House Cloakroom: April 26-30 Once again the major issues for the week will be on the Senate side with possible consideration of a financial regulation overhaul bill and the possible introduction of a climate change bill by Senators Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman. The House will be taking up three smaller measures this week focusing on misspent federal funds, defense acquisition, and Puerto Rico. Though the defense acquisition bill received complete bi-partisan support out of the House Armed Services Committee and is lauded as a bill that would save taxpayers billions …
Today, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law a bill that would make it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally and would allow state law enforcement to require individuals to produce proof that they are in the U.S. legally. This decision is a major stepping stone in terms of encouraging other states, as well as local governments, to assert themselves in terms of immigration policy. Under the Tenth Amendment which preserves the traditional police powers of the states to control their own jurisdictions. The Heritage Foundation has …
The Department of Defense has submitted a report to Congress that warns Iran may be able to reach the United States with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by 2015. If Iran also successfully develops a nuclear weapon within that time, the consequences would be devastating for the U.S. and its allies in range of an Iranian missile. However, the Obama Administration’s missile defense plans to counter this looming threat will not sufficiently protect the U.S. from an Iranian ICBM. According to a White House Fact Sheet released last September, the …
The Honorable Zoran Stavreski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance for the Republic of Macedonia, spoke at The Heritage Foundation on April 23rd about the economic reforms that have helped his country weather the recent global storm. According to Stavreski, adherence to the principles of free enterprise and individual freedom account for Macedonia’s recent success. In contrast to the United States’ post-crisis management, Macedonia has reduced taxes, eased regulations, and simplified bankruptcy law. As a result, Macedonia suffered only a modest recession in 2009 and is back on a …
Earlier this month, we announced the release of the 2010 Heritage Budget Chart Book. This recurring feature allows visitors to dig down deep into the data of government revenue and expenditures in a visual format that is easy to understand. This year’s chart book does not disappoint, providing roughly 40 new charts–even several that are interactive. We also recently put together a brief video introduction to the chart book and all of its features. Watch the video, explore the new chart book, and learn more about the federal budget.
Yesterday, the actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency that runs the giant entitlement programs, released their analysis of the new health care law. The AP reports that “White House officials have repeatedly complained that such analyses have been too pessimistic and lowball the law’s potential to achieve savings,” but the official CMS analysis reinforces several of Heritage’s predictions regarding Obamacare. Some highlights of the CMS report: Mandates Without Impact. Writes CMS, “For many individuals, the penalty amounts for not having insurance coverage were not …
You may not realize it but government regulations affect each American every day. As the Environmental Protection Agency cheerfully notes in their pro-regulation video contest introduction: Even before you leave the house in the morning, government regulations help set the price of the coffee you drink, the voltage of electricity your alarm clock uses, and the types of programming allowed on the morning news. Apparently unfulfilled with the current level of intrusion, government regulators have now set their sights on your diet. Yesterday, the Washington Post reported:
General Motors CEO Ed Whitacre should have thought twice about the title of his Wall Street Journal op-ed, “The GM Bailout: Paid Back in Full.” GM did announce that it would repay the $5.8 billion ($4.7 billion to U.S, $1.1 billion to Canada) remaining balance on the loans the automaker received from the U.S. and Canadian governments. GM is making good on the repayment early – the company had until 2015 to repay the full $8.4 billion loan. But the reality is that this accounts for only 10 percent of …
The recently signed health-care legislation will have lasting consequences on health care in America. The massive two-piece package includes federal control of benefits, increased taxes, mandates on employers and individuals, and an expansion of costly and inefficient entitlements. This represents a federal takeover of the U.S. health care system on the pretext to meeting the needs of the millions of Americans who are currently uninsured. However, in a recent paper, Heritage’s Kathryn Nix writes: This ‘reform’ will result in less choice and competition for health care consumers and, although more …
Earth Day is over, so you don’t have to worry about the special interest eco-lobby for another 364 days, right? Wrong. If you’ve recently paid a five-cent tax on a plastic bag while living in or visiting your nation’s capital, then you’ve been punitively taxed by the eco-left for a behavior they don’t approve of, and you should be concerned. In fact, the $9.5 million DC bag tax is just another step of the eco-left’s plan to nickel and dime you into living an “approved” lifestyle, complete with high unemployment, …
