Blog: The Fine Print / Revenue & Spending

OMB Releases FY 2008 Earmarks Data

Jul 8, 2008 by Craig Jennings

OMB has released additional data on federal earmarks contained in the FY 2008 appropriations bills yesterday. The data is available at www.earmarks.gov. I have to continue to applaud OMB for publishing information online about federal spending in this earmark database. They have continued to improve the interface of the earmarks database and list earmark by agency, by state, and they now provide a summary of earmarks totaled up by appropriations subcommittee - a great addition. You can also do a keyword search across all the data they post.

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DPC Hearing on Iraq Contracting This Week

Jul 8, 2008 by Craig Jennings

The Democratic Policy Committee is holding a pair of hearings this week to examine contractor practices in Iraq.
  • Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars in Iraq: An Insider's View of Questionable Contracting Practices by KBR and the Pentagon Wednesday, July 9, 2008 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 608 Dirksen Senate Office Building
  • Contractor Misconduct and the Electrocution Deaths of American Soldiers in Iraq Friday, July 11, 2008 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

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Monthly Budget Review: June, 2008

Jul 8, 2008 by Craig Jennings

CBO has released its Monthly Budget Review for June. It finds that while the stimulus payments accounted for a $21 billion decline in monthly revenue (compared to last June), June's surplus would still have been lower than last year's when the rebates are accounted for. Details below.

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Congress to End White House Forest Conservation Program

Jul 8, 2008 by Craig Jennings

CQ reports ($) that Congress intends to reverse OMB's decision to stop issuing printed budgets to various government offices. The committee report accompanying the fiscal 2009 Financial Services appropriations bill, which includes funds for White House operations, instructs OMB to send paper copies of the budget to Capitol Hill next year. "Committees and Members' offices frequently rely on the printed budget as one of many tools to analyze the president's proposals," the report reads.

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Fiscal Policy Agenda Returns to Washington

Jul 7, 2008 by Adam Hughes*

The Fiscal Policy Team and Congress both return to action this week with a number of fiscal policy issues to be tackled during the next five weeks. Below is a rundown of issues coming up soon, with most of the action happening in the Senate:
  • Debate continues between Senate Democrats and Republicans over whether to offset the cost of a popular package of tax breaks called the "extenders." The latest development is that Senate Republicans are now challenging Democrats to offset the cost of the package with spending cuts rather than other tax increases. BNA ($)

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Bush Signs War Supplemental

Jun 30, 2008 by Craig Jennings

President Bush signed into law today a $257 billion supplemental spending package that will fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan several months into the next president's term and a host of domestic programs. Bush's signature on the bill comes days after the Senate passed the measure Thursday night.

The package appropriates some $162 billion dollars for the wars; $62.8 billion for an expanded GI bill; $8.2 billion for a 13-week unemployment insurance benefit extension; and a bevy of other domestic discretionary spending provisions.

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BudgetBlog on Hiatus for Holiday: Happy Fourth Everyone!

Jun 27, 2008 by Adam Hughes*

Happy Fourth of July! Just wanted to let our loyal BudgetBlog readers know we're going on a short hiatus next week. With Congress heading out of town for a short summer recess and the upcoming Fourth of July holiday next week, the Fiscal Policy team is heading out of town in order to escape the heat for some well-deserved vacation. This means, though, that the BudgetBlog will be dormant next week. But don't despair. Craig and I will return in one short week on July 7 to continue to bring you all the news, gossip, information, and analysis on federal fiscal policy you've come to expect.

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The Heat Must Be Getting to Them

Jun 26, 2008 by Craig Jennings

It's the end of June, and the temperature is climbing in the District. And I think it's starting to affect the work of our elected leaders. The House Appropriations Committee abruptly adjourned in chaos Thursday before acting on two big domestic spending bills, after Republicans tried to force the committee to take up a bill covering the Interior Department they believe could be used to lower fuel prices. ...

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GAO Report Finds Private Medicare Providers Prefer Profits Over Providing Better Service

Jun 26, 2008 by Craig Jennings

A recently released GAO report finds that (surprise!) Medicare Advantage providers predicted lower profit margins in 2005 than actually materialized.

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Yet Another Example of Questionable Outsourcing

Jun 26, 2008 by Adam Hughes*

Another report of a questionable use of outsourcing appeared today in CongressDaily, this time it's happening over at the State Department. Seems folks over there have modified an existing contract to Computer Sciences Corporation (FedSpending.org profile) to "collect visa information and fingerprints of Mexicans applying for new border crossing cards." The non-competed contract has raised some eyebrows in Congress and among government watchdogs, particularly the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

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