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    A Spend-More, Tax-More, and Borrow-More Budget Would Hurt, Not Help

    Congress needs to drive down federal spending toward a balanced budget, including through entitlement reforms, while maintaining a strong national defense and without raising taxes. Neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate achieved that objective when they adopted their respective versions of the government budget for fiscal year 2014 … More

    Morning Bell: Ghosts of Benghazi

    The White House might have wanted to mute its response to the terrorist attack in Benghazi for fear of inflaming Anti-American sentiment. Perhaps the President did not want to acknowledge a successful attack by an al-Qaeda affiliate on the anniversary of 9/11—right before a national election. Maybe it was just … More

    Morning Bell: 6 Things the Next U.S. Budget Should Do

    It’s time for Congress to make a real budget—and not just any budget. It’s been four years since the U.S. had a real budget. While the House of Representatives has passed budgets, the Senate has stopped each one. Instead, the Senate under Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has done short-term, … More

    Cloakroom: The Sequester and Hagel Nomination

    House Cloakroom: February 25 – March 1 Analysis: Sequester week begins in Washington! The House returns from a recess week to take up the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization. The Senate has passed a flawed reauthorization bill. The Senate version contains an unconstitutional expansion of tribal sovereignty, not to mention … More

    Memo to Congress: Capitulation on Sequestration Cuts Is a Path to Defeat

    With current funding for government operations scheduled to run out March 27, the House is beginning work on another Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government through the rest of the fiscal year. As they do this, they must take firm steps toward their commitment to balance the budget in … More

    Conversations with Conservatives: Congressmen Weigh in on Debt Ceiling Deal (VIDEO)

    In advance of Wednesday’s vote on suspending the debt ceiling, six Republican congressmen joined The Heritage Foundation’s Bloggers Briefing to discuss conservative viewpoints on the budget deal. Not all of the congressmen who spoke were persuaded of the debt extension. Representative Justin Amash (MI) was the first to state he … More

    Morning Bell: Obama’s Second Inaugural Address, Translated

    Members of Congress—who are about to debate raising the debt ceiling tomorrow—should have paid attention yesterday. The President was very clear that he sees no urgency about reducing the debt and cutting the deficit. In fact, in his second inaugural address, President Barack Obama was honest about his intentions to … More

    Morning Bell: Taxes to Rise on Most American Workers

    Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called it “a happy start to a new year.” That probably tells you all you need to know about the fiscal cliff deal that passed the House last night. The bill—which President Obama has promised to sign, though he took off for Hawaii again after the … More

    Fiscal Cliff Solutions: Soar Over the Cliff or Kick the Can

    Kicking the can is the least repugnant remaining resolution to the fiscal cliff. The only alternatives appear to be the Republicans’ unconditional surrender on income tax rates (and conceding their principles) or simply going over the cliff. The story is now a familiar one. Congress and the President conspire to … More

    Fiscal Cliff: House Republican Proposal Abandons Core Principles, Gains Little

    The House Republican leadership has offered a substantive counteroffer to President Obama’s frivolous fiscal cliff proposal of last week. At first blush, it appears little more than categorical, pre-emptive capitulation. To be fair, the details of the Republican proposal are extraordinarily vague. Nor is much clarity or comfort gained from … More