WASHINGTON, April 15, 2011—The continuing resolution agreement to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, which was reached by President Obama, Senate Democrats, and House Republicans, is extremely disappointing. At a time when unemployment is close to nine percent, 23 million Americans are either underemployed or unemployed, and economic growth sputters, policymakers have decided that the most pressing problem facing the nation is the budget deficit. Rather than making adjustments where the pain will be felt the least, their solution is to cut nutrition, housing, and education spending, let tax cheats off the hook, and spend more money on an already bloated defense budget.
WASHINGTON, May 26, 2011—The Obama administration's retrospective review of existing agency regulations moved into the next phase today with the release of thirty preliminary agency plans for public comment. OMB Watch has identified positive elements of today’s plans but also highlights areas of concern. There was no common format to the agency plans, although some identified specific rules or categories of rules for review. A few agencies identified possible regulations and paperwork that should be eliminated.
WASHINGTON, May 25, 2011—Yet another one-sided hearing is being held today in the U.S. House of Representatives that attempts to portray many commonsense health and safety safeguards as economic obstacles.
Published April 27, 2011—In this piece, Gary Therkildsen and Gary D. Bass of OMB Watch argue that the federal government, namely the executive branch, must get serious about making public the information on any and all lobbying related to the federal procurement process. The authors use the Boeing tanker contract scandal as an illustration of the need for reform. This piece appeared as part of the "