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Proponents of the WRDA legislation have made much about the legislation being "earmark free." Now while the bill seems to comport with the current earmark moratorium, it does fund or expand previous earmarks. A headline in the Washington Examiner this morning said it all: Earmarks may be dead, but pet projects live on. For instance, the bill increases the cost share for the Olmsted Lock and Dam in Kentucky from...

Amendments to the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

Washington - Today, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report on the estimated costs of selected federal credit programs, including the Export-Import Bank. The analysis found a $16 billion difference between the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (FCRA) methodology and the fair-value approach, which accounts for the cost of risk. The CBO explains this "offers a more comprehensive estimate of federal costs." According to the report, the Bank's...

In my Foundry column this week, I argue that the left has a record of voting in favor of corporate welfare, which is often overlooked, and that they should be exposed for their dishonesty on the issue of corporate cronyism: Though it was reported as news, the left's 2014 blueprint isn't novel - it is the same strategy they've employed with varying degrees of success for decades. The New York...

The Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act (H.R. 6) would expedite approval of applications for the export of natural gas by requiring the Department of Energy to issue a final decision on applications within 30 days of the conclusion of the NEPA environmental review of the facilities. It also provides for expedited judicial review by the U.S. Court of Appeals.

The Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act (S. 2432) would allow borrowers with older student loans — nearly 40 million individuals with more than $1 trillion in student loan debt — to refinance at the rates established in 2013 for new, taxpayer-backed student loans. The bill would be paid for by raising taxes for families and small businesses making more than $1 million, the so-called Buffett Rule.

The motion to waive all applicable budget points of order on the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 (H.R. 3230) allows spending to occur outside existing federal budget caps.

On May 30, 2014, House Republican Leaders announced a plan to bail out the federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to the tune of $15 billion, paying for it with savings generated by reforms to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). This proposal is flawed on a number of levels and should be rejected by Congress. Highway Bailout: Under current law, drivers pay a tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline...

The REAL Facts on the Export-Import Bank from Heritage Action for America Despite torrents of opposition to the Ex-Im slush fund for corporate welfare, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is sticking to its guns. Last week, it released a series of "facts" to promote reauthorization of its charter this fall. Real Fact One: Ex-Im's past returns to the Treasury are beside the point. Investing appropriations in other sectors of...

Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) supports the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, which comes as no surprise once you know that he's benefited from its activities. The Hill reports: Heritage Action criticized Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) on Monday for his company's benefiting from the Export Import Bank, saying it is an example of "Washington working for itself."Collins' is a co-founder and serves on the board of directors for Audubon Machinery Corporation...

Between Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and President Obama, the left has made some pretty solid efforts to ensure college tuition remains on the rise, even if that is not their intention. President Obama signed a memorandum Monday to extend the "Pay as You Earn" program to 5 million previously ineligible borrowers who took out student loans prior to 2007. While that may seem like a good move politically, it will...

CO-SPONSORSHIP of the HERO Act (Senate)

"NO" on Elizabeth Warren's Student Loan Bill

CO-SPONSORSHIP of the HERO Act (House)

Conservatives must stop using lazy rhetoric and instead engage in the real policy fight to eliminate cronyism. That's the message of a piece I co-authored with Sen. Jim DeMint in the Weekly Standard Magazine: This year's turbulent primary season, which hit a crescendo this month with David Brat's upset victory over House majority leader Eric Cantor in the Republican primary for Virginia's 7th Congressional District, is an opportunity for conservatives...

Washington -- Today, the House Republican Conference elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as Majority Leader and Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) as Majority Whip. Heritage Action released the following statement from chief executive officer Michael A. Needham: "On nearly every issue, conservatives are providing policy solutions that will work for those on Main Street not just those on K Street. We will continue to work with the Republican leadership team to...

"YES" on Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act (H.R. 6)

Washington -- Although lawmakers are home for their Fourth of July recess, House and Senate negotiators continue working toward an agreement to revamp the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, rejected the Senate's emergency spending approach and urged the conference committee to offset any new spending. Heritage Action released the following statement from chief executive officer Michael A. Needham: "The...

The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (H.R. 3230), agreed to by Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) and Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT) would increase direct spending by $15 billion over 10 years. Of that cost, $10 billion in emergency mandatory funding would go towards an external care option for vets who face wait times of longer than 30 days or live more than 40 miles from a VA facility...

The House-passed Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 (H.R. 5021) would inject $10.8 billion into the federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF), marking the fifth bailout of the HTF since 2008. The bill would offset the additional spending over the next decade through a series of revenue raisers, budget gimmicks and budget transfers. It would also extend existing surface transportation programs until May 30, 2015.