Blog
Welcome to our blog – The Bottom Line, where you’ll find up-to-date commentary and analysis on the most important news in the fiscal world. Below is a list of our blog posts.
Murphy-Corker: A Responsible Solution for Highways and an Irresponsible One for Tax Extenders
Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Bob Corker (R-TN) announced a proposal this week to close the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) shortfall by increasing the...
Trust or Bust: Fixing the Highway Trust Fund
Update: After publication we wrote a series of blogs providing options for offsets or to bring spending and revenue in line. As well in May 2015 we...
CBO Finds House VA Bill Could Cost More, Does Cost Less Than Senate Bill
The Congressional Budget Office today released a preliminary analysis of several sections of the House VA reform bill. Like the Senate bill that we...
Senators Begich and Murray Propose Social Security Benefit Enhancements
Last week, Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) and Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced legislation that would make targeted increases...
Paying for A Fix to the VA Health System
Now that both chambers of Congress have passed bills aimed at improving the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system, they will need...
Senate Vets Bill Could Create New $500 Billion Entitlement Program
The Senate voted 93-3 yesterday on new legislation to expand veterans' benefits by allowing beneficiaries to seek out private (non-VA) health care...
House Keeps Increasing Deficits With Extenders
The House passed today two bills permanently reinstating three tax provisions that expired at the end of 2013. Extending these provisions would cost...
The IMF Looks at Budget Institutions in G-20 Countries
The International Monetary Fund recently published a study on budget institutions in G-20 countries. The study takes stock of these countries'...
Repatriation Tax Holiday Doesn't Work As a Highway Trust Fund Offset
With the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) running low and the threat of disrupting highway construction later this summer, lawmakers are scrambling to come up...
Determining Medicare's Underlying Growth
Despite the noted acceleration in broader health care spending this year (likely due in large part to coverage expansions), Medicare continues to grow...
Are Veterans Benefits Too Generous?
For several years, the Department of Defense (DoD) has been suggesting ways to trim parts of the Defense budget to make room for other military...
Only 13% of Uninsured Expected to Pay Individual Mandate Penalty
The individual mandate penalty is arguably the most controversial piece of the Affordable Care Act. It was the centerpiece of the legal challenge to...