In the News

Trinity Uptown Bridges in Fort Worth Will Initially Span Dirt, Not Water

FORT WORTH — They’re not exactly bridges to nowhere, but when three new bridges in Fort Worth’s massive Trinity Uptown project are complete...

Op-Ed: Divide and Conquer: Turning Us Against Them

The lead story in the Dec. 14, 2009 edition of the Washington Post began: “The Senate cleared for Obama’s signature on Sunday a $447 billion...

Q&A: The Lowdown on the Shutdown, or Why You Should Care About the CR

Washington (CNN) -- In less than a month, the government may shut down. Lines are being drawn. Vacations are being canceled. Friends are...

Congress’ Massive To-Do List

Congress came back to town this week and there is plenty to do in the brief time both chambers are in session during September. First,...

Mitch McConnell’s Close Ties with Humana Founder

In 2005, David A. Jones Sr., founder of health insurance giant Humana Inc., needed help raising money for a Louisville, Ky., parks project...

House Panel May Unveil CR Today

The House Appropriations Committee will release the text of a continuing resolution as early as Tuesday, with the full House scheduled to...

House could vote on CR next week

The House could move forward as early as next week with a fiscal 2014 continuing resolution, a spokeswoman for the House Appropriations...

Letter to the Editor: Congess Adds to the Pentagon’s Budget Bloat

Walter Pincus hit the nail on the head with his Aug. 27 Fine Print column, “The defense appropriations shuffle.” There are still billions of...

Congress Needs to Clean House

This week at Taxpayers for Common Sense we are taking advantage of the slow pace of Washington while Congress is out of town to do a big,...

We Don’t Need Earmarks to Get Congress Working Again

As long time political observers lament the failure of Congress to get anything done, every once in a while you hear a call for the return...

4 Examples Of Corporate Welfare In Action

While corporations are often painted as the independent drivers of the U.S. economic system, the beacons of small government success aren’t...

Five federal secrets that have come out in 2013

A generation after the internet appeared on the scene and more than a decade since New York City’s twin towers collapsed due to a terrorist...

Transportation bill yields a THUD in the House

The Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill -- THUD for short -- is a $44 billion measure. House leaders put it...

Conservative Groups Urge Open Rule on Defense Appropriations

Conservative groups and budget watchdogs on Monday urged House Republican leaders to abandon a plan to limit debate on the largest annual...

For Rahall, Representation Means Fighting for Resources

Nick Rahall knew exactly what he wanted to do when West Virginia sent him to Washington in 1976, and almost four decades later he is still...

Shhhh. Republicans Are Defending Earmarks.

Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are starting to quietly defend earmarks, three years after Congress...

Rep. Mulvaney gets win in U.S. House on defense cuts

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., gained a major legislative victory Wednesday as the House passed his measure to reduce...

ROMERO: Putting spies on a leash

The spirit of Massachusetts lawyer James Otis is awakening in Congress with a vote scheduled for the House floor Wednesday to limit...

U.S. House rejects bid to kill Piketon project

WASHINGTON — The House yesterday overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to strip $48 million from a proposed uranium centrifuge in Piketon, Ohio...

Conservative groups push Republican leaders to open up Defense bill

A group of 11 conservative organizations are calling on Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to keep the Defense Appropriations bill open to all...

Flood Insurance Rates Could Jump for Thousands of Homeowners in Hawaii

More than 13,000 Hawaii property owners — including businesses, owners of vacation homes, and those whose properties have had major problems...

Landrieu inserts controversial flood insurance provision into spending bill

A major battle is unfolding in Congress over the troubled National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The fight pits homeowners in...

How House Tackles WRDA Could Signal Surface Transport Approach

The approach the U.S. House of Representatives takes in tackling the long-delayed Water Resources Development Act over the coming months...

Chris Coons named to Senate Appropriations Committee

Sen. Chris Coons was appointed on Thursday to the Senate Appropriations Committee, one of the most powerful committees in Congress. The...

Fiscal group enraged by limits on House farm bill amendments

Deficit hawks at Taxpayers for Common Sense are enraged Wednesday by limits imposed by the House Rules Committee on farm bill...

House to Consider 100-Plus Farm Bill Amendments; Passage May Slip to Next Week

The House launched into debate of more than 100 amendments to the farm bill Wednesday, but there were signs that final passage might be...

Earmarks 2.0: Plenty of Swag for Hawaii In Defense Bills

The end of earmarks and the loss of Hawaii’s senior U.S. senators might well have led to something bordering on an economic catastrophe for...

Farm bill cuts judged both too much, not enough

A year after they failed to pass a farm bill and suffered for it in several big congressional races, House Republicans think they’ve finally...

Alan Grayson says bill clearing way for Keystone XL pipeline is an earmark

Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., called a bill to advance the Keystone XL pipeline an earmark. Is it? Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., recently took...

Should Emergency Disaster Relief Funding Be Offset With Budget Cuts?

A devastating tornado struck Moore, Okla. and surrounding areas on Monday, killing dozens and leaving little but rubble in its wake....

All In With Chris Hayes

Oklahoma senators voted against Sandy relief - but now their state will need aid Chris Hayes talks to Oklahoma State Representative Mark...

The Role Of The Federal Government In Disaster Relief

Following the devastating tornado in Oklahoma, the federal government is stepping in. A look at disaster assistance and the politics of...

Obama Pledges Storm Aid; Some in Congress Talk of Finding Cuts to Offset It

WASHINGTON — President Obama vowed Tuesday to marshal the resources of the federal government to help the victims of Oklahoma’s killer...

Flood Insurance Amendment Could Lead to More Borrowing, Critics Say

An amendment to water resources legislation that would freeze flood insurance premiums for five years could force the Federal Emergency...

Shelby provision in water bill would benefit state docks

WASHINGTON — Ports that move large amounts of energy resources, including the Port of Mobile, would share a new pot of federal money to...

Bill would stop feared Louisiana levee

WASHINGTON -- The water-projects bill the U.S. Senate passed this week could promote investment in ports and protect the Coast from...

Senate-passed water resources bill includes Mississippi River navigation study

WASHINGTON – A major water resources bill approved Wednesday by the U.S. Senate calls for more public-private partnerships in river and...

Senate votes to extend federal water projects law

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday put aside its partisan differences to extend the federal government's main water resources law,...

McCaskill tackling ‘ghosts of earmarks past’

WASHINGTON • Leave it to senators to create something called the Infrastructure Deauthorization Commission to do a job that they might...

Critics taking aim at water resource bill

WASHINGTON — Environmental and fiscal deficit hawk groups teamed up Monday to criticize the water resources infrastructure bill by Sen....

Conservative groups: Sugar program must go

Leading conservative groups, including Americans for Tax Reform and Club for Growth, are calling for an end to the federal government's...

Appropriator background challenges Kingston in Senate primary

WASHINGTON — Jack Kingston’s 20-year career in the U.S. House has been shaped by his work on the powerful Appropriations Committee, where he...

Senators Reach Deal for First Votes on Water Bill

Senate negotiators reached an agreement Tuesday to phase out the diversion of money from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to offset other...

More of the Same Wasteful Farm Bill Spending

About a year ago, the Senate Agriculture Committee passed a new, five-year farm bill, well in advance of the last bill's expiration date of...

White House Raises Concerns About Water Bill

The White House registered strong opposition Monday to water resources legislation the Senate is set to take up, saying it doesn't...

CCAGW Signs Letter to Hill on Dairy Reform Gone Sour

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Tom Schatz, President of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), issued a letter to the both the...

Senate to vote today on bill to fund locks, dams, ports

WASHINGTON -- The Senate is poised to vote today to allow construction on locks, dams, ports and other water resources to move forward after...

Port of Rochester funds in U.S. Senate bill

The U.S. Senate is expected to take up a controversial water resources bill this week that boosts the Port of Rochester. U.S. Sen. Kirsten...

Amid budget cutbacks, U.S. shipping sector seeks more federal funds

WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) - As Congress imposes deep spending cuts on everything from national defense to child care, shipping industry...

Senate considers measure to spend more on dredging and other water projects

The Senate takes up a controversial water resources bill in the coming week that boosters say would prepare East Coast ports for deeper...

Fact check: Sanford-Colbert Busch debate

In a spirited debate between South Carolina congressional candidates Elizabeth Colbert Busch and Mark Sanford, we found a couple of...

Water infrastructure bill could drain taxpayer dollars with little oversight

The Water Resources Development Act of 2013 gives more than $12 billion to the Army Corps of Engineers - with little oversight It could...

Stimulus waste trackers now tracking Sandy relief funding

MADISON – After overseeing transparency and accountability of the massive $840 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, tracking...

When Renewable Energy Shoots Itself In The Foot

It isn’t often that a new renewable energy project can be called a bad thing for renewable energy, but such is the case in Ann Arbor, Mich.,...

Pro Deep Dive: The Energy Sector and the Implications of Tax Policy

FOR VIDEO OF THIS EVENT, CLICK HERE Join the POLITICO Pro Energy team for a look at how potential tax policies and the 2014 budget will...

Should Obama Twist Arms?

A burning question in Washington these days is whether President Barack Obama is using all available power to woo lawmakers and advance his...

Harris aims to protect MD from government regulations

WASHINGTON — Rep. Andy Harris is more concerned about what federal agencies could do to the 1st Congressional District than what they could...

Can good government gum things up?

LATELY AND ironically, I'm wondering whether good government is bad for governing. I say lately because of that gun vote in Washington...

Homeowner insurance bill hurts taxpayers

This month, Rep. Albio Sires (D-N.Y.) reintroduced legislation that would create a federal backstop for disaster insurance, replacing...

How Zombie Programs Manage to Avoid Budget Cuts

Every year, part of the president's budget request to Congress includes a detailed catalog of programs targeted for the chopping block. It's...

Water bill moving in U.S. Senate ‘like a greased pig’

WASHINGTON • The porcine reference comes from Steve Ellis, of Taxpayers for Common Sense, an advocacy group that pays special attention when...

Congressional spending requests less transparent, critics say

In the more than two years since earmarks were banned to make congressional spending more transparent, lawmakers have fallen back on an...

West Virginia Republican Files Secret Spending Requests

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito’s (R-WV) first several terms in Congress could best be described as “free-spending” — obtaining tens of millions...

When Does ‘Appropriator’ Become a Dirty Word? Perhaps in Georgia’s GOP Primary

Candidates in the Georgia Republican Senate primary are jostling for the furthest right starting block in what’s likely to be a crowded...

A powerful voice pays off for Maryland during federal budget cuts

(Reuters) - Many members of Congress looked pretty helpless this week as they fought to save cherished programs in their states from...

The Army Corps of Engineers Excels at Wasting Money

As budget watchdogs, we know that some federal agencies are more wasteful than others in almost every sense. For nearly two centuries, the...

Little-noticed CR provision may block long-anticipated policy change

New guidelines for selecting and designing federal water projects released by the Obama administration on Friday were praised by...

Lawmakers try to shield Army Corps of Engineers from cuts

As the government prepares for years of austerity, a bipartisan group of senators is aiming to give the agency that maintains ports and...

Michele Bachmann pushes for highway project, but steers clear of ‘earmark’ label

A moratorium on congressional earmarks isn’t stopping Rep. Michele Bachmann from pushing for federal funding for a home-state highway. The...

Senate limits debate on the CR

Congress will be knee deep in the Continuing Resolution this week, as lawmakers work to avert a government shutdown. Steve Ellis, vice...

Despite Talk of Cuts, Members of Congress Push More Spending

Like many House Republicans, Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho supports “drastically reducing discretionary spending” and warns that further growth...

The Truth-O-Meter Says: Al Cardenas says of $60B Congress approved after Hurricane Sandy, ‘only 10 percent was for disaster relief’

In the weeks since Congress approved aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy, conservatives have explained their opposition by saying the bill...

Even without earmarks, Merkley’s Senate Appropriations Committee post is still a plum position

WASHINGTON — Though freshman Sen. Jeff Merkley snagged a spot on the coveted Senate Appropriations Committee, he won’t have a perk that...

Lautenberg Has Plenty of Fight Left in Him

PATERSON, N.J.—Sen. Frank Lautenberg gladly recounts his uniquely American story: son of an impoverished silk-mill worker; World War II...

End of earmarks caused area water projects to dry up

WASHINGTON • For decades, members of Congress used earmarks to direct the Army Corps of Engineers on which water projects to build, and...

Congressmen wary of ‘wasteful, unrelated’ hurricane spending

One month after voting in support of a $60 billion relief package for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, some lawmakers in Bucks and Burlington...

Fiscal reform needs accountability, less agency overlap

Government fiscal reform needs to come in the form of accountability, prioritizing by need and training if long term success is to be seen,...

Claire McCaskill re-introduces Earmark Elimination Act in Senate

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., re-introduced bipartisan legislation that would permanently ban earmark spending in Congress. The Earmark...

Rethinking Our Place In A Post-Hurricane Sandy World

The financial sting from Hurricane Sandy lingers, but it is encouraging to see more businesses and policymakers embracing bold measures to...

Even Without Earmarks, Tax Breaks And Special Deals Fill Bills

Congress likes to say it no longer does earmarks, the provisions that direct federal dollars to serve local interests or campaign...

It’s ‘common sense’ – or is it? The politics of Obama’s new favorite phrase.

Washington - In these early days of his second term, President Obama isn’t just promoting legislation on guns and immigration. The president...

Toomey votes against Sandy relief measure, citing deficit and non-emergency items

WASHINGTON — Deficit spending and non-emergency items like repairing the Smithsonian's roof prompted Sen. Pat Toomey to vote against Sandy...

You pay bill for some legislators’ dry cleaning, art, iPhones

OLYMPIA — A few days after Washington lawmakers approved a budget deal to lower state spending last year, small-government Rep. Gary...

Approval of Sandy bill sparks new fight over disaster money

Washington - A long-awaited $50.5 billion Hurricane Sandy-relief bill is heading to President Obama for his signature -- and with that comes...

Disaster aid could reach president’s desk today

An hour before Northeast residents celebrate Congress' final approval of Sandy relief funds this evening, senators will be asked to...

Hurricane Sandy Response Stirs Up Capitol Hill Lobbyists

Lobbyists representing interests more than a thousand miles from Hurricane Sandy’s landfall competed with East Coast beach towns and...

More bridges to nowhere

It’s deja vu all over again. Remember the “bridge to nowhere”? That was the proposed span from Ketchikan Alaska to Gravina Island —...

Another Shocker! Sandy Relief Bill Is Loaded With Pork

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican, hammered Congress over their failure to pass a Sandy relief package in a timely manner. ...

Watchdogs warn billions in hurricane aid could go elsewhere

Lawmakers in Washington have quibbled over disaster spending in the wake of the largest hurricane ever to roll up the East Coast. Yet...

How Obama has done on fulfilling 1st term promises

WASHINGTON -- Hope and change. That's what Barack Obama promised -- again and again and again -- as he was campaigning for president in...

Puerto Rico Gets Emergency Sandy Money, Despite Being More Than 1000 Miles from Major Damage

Puerto Rico, an island 1500 miles from the major damage along the Atlantic coast inflicted by Hurricane Sandy, is slated to receive millions...

Superstorm destruction was good news for jolly prophet of doom

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. -- Superstorm Sandy made Orrin Pilkey smile. For more than 40 years, the renowned coastal geologist has preached a...

House Approves $50.7B For Sandy Victims

Update at 7:35 p.m. House Passes Measure The U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday to approve $50.7 billion in aid for victims of...

Sandy relief package passes with extra spending intact

The House on Tuesday passed a $51 billion disaster relief package intended to aid the victims of October's Superstorm Sandy, but it is also...

Sandy Aid Under Fire in House

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is expected to vote today on its superstorm Sandy aid package, a crucial test that could...

All eyes on Congress over Sandy aid package

Congress should realize that the people of New York and New Jersey and their elected officials are watching closely as they prepare to vote...

Sandy relief bill faces ‘not-so-fast’ criticism

WASHINGTON — Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a ‘‘not-so-fast’’ campaign against a $50.7 billion Hurricane Sandy aid package...

Fear of Earmarks Sparks Split in Sandy Aid Bill

When House Republicans decided to ban earmarks in 2010, they boasted the move would change the way Washington does business. It has, though...

Critics Complain Sandy Aid Tied to Other Projects

Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Sandy aid package that Northeastern...

Watchdog sees pork in Sandy relief bill

As Congress takes up the second slice of relief money for Superstorm Sandy, the influential Club for Growth said Monday it will seek to...

House to vote on Sandy disaster aid today

WASHINGTON — The House was poised Tuesday to begin consideration of a multi-billion-dollar disaster aid bill for victims of superstorm...

Pork must be cut from Sandy aid bill

Today, when the House of Representatives plans to vote on the $51 billion Sandy aid package, it is imperative that all the pork be...

House expected to vote on Sandy aid today

WASHINGTON — The House was poised today to begin consideration of a multibillion-dollar disaster aid bill for victims of Superstorm...

Budget watchdogs see wasteful spending in $51bn Sandy relief bill

As Congress takes up the second slice of relief money for Superstorm Sandy, the influential Club for Growth said Monday it will seek to...

Sandy Pork And The Lesson Of Katrina

Although Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Atlantic Coast more than 2 months ago, the debate over disaster relief is still raging. While more than...

Objections raised over additional projects lumped with Sandy relief

Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package that...

House to Take Up Storm Relief Bill Amid Battle Over Spending

WASHINGTON — The House will move ahead this week with a multibillion-dollar package to provide aid to victims of Hurricane Sandy, but the...

Billions in Sandy aid package headed elsewhere

WASHINGTON Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package that...

Fiscal conservatives, watchdogs mount opposition to House vote on Sandy disaster aid

Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package that...

Critics hit Sandy storm disaster aid add-ons

A $51 billion GOP-crafted Superstorm Sandy relief package scheduled to hit the House floor Tuesday includes billions of dollars in...

Critics Complain Sandy Aid Tied to Other Projects

Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package that...

Sandy relief package swells aid for past disasters

Associated Press= WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion...

NOT SO FAST! Campaign by conservatives, watchdog groups aims to trim $30 billion in ‘pork’ from long-delayed Sandy relief package

Not so, um, fast, Sandy victims. Conservatives and watchdog groups are waging a campaign they call Not So Fast aimed at trimming about $30...

Sandy relief bill swells aid for past disasters, House set to vote Tuesday on smaller version

WASHINGTON — Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a “not-so-fast” campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package...

Michigan is among a handful of states that may not get money from SuperStorm Sandy relief bill

It appears Michigan will be left out of a massive federal spending bill intended to primarily help the victims of Superstorm Sandy. The...

New Jersey lawmaker calls for ‘clean’ Sandy bill

WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Rob Andrews of New Jersey is asking colleagues to approve a Hurricane Sandy disaster package that focuses only...

Pork is Not Kosher: N.J. Democratic Rep Andrews Demands Sandy Bill be ‘Stripped of All Pork’

New Jersey’s Democrats are still reeling from Washington’s perennial ‘business as usual’ mentality after the first Sandy Aid bill contained...

Sandy relief votes, politics will continue this week in Congress

WASHINGTON — The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy for Northeastern lawmakers comes down to: Show us the money. Members of the U.S. House of...

Watchdog: $51B Sandy bill larded with extra spending, group says

WASHINGTON — A taxpayer group has found plenty to criticize in legislation that would spend $51 billion helping victims of superstorm...

Strip the pork from aid bill

Come Tuesday, when the House of Representatives plans to vote on the $51 billion Sandy aid package, it is imperative that all the pork be...

Storm in Congress over disaster-aid bill

Washington -- Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package...

Hurricane Sandy relief package swells aid for past disasters elsewhere

Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Hurricane Sandy aid package that...

Hurricane Sandy Relief Package Swells Aid For Past Disasters

WASHINGTON — Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package...

Sandy relief: $50.7B package swells aid for past disasters, group argues

WASHINGTON (AP) - Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid...

New Jersey Democrat wants pork-free Sandy storm aid bill

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Rob Andrews is demanding his colleagues strip pork payouts from a massive aid bill intended to help victims of...

Pessimistic DOD Prepares for the Worst

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta pessimistically announced Thursday that the DOD has “no other choice but to prepare for the worst,” and plans...

Morning Transportation

GET ‘EM IN THIS WEEK: The House Rules Committee has set a deadline of 4 p.m. Friday for amendments to the Hurricane Sandy storm aid bill...

Roof repairs, FBI salaries, and more—all part of disaster relief bill, group says

Not everything in the disaster relief bill, aimed at helping victims of this fall's Superstorm Sandy, relates to the storm. "The upshot is...

Will HUD, Amtrak, Ohio get in on Hurricane Sandy relief action?

WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress don't want to appear insensitive (again) to the post-disaster needs of New Jersey and New York. Their...

House Goes Senate One Better with Pork Laden Sandy Bill

House Republicans last week blasted Senate Democrats for filling the fiscal cliff deal with pet projects and pork barrel spending. That...

Group says Sandy bill would finance unrelated projects

WASHINGTON – A taxpayer group has found plenty to criticize in legislation that would spend $51 billion helping victims of Superstorm...

Aid effort gets fishy

WASHINGTON — The bid to pass Hurricane Sandy aid could hit a snag over the controversial provision to insert $150 million for fisheries as...

How Sandy Aid is Shaping Up as House Prepares for Vote

The Republican-controlled House is expected to vote next week on the remaining $50.7 billion in Sandy aid, after $9.7 billion in flood...

4 Common Sense Ways Congress Should Deal With Our Finances

Last week the 113th Congress was sworn in. While newly elected members of Congress are still finding their way around the House and Senate...

N.C. lawmaker launches legislative debate over sand-pumping projects

A North Carolina lawmaker has fired the opening shot in a bid to extend the federal government's commitment to pumping sand onto beaches to...

Shelby takes top GOP seat on Appropriations

WASHINGTON — Sen. Richard Shelby is the new top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where he’ll have an even greater say in...

Obama signs porkless Sandy bill, Reid offends Katrina victims

On Sunday, President Obama signed a long-awaited bill to provide emergency federal aid to Hurricane Sandy victims in New York, New Jersey...

Nightly News: Cutting the deficit - or - raising money for projects?

With the nation’s debate at nearly $16.5 trillion, increasing at $140 million an hour, the White House and Congress agreed to increase taxes...

Reid offends Katrina victims, while Obama signs porkless Sandy bill

WASHINGTON - Comparing disasters is probably never a good idea because regardless of the size it's a travesty for those directly affected....

Taxpayers for Common Sense’s Stephen Ellis on Hurricane Sandy Relief

Washington, DC Justin Hyde, Yahoo Autos Senior Editor Topic: An estimated 14.5 million cars were sold in the United States in 2012. ...

Congress OKs $9.7B in Sandy relief, as conservatives question call for more aid

Washington –  Congress approved a $9.7 billion aid bill for victims of Superstorm Sandy on Friday, amid a gusty debate between those who say...

Congressional special: Pulled pork with extra sauce

It takes real skill to spot the hidden pork packed into Congressional bills. Some of it is easy to spot, like the $20,000 new car for a...

Chris Hayes guest: 112th Congress succeeded most at ‘erosion of civil liberties’

On UP with Chris Hayes on Sunday, the host and his group of panelists discussed the fact that the 112th Congress seemed to succeed in...

UP with Chris Hayes: Hurricane Sandy relief, a look back at the 112th congress, Chicago’s homicide rate

On Sunday’s Up w/ Chris Hayes, we’ll discuss the negotiations — and the roadblocks — that have held up the relief bills for Hurricane Sandy...

Congress approves first part of Sandy relief measure

Congress approved a $9.7 billion Sandy aid package last Friday after a two month delay; the delay was caused by  fiscal cliff talks,...

Could Reviving Earmarks Get Congress Moving Again?

"You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours," is an old and cherished maxim of our republic. In politics, that's called an earmark, aka...

Congress approves scaled-back Sandy aid bill

Washington (CNN) -- Congress approved a $9.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package on Friday following delays over fiscal cliff bickering,...

Boehner has mixed record on fulfilling promises

House Speaker John A. Boehner’s lofty pledges to break with precedent and run Congress in a more inclusive, transparent manner ended up a...

Broad $60.4B Sandy relief bill criticized as ‘pork’

In more than 100 pages of legislation detailing the $60 billion disaster aid plan Congress considered, there’s almost no mention of specific...

The Austin Chronicle: Headlines

• Austin Police are investigating the suspicious death of a 13-year-old girl who was found unconscious outside a home (not her own) in...

Norm Dicks’ decades in Congress brought a lot of money back to home state

 WASHINGTON — Pentagon chief Leon Panetta strode into the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill, surrounded by military officers in dress-green...

Super-storm of pork hits Washington

Now that fiscal cliff panic is under control, we can return to panicking over Super Storm Sandy, which flooded the streets of Washington...

Hurricane Sandy pork

 Many news outlets are reporting that President Obama‘s proposed $60.4 billion federal aid bill for Hurricane Sandy victims is packed with...

Loss of Inouye Means Loss of Clout for Hawaii

HONOLULU — No man is an island. But in Hawaii, Daniel K. Inouye sure seems like one. After he died last week at 88, this state went into a...

DC Watch: Farm bill unlikely to be part of fiscal cliff efforts

With the clock ticking down to the end of the year, there is still no agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)...

$60B Sandy Relief Bill Advances in Senate

Senate Democrats said Friday they have enough votes to approve a more than $60 billion Sandy relief bill, overcoming objections that it...

Is Delta Regional Authority on chopping block?

WASHINGTON — The Delta Regional Authority has invested $108 million in 718 projects in eight states, including Arkansas, Mississippi and...

Norm Dicks’ decades in Congress brought a lot of money back to home state

WASHINGTON – Pentagon chief Leon Panetta strode into the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill, surrounded by military officers in dress-green...

What the Sandy Bill Teaches Us About Our Spending Problem

Among all the discussion about the outlines of a deal to avert the fiscal cliff, one thing is notably absent: details about spending cuts....

Groups: Sandy Relief Bill Filled with Pork Unrelated to Disaster Relief

Conservatives and taxpayer watchdog groups have examined the Senate's $60.4 billion Hurricane Sandy relief bill and have discovered it funds...

Agencies paralyzed by fiscal cliff, endless succession of CRs

So far this year, U.S. EPA has frozen hiring, delayed contracts and sharply curtailed travel, all to deal with the uncertainty of its future...

Congress Piles the Pork into Hurricane Sandy Relief

The millions of dollars for projects unrelated to recovery from Hurricane Sandy included in the Sandy relief act is the latest in a long...

Editorial: Pass Hurricane Sandy aid at the right size

Even if states devastated by Hurricane Sandy don’t need exactly $60.4 billion in federal aid to fund disaster relief, Congress should not...

Sandy’s impact underscores need for national mitigation strategy

One hundred and eleven homes burned to the ground in Queens, flooding in parts of Manhattan forced the financial markets and subways to...

Over $9 Billion in Sandy Bill for Transportation Spending That Won’t Occur for Two Years

Taxpayers for Common Sense vice president Steve Ellis e-mails reporters a list of projects getting funded in the $60.4 billion Sandy relief...

A car for the Justice Department inspector, and more in Sandy relief bill

Writing a bill for disaster relief from Hurricane Sandy surely is fairly straightforward, with aid concentrated say on loans and...

Club For Growth, Heritage: Sandy Bill Packed With Pork

Two conservative groups on Monday said that a $60 billion bill meant to fund Hurricane Sandy relief efforts is filled with pork that is...

Conservative groups complain Sandy aid bill contains unrelated spending

Conservative groups say the Senate’s $60.4 billion Hurricane Sandy supplemental bill is loaded with millions of dollars in spending...

K Street gathers strength behind Hurricane Sandy relief bill

Lobbyists for beach and coastal towns have sprung into action on a $60.4 billion relief package for communities damaged by Hurricane...

Senate debates $60.4 billion Sandy aid package

Washington - Democrats on Monday began trying to push $60.4 billion in emergency spending for Superstorm Sandy victims through Congress by...

Sandy relief bill gets add-ons to lure GOP votes

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate's $60.4 billion superstorm Sandy relief bill contains more than $20 million for Alaska's fisheries and $188...

Porked-up Sandy relief bill storms into Senate

The Senate’s emergency spending bill to cover costs from Hurricane Sandy includes millions of dollars that will never touch the affected...

Pork Will Find a Way

How Congress can fund its pet projects -- even without earmarks....

Hawaii, Senate

Written By: Mazie Hirono Democratic Rep. Mazie Hirono turned back a strong challenge from Republican Linda Lingle, to whom she lost the...

Menendez, Kyrillos have stark political differences but shared governing style

Menendez, Kyrillos have stark political differences but shared governing style Published: Sunday, October 14, 2012 By Matt Friedman and...

Huelskamp leads push to waive some tarriffs

Huelskamp leads push to waive some tariffs By Mary Clarkin - The Hutchinson News - mclarkin@hutchnews.com While tariffs and duties on...

Downsizing the military

Washington's looming defense "sequester" would slash the Pentagon's budget by $55 billion a year. Would that imperil the nation? posted on...

Akin parses stand on pet projects in Mo. Senate bid after getting aid from conservative group

Akin parses stand on pet projects in Mo. Senate bid after getting aid from conservative group JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Rep. Todd...

The battle to represent Sarasota and Manatee counties in Congress is ramping up

The battle to represent Sarasota and Manatee counties in Congress is ramping up By JEREMY WALLACE H-T Political Writer Published:...

Buchanan-Fitzgerald battle heats up

Buchanan-Fitzgerald battle heats up By Jeremy Wallace, Herald-Tribune Tuesday, September 25, 2012   The battle to represent Sarasota...

Yet More Solyndras (National Review)

Congress returns this week and plans to kick off their short stint in Washington before heading back to the campaign trail with a bill misleadingly called the “No More Solyndras Act.” ...

GOP breaks up transportation bill (Politico)

By Adam Snider House Republicans are splitting up their mammoth transportation and energy bill in an effort to overcome rising GOP and...

Report: Oil Companies are Poster Child for Corporate Welfare (Public News Service)

CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO OF INTERVIEW Oil and gas companies will enjoy more than $78 billion in federal tax breaks in the next five years,...

Taxpayer Group Pushes to End Loopholes for Oil Companies (KREX TV News Channel 5)

  Taxpayer Group Pushes to End Loopholes for Oil Companies Grand Junction - A group of Coloradans dedicated to cutting wasteful...

API’s Dougher says tax break repeal will hurt industry’s international competitiveness (OnPoint E&E TV)

SYNOPSIS: As oil and gas companies continue to report record earnings, will Congress' attempts to repeal industry subsidies succeed? During...

Corn Ethanol Tax Credits (Living on Earth Radio Show)

Air Date: Week of November 26, 2010 Some government support for ethanol could stop flowing as a tax credit expires. (Photo: Spencer...

Obama’s Peanut Butter Plan: Solving Climate Change in Chunks (Grist Magazine)

 In a newly released interview, President Obama told Rolling Stone magazine that he wants to make energy and climate “one of my top...

The New Earmark Watchdogs

The Associated Press Managing Editors (APME) hit a homerun with a series of stories this weekend. Partnering with uber-investigators at the...

Bill Moyers’ Journal Profiles Taxpayers for Common Sense

PBS's Bill Moyers' Journal profiles Taxpayers for Common Sense's efforts to shine light on the Congressional earmarking process. (link to full...

Federal Distress

When it comes to shipping supplies, the Department of Defense is no Federal Express. DOD loses track of sixty percent of the $5 billion in...

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...