What's Happening in Eliminate Corporate Welfare

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...

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. ...

Joint Letter to the House: Reduce Wasteful Pentagon Spending

     June 13, 2013 Dear Representative: We, the leaders of our undersigned...

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...

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...

Water Waste: Cut Costly Provisions from Water Resources Development Act

The Senate WRDA bill is too costly to stand....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 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. ...

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....

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...

Congress: Only Fund Emergency Needs in Sandy Supplemental

  January 11, 2012 Dear Representative, As you know, the House of...

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....

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...

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...

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...

Green Scissors 2012 Finds Environmentally Destructive Federal Programs

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

$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,...

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...

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 Statement on the JSF Alternate Engine Cancellation

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....

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...

Energy Committee Questions DOE on Budget

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

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...

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...

Still Fortifying Against Barge Company Bailouts

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Top Nuclear Loan Guarantee Contenders in Financial Shambles

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

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...

Another Huge Year for Oil and Gas Industry Profits

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

Better Bailout Disclosure Coming?

One of the concerns Taxpayers for Common Sense and others have raised about the bailout funds is that the beneficiaries weren’t being...

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...

Bailout Lacks Measures of Success and Oversight Tools

It’s been about two months since the U.S. Treasury Department implemented its Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). With nearly half 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...

Oil and Gas Companies Continue Receiving Billions in Taxpayer Subsidies while Reaping Record Profits

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...

New Congress Should Freeze Own Pay

With the economy on the ropes, hundreds of thousands of Americans losing their jobs, and a national debt over $10 trillion, it is time...

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...

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.,...

Boeing’s Fence Operation

While the Pentagon is investigating why Boeing spent its own money to keep the operations line for its C-17 aircraft open, the company...

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...

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 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...

Preserve Language to End Royalty Relief for Oil and Gas Industry in Interior Appropriations Bill

             Dear Representative, Taxpayers for Common Sense urges you to support...

“Relief” for Oil and Gas A Fiscal Headache for Taxpayers

“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...

Stop MTBE Producers from Passing the Buck: Support the Capps Amendment to Strike MTBE Transition Assistance and Safe Harbor

April 12, 2005 Dear Representative, We urge you to support the amendments by...

Letter Thanking Jeff Flake for Farm Subsidy Work

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

Senate Votes to Increase Corporate Welfare for the Nuclear Industry

The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the Senate decision to move forward...

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...

Billions for Big Business in House Energy Plan

Billions for Big Business in House Energy Plan Washington, D.C. - An energy bill about to be...

Energy Bill Doles Out Billions to Companies with Record Profits

Washington, D.C. -  As early as late February, Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK) is expected to introduce an energy bill that will direct...

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...