What's Happening in Avoid Unnecessary Liabilities

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...

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,...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Letter to Senate: Oppose Subsidies for Unconventional Fuels in NDAA

  Oppose Amendments to Defense Authorization Bill that Provide Subsidies for Unconventional...

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...

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...

Disaster Reforms for Resiliency

Over the past decade, extreme weather and storms have become increasingly commonplace – including coastal storms, wildfires, droughts,...

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....

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

Today, TCS joined 10 other fiscally conservative groups highlighting a dozen wasteful farm policy programs. ...

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....

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...

Second Fossil Energy Loan Guarantee Solicitation Coming Soon

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

$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...

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...

TCS Moderates Congressional Briefings on Reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard

            February 5, 2013 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis, 202-546-8500 ext...

Golden Fleece Awarded to Agriculture Risk Management Agency

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

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....

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...

Statement: TCS President on Passage of No More Solyndras Act

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...

More Solyndras Act Passes Committee

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

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...

No More Solyndras Act Falls Short for Taxpayers

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

Green Scissors 2012 Finds Environmentally Destructive Federal Programs

Left-Right coalition identifies practical steps Congress could take to slash deficits, save natural resources....

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

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

Congress Votes to Keep Same Program That Brought You Solyndra Alive

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

TCS Testifies before House Natural Resources Subcommittee

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

House Cuts $25 Million in Subsidies for Oil Shale

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

End USEC Giveaways in Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

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

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

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

House Backdoor Earmarks $150 million for Parochial Boondoggle

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). ...

Stop $150 million for troubled uranium project in NDAA

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

Senators Call for Common Sense Changes to Crop Insurance

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...

Senate Agriculture Committee Proposes Entitlement Filled Farm Bill

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

National Taxpayer and Free Market Nonprofits Announce New Joint Venture

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

Problems with DOE Loan Guarantee Program Continue

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

House Committee Discusses Nuclear Safety and Spending

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

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

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

White House Loan Guarantee Review

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

New Nuclear Reactors Must Move Forward Without Passing Risk to Taxpayers

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...

FAA Reauthorization: EAS reforms fail taxpayers

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

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

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

FAA Reauthorization Should Include EAS Reforms

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

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

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

State of the Union Energy Proposals

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

House Subcommittee Discusses Loan Guarantees

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

Loan Guarantee Program Up for Review

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

Transportation Reauthorization: Congress Needs to Pay to Pave

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

Uranium Loan Guarantee Is A Bad Bet

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

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

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

Solyndra Probe Continues

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

Clock Ticking Only On Some of the Risky DOE Loan Guarantees

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...

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

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

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

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

Support FAA Extension, Reform the Essential Air Service

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

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

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

Senate Committee Passes Energy Financing Entity

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

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

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

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

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

House Subcommittee Hearing on DOE Loan Guarantees

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

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

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.”...

TCS Testimony on the National Flood Insurance Program

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

Energy Loan Guarantee Program Under More Scrutiny

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

TCS Testifies at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

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

Ongoing Analysis of Debate Over FY11 Continuing Resolution

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

CR Misses the Mark on Loan Guarantees

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

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

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

Congressional Briefing on Department of Energy Loan Guarantees

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

Solar Development Train Leaving the Station, Without Congress

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

Taxpayer Victory: Costly Nuclear Loan Guarantee Shelved

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

Keep it Clean

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...

Hearing on Loan Guarantee Program Raises Concerns for Taxpayers

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

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

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

TCS Statement on SACE FOIA lawsuit against DOE Loan Guarantee Program

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

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

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

TCS Urges Congress to Enact Farm Bill Reforms

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

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

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

Clean Energy Development Must Not Clean Out Taxpayer Pockets

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

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

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

Another Loan Guarantee Putting Taxpayer Dollars at Risk

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

Abandoned Gulf Wells Could Cost Taxpayers

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

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

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

Taxpayers Stand to Lose Billions on Risky Reactor

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

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

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

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

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

War Spending Bill is No Place for More Nuclear Loan Guarantees

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

Senate Climate Bill Loads up Taxpayer Giveaways

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

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

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

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

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

Oil and Gas Orphans Cost Taxpayers Millions

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

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

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

Department of Energy Announces Risky Loan Guarantee for Southern Company

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

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

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

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

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

Joint Letter Urging Administration Not to Increase Risky Loan Guarantee Program

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

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

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

Senate Energy Committee Discusses Costly Nuclear Legislation

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

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

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

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

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

TCS Letter to Congress: Protect Taxpayers from Risky Reactors

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

House Passes Cap and Trade Legislation

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

Changes to Loan Guarantee Program Adopted by Senate Committee

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

House Agriculture Committee Hearing on Pending Climate Change Legislation

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

Massive Increase for DOE Loan Guarantee Program Dropped from Budget Resolution

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

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

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

Billions in Risky Energy Loan Guarantees Included in Omnibus

The Omnibus Appropriations bill that passed yesterday in the House and is expected next week in the Senate includes $47 billion for the...

TCS Presents: Loan Guarantees and You

TCS explained today the basics of the Department of Energy's loan guarantees program at an Institute for Energy and Environmental...

Senate Holds Hearing on Energy Loan Guarantee Program

Today the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program. The program,...

$50 Billion Expansion of Loan Guarantee Program Cut from Stimulus

During conference negotiations over the stimulus bill, the egregious $50 billion expansion of the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan...

Senate Puts Taxpayers on the Hook for More than $50 Billion in Risky Loan Guarantees

This week, both the House and Senate included increases for the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee program in their stimulus bills, but...

Final Regulations for Oil Shale Leasing on Federal Lands

Despite the federal government’s recognition that “any significant production of oil shale is not likely to occur for a number of years,”...

Joint Letter to Congress: Don’t Extend Loan Guarantee Program in the Continuing Resolution

       Congress Can’t Afford to Fund Risky Loans; Don’t Extend DOE Loan Guarantee Program in...

Official TCS Comments on Oil Shale Management - Proposed Rule

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed rule for Oil Shale Management. Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) is a...

GAO Recommends Congress Limit Loan Guarantees

In a new report released today, the Government Accountability Office recommends Congress limit the amount of loan guarantees issued by...

House Amps Up Energy Loan Guarantees

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 established the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program to grant loan guarantees for innovative...

Joint Letter to the President on Suspension of Ethanol Tariff

TCS joined other groups in a letter to President George W. Bush on suspension of the ethanol tariff. ...

Energy Campaign Overview

TCS fights to keep unnecessary subsidies, loopholes and tax breaks out of America's energy policy For more than a decade, TCS has led...

President Supports Controversial Loan Guarantee Program

The administration’s 2009 budget for the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program requests $38.5 billion in loan guarantee...

Maintain Congressional Oversight and Stringent Budget Cap on DOE Loan Guarantee Program

           Dear Representative, On behalf of our combined memberships, we urge you to...

Examples of Federal Government Loan Guarantee Failures

Increasing reliance has been placed on federal government-backed private loan guarantees as a vehicle to fund private business...

Oppose Blank Check Loan Guarantees in Final Energy Bill

              Dear Senator, We urge you to oppose the inclusion of language in the...

Testimony - Federal Crop Insurance Program

(Download a pdf of this testimony)   Testimony of Steve Ellis Vice President,...

Time to Learn the Hard Lessons from Hurricane Katrina: Support Real Fiscal Reforms in Water Resources Development Act

Dear Member of Congress: For many years, our organizations have examined the standard operating practices of the Corps of Engineers and...

Cut Wasteful Spending in Emergency Supplemental Bill: Stop the $4 Billion Farm Subsidy Handout

June 5, 2006 Dear Speaker Hastert and Leader Pelosi: Earlier this month several Members of...

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...