Environment, Workers, and Financial Protections Among the Hardest Hit in 2015 Spending Bill

With just two days remaining to avert another government shutdown, congressional leaders released a much-anticipated $1 trillion funding package on Tuesday night, setting spending levels for the vast majority of federal agencies through Sept. 30, 2015. The legislation delivers big blows to critical public protections and the resources we need to make investments in infrastructure and public protections.

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End of the "Double Irish" Scheme Could Take a Bite Out of Apple's Tax Avoidance

Last May, many were shocked to hear that one of their favorite companies, Apple, was acting less than patriotically. The corporation was stashing profits out of the reach of the U.S. Treasury.

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Report: Anonymous Companies Threaten American Interests

It is easier to form a corporation in the United States than it is to get a library card or driver’s license. Current law allows people or existing corporations to create new companies without requiring any information about the human owners of the businesses. A powerful new report by Global Witness details the threats these anonymous companies pose.

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One Year After Obstructionists Shut Down the Government: Where Are We Now?

Tomorrow, Oct. 1, marks one year since obstructionists in the House shut down the federal government. Approximately 800,000 federal workers stretching across the country were told not to report to work, and many public services ground to a halt.

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Happy National Voter Registration Day

Happy National Voter Registration Day from the Center for Effective Government!

Only about 40 percent of Americans vote in midterm elections – those that are in between presidential election years. This means each vote matters even more. Americans who show up to vote on November 4th, or mail in absentee ballots, will have their voices heard. This year, there’s no shortage of reasons to get out and vote.

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Unfinished Business in the 113th Congress: Whose Interests are Your Representatives Working For?

Champions in Congress are pushing for bills that would help millions of people, but industry lobbyists and their allies in the House and Senate are obstructing progress on these commonsense measures. Instead, they're clamoring for more corporate tax cuts, the elimination of environmental protections, and the erosion of worker safeguards.

With only days left for the 113th Congress to address a menu of priorities before the midterm elections, here are some of the issues that everyone should ask his or her representatives to address:

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A Taxing Double Standard: Americans with Troubled Mortgages Penalized While Scofflaw Banks Enjoy Tax Breaks

In early August, Bank of America agreed to a $16.65 billion settlement, which includes funds for “consumer relief.” However, after tax write-offs and deductions, Bank of America's net penalty could be less than $15 billion.

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Report: Obamacare Limits Subsidies for Excessive CEO Pay, Saves $72 Million

A new report from the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) calculates that the Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as Obamacare, reduced taxpayer subsidies by more than $72 million last year. It did this by capping the deductions that currently reward companies for providing excessive pay to their CEOs.

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Renters in Foreclosed Properties Could Be Left Out in the Cold

The Permanently Protect Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2013 (H.R. 3543, S. 1761) is just one of the many pieces of unfinished business for the 113th Congress. This bill would make permanent the only federal protection for renters living in foreclosed properties.

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"Flexibility" for Whom? Irregular Schedules, Other Practices Wreak Havoc on Workers

New proposals on the state, local, and federal levels aim to tackle inconsistent hours, haphazard scheduling practices, and on-call shifts among part-time workers. Such practices can wreak havoc on workers' finances, families, and health.

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