The post How Social Security Calculates Your Benefits appeared first on EPIC for America.| EPIC for America
Germany’s federal budget for 2025 has been approved, while the budget for 2026 is still being negotiated in the Bundestag. The federal government is planning significant aid cuts for both years. This is likely to push Germany’s climate finance pledge... more The post 2025 and 2026 aid cuts likely to push Germany’s climate finance pledge out of reach appeared first on The German contribution to International Climate Finance.| The German contribution to International Climate Finance
The standard reading of the current government shutdown is a relatively simple Republicans-versus-Democrats tale. But as the shutdown enters week four, the stalemate can’t be explained as just a continuing partisan clash. The post Democrats Fear Their Liberal Base If They Vote to Reopen Government appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.| American Enterprise Institute – AEI
Trump-GOP's refusal to negotiate on health care subsidies is a Dickensian death panel: "If they would rather die, ...they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." The post Trump’s GOP Death Panel in Progress appeared first on emptywheel.| emptywheel
No fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills have been enacted, and a House-passed continuing resolution (CR) that would keep the government operating at FY 2025 levels until November 21 has been rejected in the Senate. While a brief shutdown is usually of minimal consequence, things will be different this time. In the event of a shutdown, most discretionary grant programs—plus mandatory programs funded in appropriations acts—would be affected because no new funding would be available. F...| FFIS
In a departure from prior practice, the current administration has taken many actions to withhold federal dollars appropriated by Congress. As fiscal year (FY) 2026 approaches, uncertainties remain over the status of FY 2025 funds that are yet to be obligated. New practices at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), ongoing litigation, and poor transparency from agencies have made it difficult to accurately track federal dollars. This brief summarizes current federal funding uncertainties....| FFIS
In 1965, leaders of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) commissioned a series of papers focused on strengthening the legislative branch’s institutional standing. Among the submissions was Aaron Wildavsky’s on reforming how Congress participates in the federal budget process. His analysis is interesting for providing insights that are still relevant alongside observations that were quickly overtaken by events. The post Aaron Wildavsky’s Anti-Government Shutdown Plan appeared first ...| American Enterprise Institute – AEI
With the federal government shutdown ongoing with no end in sight, the reality is setting in that there could be real, painful consequences for ordinary Americans, including many in Connecticut.| CT News Junkie
The US Supreme Court has returned to the bench and is poised to hear major cases on tariffs and federal firings. On this week’s On the Media, how a century-old legal theory may help us understand how the highest court handles Trump’s second administration.| CT News Junkie
Rebound on track, but fate of CUSMA looms over the outlook: BMO| Economy | Advisor.ca
As the current government shutdown continues, the nation also awaits new national security and defense strategies. It is important that these documents provide clear guidance to align agency budgets to strategic priorities, and to each other.| American Enterprise Institute - AEI
According to the latest figures published by the German government, German climate finance 2024 rose compared to the previous year. Around €6.1 billion in resources from the federal budget were available for climate finance in 2024 (including grant equivalents from... more The post German climate finance 2024: New data shows increase, but 2025 pledge likely out of reach appeared first on The German contribution to International Climate Finance.| The German contribution to International Climate Finance
Planned aid cuts for 2025 and 2026 are likely to push Germany's climate finance pledge out of reach. Rather than the promised six, barely five billion euros may be available for each 2025 and 2026.| The German contribution to International Climate Finance
The federal government shut down after a deadlocked Congress failed to pass funding for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), starting Oct. 1 at midnight. The House-passed continuing resolution funding the government until Nov. 21 was voted down in the Senate, 55-45. A continuing resolution would have steadied federal funding at current levels to keep the government [...] Read More... The post Fight Over Expiration of PPACA-Enhanced Premiums, Medicaid Cuts Key Factors in Government Shutdown appeared first...| ACA Today
Estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, released Thursday, offer a detailed view into the effects on income groups.| www.nytimes.com
Scientists play a vital role in serving communities by deepening our understanding of the world and driving advances that improve public health, safeguard the environment, enhance safety, and more. Yet recent Administration policies are placing these contributions at risk, threatening the ability of scientists in the U.S. to carry out this critical work. Scientists are not standing by. They are stepping forward to demonstrate the profound value of their research …| The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy
So far, the parliamentarian has determined that dozens of provisions do not pass muster to be included.| www.nytimes.com
The Ranking Members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), released an alternative Continuing Resolution (CR) on September 17, 2025. The CR would continue discretionary appropriations through October 31, 2025.| EPIC for America
Members who make unreasonable earmark requests will apply pressure to include these projects in final FY 2026 appropriations legislation. However, Congress should prevent clearly wasteful and inappropriate spending from moving forward.| EPIC for America
Both the House and Senate have made progress on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills. The Senate is proposing to increase spending by about $50 billion above the current FY 2025 levels and the House’s proposed FY 2026 bills.| EPIC for America
Congress should reform the Highway Trust Fund, end appropriations for expanding rail and transit capacity, and avoid infrastructure “stimulus” in the wake of recessions. It is possible to attain meaningful budgetary savings by focusing federal infrastructure efforts on core national systems and cutting off boondoggles once and for all.| EPIC for America
The Appropriations Committees in both houses of Congress have passed fiscal year 2026 funding bills for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (combined with funding for the Department of […]| Housing Assistance Council
The OBBB’s neutering of the CAFE standard is a win for proponents of consumer choice and deregulation.| EPIC for America
MIAMI — Republican lawmakers in the 10 states that refused the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion for over a decade have argued their conservative approach to growing government programs would pay off in the long run.| CT News Junkie
Trump’s tariffs cost taxpayers far more than his income tax cuts save them. Repealing them offers Dems a chance to deliver a major tax cut.| Washington Monthly
Congress left for August recess having accomplished a fraction of what’s needed to complete the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) appropriations process before the end of the fiscal year on 30 September 2025. The House Appropriations Committee passed 9 of its 12 bills, and the full House passed 2 of its 12 appropriations bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed 8 of its 12 appropriations bills, and the full Senate passed 3 … The post Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Update: USGS and EPA app...| The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy
Congress left for August recess having accomplished a fraction of what’s needed to complete the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) appropriations process before the end of the fiscal year on 30 September 2025. The House Appropriations Committee passed 9 of its 12 bills, and the full House passed 2 of its 12 appropriations bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed 8 of its 12 appropriations bills, and the full Senate passed 3 … The post Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Update: DOE Office of Sc...| The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy
Congress left for August recess having accomplished a fraction of what’s needed to complete the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) appropriations process before the end of the fiscal year on 30 September 2025. The House Appropriations Committee passed 9 of its 12 bills, and the full House passed 2 of its 12 appropriations bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed 8 of its 12 appropriations bills, and the full Senate passed 3 … The post Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Update: NASA, NOAA and N...| The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy
In his latest Beyond the Data column, KFF President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman examines the controversial rural hospital grant program, noting “Will the new $50 billion rural hospital grant program in the big Republican tax and spending law just amount to a bunch of ribbon cutting and big check ceremonies, or will it help rural hospitals offset coming Medicaid cuts, help them in general, or all of the above?”| From Drew Altman Archive | KFF
In his latest Beyond the Data column, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman discusses whether Democrats can make the Medicaid and ACA cuts a winning political issue before the midterm elections and before most people feel the cuts.| KFF
As the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is signed into law, and major changes are made to spending and taxes, a new survey has found that the public would create a completely different budget. Majorities of both Republicans and Democrats would not extend the 2017 tax cuts for all incomes, make big cuts to Medicaid or SNAP (food stamps), nor increase spending on national defense or homeland security. On the contrary, they would raise taxes on high incomes, reduce defense spending, and keep spendi...| publicconsultation.org
A letter sent to Harvard on Friday by the Trump administration demanded that the university make a series of policy changes in order to continue to receive federal funding.| www.nytimes.com
In a new column, Dr. Drew Altman, KFF's President and CEO, examines the different counts of the number of people on Medicaid that are currently in use, which range from 69 to 83 million, and why it might matter. He also discusses other ways to assess the reach of the program: “possibly it’s useful to explain why there are different numbers out there about what seemingly is an all-time simple question: how many people are on Medicaid,” Altman says.| KFF
Bipartisan majorities favor higher not lower taxes on the wealthy, cutting defense spending not increasing it, no cuts to Medicaid, […]|
In a new column, Dr. Drew Altman, KFF’s President and CEO, discusses the limits of polling on policy, and what we have learned over more than 30 years of polling about how giving people more information and arraying tradeoffs can change opinion, including on the health policy changes and funding cuts in the current reconciliation bill.| KFF
By Susan Wright, leader of the Together Women Rise CA, Oakland chapter and member of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS. Susan is also a former Peace Corps volunteer and staff member with USAID. International assistance accounts for less than 1% of the US federal budget, but it still represents an important […] The post Advocate for US funds! first appeared on Together Women Rise. The post Advocate for US funds! appeared first on Together Women Rise.| Together Women Rise
UPDATE: The full Senate passed a fiscal year 2026 funding bill for USDA on August 1. Like the version that has passed the House Appropriations Committee, the Senate’s measure rejects many […]| Housing Assistance Council
In his latest column, President and CEO Drew Altman discusses how, with nearly half, or about 10 million MAGA supporters and Republicans receiving coverage through the ACA Marketplaces, the policy changes and cuts being considered by Republicans to the Marketplaces will directly affect their own voters. Altman writes: "Republicans are no longer interested in repealing the ACA but seem comfortable shrinking it significantly if they can, so long as they don’t touch protections for pre-existin...| From Drew Altman Archive | KFF
In his latest column, President and CEO Drew Altman shows how proposals contained in the House reconciliation bill could result in a one-third reduction in ACA Marketplace enrollment. “While all eyes are on the big Medicaid cuts being proposed in the House,” he writes, “significant changes are also being proposed that together would dramatically reduce enrollment in the ACA Marketplaces.”| From Drew Altman Archive | KFF
In his latest column, KFF President and CEO Drew Altman examines the implications of Secretary Kennedy’s reorganization of HHS and why it’s a sharp break from past efforts to reorganize the department.| From Drew Altman Archive | KFF
In his latest Beyond the Data column, KFF’s President and CEO Drew Altman discusses how difficult it will be for states to replace lost federal Medicaid funding should Congress make significant cuts.| From Drew Altman Archive | KFF
KFF’s president and CEO Drew Altman writes in a new column about the factors driving the biggest health policy decisions now—how to pay for tax cuts and whether President Trump wants another big fight about health care.| From Drew Altman Archive | KFF
In this column, KFF President and CEO Drew Altman examines the data and history around adding work requirements to Medicaid and why the administrative burdens it imposes may offset any savings even for states that ideologically favor such an approach.| KFF
The lag in funding extends far beyond D.E.I. initiatives, affecting almost every area of science: chemistry, computing, engineering, materials and more.| www.nytimes.com
I. What’s the Debt? How big is the U.S. national debt? Some reports say that it’s $36 trillion and others say it’s $29 trillion. The two numbers may cause some confusion but both are correct. They simply measure two different things. The larger number is the gross debt, which consists of all forms of U.S. […]| The Concord Coalition
On Tuesday night, Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered his fourth federal budget, which, as expected, fo| Aged Care Insite
An internal GOP budget squabble has put future funding for the Old Americans Act at risk, as Trump allies mull cuts in similar programs.| Howard Gleckman
At the start of 2017, congressional Republicans often spoke about revenue-neutral tax reform. The revenue losses from tax cuts would be offset by rolling back tax breaks or introducing other taxes, most notably a destination-based cash flow tax—sometimes called the border-adjusted tax. The destination-based cash flow tax attracted intense opposition from business groups, especially retailers, and was eventually dropped. Lawmakers then pivoted to a combination tax cut and reform. The Tax Cut...| Tax Policy Center
Biden focused much of his annual speech on the mental health and well-being of children and youth.| Education Week
According to the German government’s climate finance report recently submitted to Brussels, budget allocations for climate finance in 2023 have fallen significantly compared to the previous year, now once again below the target of at least six billion euros per year. 2025 will see more troubles, as the government is planning more cuts to the […]| The German contribution to International Climate Finance
In this Bridge post, continued from our FY25 Appropriations Overview Part 1 blog, we’ll cover the House’s Interior-Environment, Energy-Water, and Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS) spending bills for fiscal year (FY) 2025—detailing relevant funding levels and sharing committee report highlights that impact the Earth and space sciences. House Interior-Environment Appropriations bill and accompanying report. United States Geological Survey (USGS) FY2024 President’s Budget Reque...| The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy
A key federal funding source for schools would disappear under the conservative policy agenda.| Education Week
A conservative policy agenda could offer the clearest view yet of K-12 education in a second Trump term.| Education Week
As the nation’s English-learner population continues to grow , researchers look to the Title III for how to best support these students.| Education Week
Some Department of Housing and Urban Development programs will receive increased funding in FY24 under the final minibus appropriations bill released by congressional leaders on March 3. The bill is expected to pass […]| Housing Assistance Council
