What's Happening in Cut Subsidies

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....

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...

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,...

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...

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

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

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...

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

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

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....

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. ...

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....

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...

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....

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....

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...

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. ...

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. ...

Fiscal Conservative Organizations Outraged at Farm Bill Process

Today, TCS joined other fiscal conservative organizations expressing outrage at the farm bill process. ...

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....

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....

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. ...

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. ...

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...

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...

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. ...

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...

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...

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....

Fighting Deficit Reduction

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

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...

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. ...

House Subcommittee Discusses BLM Budget

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

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...

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...

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...

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....

Senate Dems’ Plan to Avoid Sequester Fails to Save

Senate Democrats' plan to avoid sequestration cuts fails to save taxpayers enough money....

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...

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,...

TCS Moderates Congressional Briefings on Reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard

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

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

House Science Subcommittee Debates Oil Shale Subsidies

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

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

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....

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....

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...

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....

Report shows billions risked on oil shale speculation

With fiscal cliff looming, TCS calls for end to government handouts for failed oil shale experiments....

President Ms. Ryan Alexander Sliding Past Sequestration Statement

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

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....

Support Amendments to Cut Waste in Defense Spending Bill

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

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

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

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

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

Green Scissors 2012 Finds Environmentally Destructive Federal Programs

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

TCS Statement on Passage of Senate Farm Bill

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

Senate Finance Committee Meets to Talk Energy Tax Reform

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

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...

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,...

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...

Taylorville Energy Center Pulls Plug on its Coal Project

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

TCS Statement on Sanders-Ellison Bill Eliminating Fossil Fuel Subsidies

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...

National Taxpayer and Free Market Nonprofits Announce New Joint Venture

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

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

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

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

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

Senate Defeats Attempt to Attach NAT GAS Act to Transportation Bill

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

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

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

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...

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

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

Oil Profits Stay High; Needless Subsidies Continue

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

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...

Diverse Groups Mark Expiration of Ethanol Subsidy

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

Coalition Holds Press Conference on Illinois FutureGen Project

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

This Time, Let the Ethanol Tax Break Expire

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

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

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

Coalition Letter Opposing Passing Farm Bill Through Super Committee

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

Congressmen Support Common Sense Cuts to Wasteful Ag Spending

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

Taxpayers for Common Sense Targets Oil and Gas Tax Breaks

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

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...

Senate Energy Committee Needs to Stop the Clean Energy Deployment Administration

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....

TCS Comments on Senators’ Compromise on Ethanol Subsidy Elimination

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)....

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

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....

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

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

Coalition Letter Supporting Ending Wasteful $6 Billion Annual Ethanol Subsidy

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. ...

TCS Releases Report on Largest Ethanol Subsidy

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

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

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

Coalition Letter Opposing Clean Energy Deployment Administration

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....

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

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. ...

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

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

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

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

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....

Letter Supporting Bipartisan Effort to Cut Billions in Ethanol Giveaway

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.”...

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

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."...

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...

Coalition Letter to Congress Calls for an End to Energy Subsidies

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

Broad Coalition Supports Senators Efforts to End VEETC

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

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...

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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...

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

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

Blumenauer, Menendez Call for an End to Big Oil Subsidies

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...

House Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Mark-Up Delayed

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

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

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

BP Circular Logic on Taxpayer Subsidies For Cleanup

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

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...

Bill Introduced to Extend Wasteful Ethanol Tax Credits

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

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

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

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

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

FY11 Budget Cuts Agriculture Waste

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

FY2011 Budget Request: President Expands Cuts to Fossil Fuel Subsidies

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

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,...

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

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

Oil Companies To Reap More Profits on Backs of Federal Taxpayers

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...

Administration Calls for an End to Fossil Fuel Subsidies

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

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

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

Salazar Announces Termination of Royalty-in-Kind Program

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Captain Morgan’s Bailout Binge

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

TCS Letter to the Senate on Hardrock Mining Laws

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

Senate Energy Committee Passes American Clean Energy Leadership Act

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

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

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

GAO and Land Swaps

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

House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing on Department of Energy FY10 Budget Request

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

President Cuts Oil and Gas Subsidies

The President’s budget highlights, released last week, took the ax to major subsidies to the oil and gas industry. Through the...

Clean Coal Gets Boost in House and Senate Stimulus Bills

Both the House and Senate included increase for clean coal technologies in their stimulus bills. The House provided $2.4 billion for...

GAO and Bailout banks

As part of the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) work on offshore tax havens, their most recent report – released today – really...

Private Industry Finds Coal-to-Liquids too Risky So Why Should Taxpayers Pick-Up the Tab?

A new report today released by the RAND Corporation addresses the costs, benefits and risks associated with commercial development of...

TCS Statement on Colorado Public Awareness Effort on Energy

Statement by Jill Lancelot, Co-founder/Senior Advisor, regarding Colorado public awareness effort on energy.   Statement by Jill...

Rum Producers Benefit from Bailout Bill

Little noticed beneficiaries of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, commonly known as the $810 billion bailout bill, are...

Top 10 Tax Sweeteners in the Bailout Bill

Update: The House has just passed the final version of the 2008 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, without making any changes to the...

Coal-to-Liquid Earmarks DOD Appropriations

Today the House passed a Continuing Resolution and a minibus that included the final FY09 Defense spending bill, which had 6 earmarks for...

Sex, Drugs, and Mismanagement at the Department of the Interior

Government officials responsible for the collection of billions of dollars of oil royalties to the federal treasury accepted gifts from...

House Strongly Opposes Funds for Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

The FY09 House Energy and Water Bill specifically denies funds for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), a large-scale DOE...

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...

TCS Letter to Congress: Oppose Farm Bill Conference Report

Letter to Congress:  Oppose Farm Bill Conference Report May 13, 2008 Dear...

TCS and NTU Joint Letter to the President: Veto the Farm Bill

May 7, 2008 The Honorable George W. Bush President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,...

Bipartisan Group of Senators Call for Taxpayer Protections in New Mining Law

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...

Letter to the President and Congressional Leaders: Veto the Farm Bill

February 28, 2008 The Honorable George W. Bush President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave...

Congressional Letter to House Leaders on Farm Bill Reform

Below is a February 2008 letter to House Speaker and Minority Leader, and Agriculture Committee chairman and ranking member. The letter,...

Coalition Letter Welcoming New Agriculture Commissioner

February 6, 2008 The Honorable Edward Schafer Secretary of Agriculture U.S. Department of...

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...

Oppose Blank Check Loan Guarantees in Final Energy Bill

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

Support H.R. 2262 and Reform of General Mining Law of 1872

End a 135 Year Old Taxpayer Giveaway Support the Reform of the General Mining Law of 1872 Vote “YES” on H.R. 2262 Dear...

End Unnecessary Handouts to Big Oil

            Dear Senator: We are writing to urge you to vote for the Wyden-Sununu Amendment to the...

Take a Bite Out of Oil and Gas Giveaways

  Dear Natural Resources Committee Member: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action urges you...

Oppose Efforts to Increase Dairy Price Support Program

May 14, 2007 Dear Chairman Peterson and Ranking Member Goodlatte: During reauthorization of the...

Bold Reform Needed in 2007 Farm Bill

February 8, 2007 Dear Member of Congress: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action, a...

Support Funding Cuts for Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

            The U.S. Senate 724 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C....

Cut Subsidies for Big Oil: Support the Sanders-Hinchey Amendment to H.R. 5522, the FY 2007 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill

            Dear Representative: On behalf of the Green Scissors campaign, a coalition...

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...

Support the Blumenauer-Flake Amendment to Reduce Sugar Subsidies and the Chabot-Brown Amendment to Cut the Market Access Program

May 26, 2006 Dear Representative: On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we urge you to...

Support Amendments to Reign in Agriculture Appropriations’ Earmarks

May 23, 2006 Dear Representative: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action urges you to support...

Oppose Farm Bill Extension in Budget Reconciliation

                Oppose Farm Bill Extension in Budget Reconciliation December 14,...

Administration Veto Slump Continues

The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the President signing the energy...

Give Taxpayers a Break!

            Dear Energy Bill Conferee, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action, a...

Oppose Subsidizing Chinese Nuclear Plants with U.S. Tax Dollars

             Dear Representative:  We urge you to support the Sanders-Rohrabacher-Tim...

Oppose the Domenici/Landrieu Amendment to Rip Off Rest of Country for Few States

             Dear Senator,  We urge you to oppose the amendment by Senators Pete...

Oppose the Energy Bill Boondoggle

            Dear Senator: On behalf of our members, the undersigned groups urge you to...

Demonstrate Your Commitment to Fiscal Responsibility: Oppose H.R. 6

            May 13, 2005 Dear Senator, Last month, the House of...

House Passes Energy Bill

The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on final passage of H.R. #6 – The Energy...

TCS Statement on the Energy Bill

The following is a prepared statement by Keith Ashdown, Vice-President of Policy at Taxpayers for Common Sense on H.R. #6: Washington,...

Stop Oil and Gas Royalty Holiday in the Gulf of Mexico; Support the Grijalva Amendment to Strike Section 2005

             April 18, 2005 Dear Representative, We urge you to support the...

End the 25-Year-Old Synfuels Scam: Support the Doggett Amendment

April 11, 2005 Dear Representative, We urge you to support the Doggett amendment to the...

Letter Thanking Jeff Flake for Farm Subsidy Work

July 20, 2004 The Honorable Jeff Flake United States House of Representatives 424 Cannon House...

TCS Statement on House Energy Bill Debate

Washington, D.C. - The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the energy bill...

TCS Statement on Efforts to Add Energy Amendments to Internet Tax Non-discrimination Act of 2003

The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a national budget watchdog on efforts to...

Statement on Introduction of Legislation to Curb Section 29 Abuses

The following is a written statement by Aileen Roder, Program Director at Taxpayers for Common Sense on introduction of legislation to...

A Costly Deal on the Energy Bill

             For Immediate Release August 1, 2003 A Costly Deal on the Energy...

Analysis Finds House Energy Bill Fueled By Pork

Washington, D.C. -- The House of Representatives today passed a new energy bill loaded with billions of special interest provisions and...

Closer Scrutiny of BPA Finances Needed

The following is a written statement by Autumn Hanna, Senior Policy Analyst at Taxpayers for Common Sense, a national budget watchdog...

Cost Overruns, Unanswered Scientific Questions Plague Yucca Project

Statement by Jill Lancelot, Legislative Director at Taxpayers for Common Sense for the May 7th YuccaMountain Press...

TCS Blasts Senate on Ethanol Decision

Washington, D.C. - The Senate decision today to approve the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) that will increase the use of ethanol to 5...

Green Scissors Michigan Released

In the first single state effort of the national Green Scissors Campaign, TCS and the Michigan Land Use Institute released the Green...

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...