Farm Bill Extension in Budget Reconciliation December 14,... Read More

TCS Applauds the Elimination of the Alaska Bridges to Nowhere

November 16, 2005 | Statements | Earmarks & Appropriations , Transportation & Infrastructure

Washington, D.C. – The following is a written statement from Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense: The conferees on... Read More

Administration Veto Slump Continues

August 07, 2005 | Statements | Energy

The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the President signing the energy... Read More

Give Taxpayers a Break!

July 25, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

            Dear Energy Bill Conferee, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action, a... Read More

Thank You for Keeping Uranium Subsidies Out of the Energy Bill

July 20, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

            Dear Energy Bill Conferee, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action, a non-partisan... Read More

Senate Passes Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

June 30, 2005 | Statements | Energy , Transportation & Infrastructure

The following is a written statement from Steve Ellis, Vice President for Programs at Taxpayers for Common Sense on the Senate passage of... Read More

TCS Commissioned Report—Billions Spent to Deter Marijuana Use, But Program Effectiveness Remains Unknown

June 28, 2005 | Budget & Tax

Marijuana is the most widely used illegal substance in the United States, and study after study shows that despite spending billions of... Read More

Oppose Subsidizing Chinese Nuclear Plants with U.S. Tax Dollars

June 27, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

             Dear Representative:  We urge you to support the Sanders-Rohrabacher-Tim... Read More

Oppose the Domenici/Landrieu Amendment to Rip Off Rest of Country for Few States

June 22, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

             Dear Senator,  We urge you to oppose the amendment by Senators Pete... Read More

Oppose the Energy Bill Boondoggle

June 09, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

            Dear Senator: On behalf of our members, the undersigned groups urge you to... Read More

Demonstrate Your Commitment to Fiscal Responsibility: Oppose H.R. 6

May 12, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

            May 13, 2005 Dear Senator, Last month, the House of... Read More

House Passes Energy Bill

April 19, 2005 | Statements | Energy

The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on final passage of H.R. #6 – The Energy... Read More

TCS Statement on the Energy Bill

April 19, 2005 | Statements | Energy

The following is a prepared statement by Keith Ashdown, Vice-President of Policy at Taxpayers for Common Sense on H.R. #6: Washington,... Read More

Stop Oil and Gas Royalty Holiday in the Gulf of Mexico; Support the Grijalva Amendment to Strike Section 2005

April 18, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

             April 18, 2005 Dear Representative, We urge you to support the... Read More

Stop MTBE Producers from Passing the Buck: Support the Capps Amendment to Strike MTBE Transition Assistance and Safe Harbor

April 12, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy , Natural Resources

April 12, 2005 Dear Representative, We urge you to support the amendments by... Read More

End the 25-Year-Old Synfuels Scam: Support the Doggett Amendment

April 11, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Energy

April 11, 2005 Dear Representative, We urge you to support the Doggett amendment to the... Read More

TCS Statement on House Passage of TEA-LU

March 10, 2005 | Statements | Transportation & Infrastructure

Washington, D.C. - The following is a statement by Keith Ashdown, Vice President of Policy at Taxpayers for Common Sense on H.R. 3 -... Read More

TCS Statement on C-130J Bid Protest

February 24, 2005 | Statements | National Security

Washington, D.C. - Prepared statement by Keith Ashdown,Vice President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the Government Accountability... Read More

TCS Testimony: Waste, Fraud and Abuse in U.S. Government Contracting in Iraq

February 14, 2005 | Letters & Testimony | Budget & Tax

Oral Statement of Steve Ellis, Vice President of Programs, Taxpayers for Common Sense before Senate Democratic Policy Committee... Read More

Letter Thanking Jeff Flake for Farm Subsidy Work

July 19, 2004 | Letters & Testimony | Agriculture

July 20, 2004 The Honorable Jeff Flake United States House of Representatives 424 Cannon House... Read More

Missed Opportunity on Energy & Water Spending Bill; House Pads Corps Water Budget

June 24, 2004 | Statements | Energy , Transportation & Infrastructure

The following is a prepared statement by Steve Ellis, Vice President at Taxpayers for Common Sense on the House Energy & Water... Read More

TCS Statement on House Energy Bill Debate

June 14, 2004 | Statements | Energy

Washington, D.C. - The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the energy bill... Read More

Bulldozed: How Taxpayers Get Leveled by Highway Pork

Despite the call on Capitol Hill for fiscal belt tightening to deal with record deficits, the House has shown an unprecedented hunger for... Read More

TCS Statement on Efforts to Add Energy Amendments to Internet Tax Non-discrimination Act of 2003

April 28, 2004 | Statements | Budget & Tax , Energy

The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a national budget watchdog on efforts to... Read More

Statement on Introduction of Legislation to Curb Section 29 Abuses

April 27, 2004 | Statements | Energy

The following is a written statement by Aileen Roder, Program Director at Taxpayers for Common Sense on introduction of legislation to... Read More

Statement on S. 2095

February 19, 2004 | Statements | Energy

The following is a written statement by Aileen Roder, Program Director at Taxpayers for Common Sense on S. 2095: Washington, D.C. -... Read More

Wyden-Sununu Endorsements

October 31, 2003 | Our Take | Energy

Title IV, Subtitle B of S. 14 provides federal loan guarantees to build six new nuclear power plants at an estimated cost of $14 to $16... Read More

A Costly Deal on the Energy Bill

August 01, 2003 | Statements | Energy

             For Immediate Release August 1, 2003 A Costly Deal on the Energy... Read More

Senate Votes to Increase Corporate Welfare for the Nuclear Industry

June 09, 2003 | Statements | Energy

The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the Senate decision to move forward... Read More

GAO to Audit Bonneville Power

April 22, 2003 | Statements | Energy , Natural Resources

Washington, D.C. - The General Accounting Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, has alerted the Bonneville Power... Read More

Analysis Finds House Energy Bill Fueled By Pork

April 10, 2003 | Press Releases | Energy

Washington, D.C. -- The House of Representatives today passed a new energy bill loaded with billions of special interest provisions and... Read More

Closer Scrutiny of BPA Finances Needed

February 07, 2003 | Statements | Energy

The following is a written statement by Autumn Hanna, Senior Policy Analyst at Taxpayers for Common Sense, a national budget watchdog... Read More

Homeland Security: A Boon for Businesses

July 18, 2002 | Our Take | National Security

On June 6, 2002, President George W. Bush unveiled his plan for a new Cabinet-level agency with a staff of 170,000 and a budget of $37... Read More

Cost Overruns, Unanswered Scientific Questions Plague Yucca Project

May 06, 2002 | Statements | Energy

Statement by Jill Lancelot, Legislative Director at Taxpayers for Common Sense for the May 7th YuccaMountain Press... Read More

TCS Blasts Senate on Ethanol Decision

April 22, 2002 | Statements | Agriculture , Energy

Washington, D.C. - The Senate decision today to approve the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) that will increase the use of ethanol to 5... Read More

Bonneville Power Shortchanging Taxpayers

October 30, 2001 | Press Releases | Energy , Natural Resources

Bonneville Power Shortchanging Taxpayers Washington, DC -- Using a controversial interpretation of... Read More

Investigation Reveals Weaknesses in Federal Firefighting

August 01, 2001 | Press Releases | Natural Resources

  Investigation Reveals Weaknesses in Federal Firefighting Funding for Wildfire... Read More

Billions for Big Business in House Energy Plan

July 30, 2001 | Press Releases | Energy

Billions for Big Business in House Energy Plan Washington, D.C. - An energy bill about to be... Read More

Army Corps of Engineers Reform and Community Relations Improvement Act of 2001

June 26, 2001 | Statements | Energy , Transportation & Infrastructure

Washington, DC -- Taxpayers for Common Sense would like to applaud Congressman Tancredo for his leadership and defense of taxpayers in... Read More

Statement on Defeat of the Auburn Dam for the Fifth Time in a Decade

June 26, 2001 | Statements | Energy , Transportation & Infrastructure

Wasington, DC -- Last night Congress struck down the $2.5 Auburn Dam project for the fifth time in a decade through a major bi-partisan... Read More

Don’t Forget the Debt

April 01, 2001 | Our Take | Budget & Tax

As tax-cut fever grips Washington, details like the fact that Uncle Sam is still deeply in the red are being downplayed.   While... Read More

Energy Bill Doles Out Billions to Companies with Record Profits

February 09, 2001 | Statements | Energy

Washington, D.C. -  As early as late February, Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK) is expected to introduce an energy bill that will direct... Read More

Energy Secretary Richardson Saves Taxpayers $5 Billion: Supports DOE Tritium Decision and Oppose Pork Barrel Opponents

December 23, 1998 | Statements | Energy

Washington, D.C. – Making the best of a bad set of options, Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson courageously saved American taxpayers at... Read More

ISTEA Brewing Trouble

April 05, 1998 | Our Take | Budget & Tax , Transportation & Infrastructure

As the House overwhelmingly passed its version of the budget-busting new highway bill last week 317–85, divisions brewed between... Read More

Federal Distress

March 30, 1998 | Our Take | Earmarks & Appropriations , National Security

When it comes to shipping supplies, the Department of Defense is no Federal Express. DOD loses track of sixty percent of the $5 billion... Read More

Green Scissors Michigan Released

May 11, 1997 | Statements | Budget & Tax , Earmarks & Appropriations , Natural Resources

In the first single state effort of the national Green Scissors Campaign, TCS and the Michigan Land Use Institute released the Green... Read More

Weekly Wastebasket

Our weekly reality-check for federal spending. View All

September 13, 2013

Syria: Excuse 535 To Not Cut the Deficit

Volume XVIII No. 37 Possible action in Syria has become the most recent excuse du jour for Pentagon boosters... Read More