Saving Social Security Shouldn’t Be Political Kryptonite
During my first term in the U.S. Senate, Congress and the White House tackled what then-House Speaker Tip O’Neill had dubbed the third rail of politics: Social Security. That’s because those who spoke up about Social Security’s finances invariably learned the topic was political kryptonite. But President Ronald Reagan and Speaker O’Neill changed the narrative. […]
Grassley: Joe Biden And I Fought Deficit Disaster Together As Senators. Four Decades Later, We Need Fiscal Sanity
In 1984, when faced with $200 billion deficits and a national debt nearing $2 trillion, an emphatic Democrat Sen. Joe Biden warned of “economic disaster” unless Congress took “dramatic actions on deficits right now.” He was advocating for a government-wide spending freeze – a bipartisan proposal that he and I led to restore fiscal restraint to the […]
Biden’s $90 Billion Bailout to Tehran
Rushing back into the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also called the Iran nuclear deal, would be a singularly seismic event leading to chaos and instability in the Middle East.
Reckless immigration policies – Biden team has no one to blame but themselve
The current situation at our southern border is unnerving. Despite recent claims by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that there is no crisis at our southern border, there is a major crisis brewing due to the misguided policies of the Biden administration. Whether it is the Biden administration’s reversal of the Remain in Mexico policy, […]
Under one roof — Reforming America’s federal housing programs
The economic damage wrought by the pandemic has revealed many things, and one glaring issue is the importance of an effective federal housing assistance system. Unfortunately, as millions of Americans are learning firsthand, we don’t have that. The Senate Budget Committee, which I chair, just released what we hope is a meaningful report showing how the federal […]
The unglamorous job of federal budgeting
OPINION — It is no secret that a vast majority of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing. Too often our political debates are characterized by hyperpartisanship, rather than achieving meaningful outcomes for the American people. Nowhere is this problem more acute than when it comes to our inability to address our country’s unsustainable […]
Sen. Enzi: Editorial misleads on tax cuts, federal budget woes
The problem stems from an aging population and rising health care costs – not from the 2017 tax reform. BY MIKE ENZI SPECIAL TO THE PRESS HERALD A recent editorial (“Our View: Deficit would be zero if not for tax cuts,” Aug. 11) criticizing tax relief for American families and job creators makes a number […]
Senate Budget Is a First Step to Strengthen America’s Future
This week the Senate Budget Committee will consider a budget plan that will reduce deficits by half a trillion dollars over the next five years. The budget does not presume to solve all of our fiscal challenges. We’ve seen past plans with that aspiration, all of which have been ignored within weeks. This time we are calling for Congress to […]
Who watches the ‘watchdog?’
Enshrined in our Constitution is one of Congress’ most important responsibilities—the power of the purse. This requires lawmakers in Washington to review each and every dollar spent to ensure that the federal government is accountable to the American people. The most common way for Congress to exercise this power is through the annual appropriations process, […]
The Biggest Bank You’ve Never Heard Of
Imagine a financial institution that loans out a trillion dollars to students and families across America, but regularly ignores government regulations and uses questionable accounting practices. On top of that, this institution is actually being run by the federal government. What you have isn’t just a terrible idea, it’s the largest “bank” in America that the public has never heard of, and it’s inside the U.S. Department of Education.