Open, Accountable Government
TRI Changes are Major Issue at EPA Oversight Hearing
Feb 6, 2007 by Matthew Madia
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) changes to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) were a prominent issue at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's (EPW) Feb. 6 EPA oversight hearing. The three-panel hearing also addressed the closure of EPA libraries, the elimination of perchlorate testing, and the agency's current consideration of revoking the air quality standard for lead.
read in fullSenate Passes Minimum Wage Increase with Tax Cuts Added
Feb 6, 2007 by Matthew Madia
On Feb. 1, the U.S. Senate wrapped up nearly two weeks of debate with a 94-3 vote to approve S. 2, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. The bill raises the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour by 2009 and extends $8.3 billion of existing small business tax breaks. The fate of the bill remains uncertain because House Democrats are reluctant to provide tax breaks for small business in exchange for passing a minimum wage hike.
read in fullOMB Watch Critical of Proposed Chemical Security Rule
Feb 6, 2007 by Matthew Madia
In response to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) proposed interim chemical security rule, OMB Watch will submit comments to DHS that argue for increased transparency and stronger protections at thousands of facilities across the country.
read in fullFederal Contractors: The Invisible, Unaccountable Agency
Feb 6, 2007 by Matthew Madia
The incredible growth in the amount of money spent by the federal government on contractors, with almost no corresponding increase in oversight or management, was highlighted in a recent New York Times article, "In Washington, Contractors Take on Biggest Role Ever." According to the article, the amount spent on federal contracts has doubled since 2000, from $207 billion to $400 billion. The lack of sufficient government oversight has led to a virtual free reign for contractors, who are not answerable to the public and have not been called to account by the federal government.
read in fullRecommended Budget Analyses
Feb 6, 2007 by Adam Hughes*
Check out these breakdowns of the President's budget:
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Center for American Progress
- National Priorities Project
- Coalition on Human Needs
OMB Watch Release Preliminary Budget Analysis
Feb 5, 2007 by Matt Lewis
OMB Watch has released a preliminary analysis of the President's FY 08 Budget request.
President's Budget Full of Cheap Rhetoric; Wrong Priorities
President Favors Tax Cuts for the Wealthy over Domestic Needs
Check back here for additional analyses and commentary on the budget as the week progresses.
read in fullPresident's Budget Takes Aim at Nation's Health
Feb 5, 2007 by Craig Jennings
President Bush's 2008 budget, to be released this morning, proposes to eliminate the deficit by 2012 with many spending cuts in various national health and well-being programs.
read in fullIf CBO Can Do It, So Can - and Should - OMB Do It
Feb 2, 2007 by Craig Jennings
Based on the president's recent announcement of his plan to deploy an additional 21,000 troops to Iraq, CBO has released a report detailing the projected costs of such an escalation. CBO Director, Peter Orszag, predicts that the president's plan to increase troop levels could cost as much as $27 billion.
read in fullCongress Hearing Middle-Class Midterm Message
Feb 1, 2007 by Dana Chasin
Washington seems to have gotten the midterm message from middle-class voters. No less than three congressional committees held hearings yesterday on the economic plight of the American middle class. The problem, in a word, is "insecurity," caused chiefly by:
read in fullSawicky on Min. Wage Tax Bogusness
Feb 1, 2007 by Craig Jennings
The Senate is scheduled to vote on the minimum wage package today at 2:30 PM...but now's a good time to check out Max Sawicky's erudite take on the unnecessary tax cuts attached to the minimum wage bill. One key passage on the tax cuts, AKA the Small Business and Work Opportunity Act of 2007 (SBWOA):
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