The House budget that passed earlier this month increases discretionary spending by 8% (otherwise known as $74 billion) over this year’s level. Federal spending already tops out at near $25,000 per household and discretionary spending has expanded 45% since 2001. While increased defense spending for Iraq and Afghanistan do account …
As lawmakers return from a week-long vacation, here’s a preview of the week ahead in Washington. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIV4GwclIn0[/youtube] Now that Communist dictator Fidel Castro has departed as leader of Cuba after 49 years of uninterrupted tyrannical rule, conservatives want to see policies out of the U.S. government that promote freedom for …
House Republicans aren’t giving in to order from the chief administrative officer to remove a website devoted to earmark reform. The site, earmarkreform.house.gov, remained active today despite an order from Dan Beard last week to shut it down. House Minority Leader John Boehner is defying Beard’s order until he gets …
As lawmakers in Congress wrap up their week-long vacation, America’s intelligence agencies are beginning to suffer the consequences of Congress’ inaction on the Protect America Act. Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and Attorney General Michael Mukasey confirmed today that the failure to renew the terrorist surveillance law has caused …
The Washington Post Magazine yesterday published a must-read look at how Washington, D.C., really works. Far too often the Post and other media focus far too much attention on how election campaigns are financed and not nearly of attention on how lobbying campaigns are actually run. This type of coverage …
Many conservatives have already voiced their displeasure with the House Republican leadership’s decision to appoint Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) to the Appropriations Committee instead of Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). As righteous as conservative anger is over the decision, it might be more useful to look forward. After Bonner’s appointment was …
This morning we admonished the House for using its time to pass meaningless contempt citations instead of debating essential FISA revisions that are set to expire at midnight Saturday. Now it turns out that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi adjourned Congress early to rush home for her daughter’s wedding. The Heritage …
Writing to President Bush regarding vital reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), House Intelligence Committee Chair Silvestre Reyes (D-Tex.) noted that the Preamble to our Constitution states that one of the highest duties of public officials is to “provide for the common defense.” Reyes goes on to claim …
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has crafted a conservative agenda for the 2008 session consisting of 10 legislative ideas that he and his conservative allies in the Senate will force debate on this year. As chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, DeMint holds a unique role among Republicans. He will outline …
