Oversight
Chairman Enzi: Two-Year Budgets Will Make Spending Process More Transparent
WASHINGTON D.C. - During a second Senate Budget Committee hearing on fixing America's broken budget process, Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) today said that moving the nation to a biennial budget would create more stability and predictability for agencies as well as state and local governments. Most importantly, he said, it will increase the transparency of the federal spending process and help make government more accountable. "The worst kept secret in Washington is that we essentially operate on a … Continue Reading
11.03.15
The Budget's Broken. It's Time to Fix It
by Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY)
The recent spending and debt deal clearly illustrates that the federal budget process is in serious need of reform. America's current budget challenges are directly related to this breakdown and fixing it can put the country on a more responsible spending path going forward. If there was any doubt that the federal budget process is broken, consider this: Congress has passed budget resolutions in less than half of the last 15 fiscal years, and prior to this year's balanced budget resolution, the… Continue Reading
10.29.15
Budget Committee to Hold Nov.4 Hearing on Biennial Budgeting
WASHINGTON D.C. - Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, will hold a hearing Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at 10:30am on a biennial approach to better budgeting. Testifying will be Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE), Mr. William G. Batchelder, the former Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives and Mr. Robert L. Bixby, Executive Director of the Concord Coalition. The hearing can be streamed here. WHAT: Hearing: A Biennial Approach … Continue Reading
10.28.15
CBO Report Shows Senate Committees Have Authorized $2.2 Billion Less Than Budgeted
WASHINGTON D.C. - At the request of Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report for October 2015 that tracks the budgetary impact of enacted legislation against the FY 2015 deemed budget resolution and the FY 2016 balanced budget resolution approved by Congress earlier this year. The CBO report provides a status update on Congress' progress against the balanced budget resolution passed earlier this year. The report shows that over th… Continue Reading
10.27.15
BUDGET BULLETIN: How Back-End Spending Impacts the Budget
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its October 27, 2015, issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on back-end spending and its impacts on the federal budget. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: How Back-End Agency Spending Impacts the Budget Congress acts on the "front end" … Continue Reading
10.27.15
Back-End Spending’s Impacts on the Budget
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its October 27, 2015, issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on back-end spending and its impacts on the federal budget. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: How Back-End Agency Spending Impacts the Budget Congress acts on the "front end" … Continue Reading
10.23.15
Senate GOP seeks to rein in Obama on regs
by Jordain Carney
Senate Republicans are rolling out a new way to clarify what regulation authority a law gives to federal agencies, suggesting it could help curb incorrect interpretations by the Obama administration. Republican Sens. Mike Enzi (Wyo.), Mike Crapo (Idaho), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) and Steve Daines (Mont.) have introduced legislation that would allow lawmakers to pass concurrent resolutions to explain the meaning of a law and what authority it gives to federal agencies. According to the bill, fed… Continue Reading
10.23.15
Chairman Enzi: Help the economy by stopping onslaught of regulations
Washington, D.C. - It is often said that there are two constants in life - death and taxes, but according to U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., it appears there is one more issue that Americans can't seem to escape from- regulations. Speaking on the Senate floor today, Enzi said this inability to escape federal regulations is making it harder for Americans by slowing down the economy and making it more difficult to find a good job. "This is a relationship that is clear to the people that exper… Continue Reading
10.21.15
Enzi: Healthy Budget Process Strengthens Democracy
WASHINGTON D.C. - Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today held a hearing on the need to take action on reforming the federal budget process. Testifying were Michael Peterson, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President of the American Action Forum and former director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). "A well-functioning budget process strengthens democracy by giving citizens a better understanding of gove… Continue Reading
10.08.15
Enzi Pushes OMB Director to Disclose Spending by Feds on Outside Public Relations Activities
WASHINGTON D.C. - Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, in a letter today to Shaun Donovan, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), voiced concerns about spending by Executive Branch entities on "messaging" activities. Enzi noted that according to a recent report by the Congressional Research Service, oversight on agency spending on advertising, public relations and media relations is largely unknown because it is hard to tell how much is spent an… Continue Reading
10.06.15
BUDGET BULLETIN: Social Security Replacement Rates
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its October 6, 2015, issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on Social Security replacement rates. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: Social Security Replacement Rates Social Security provides monthly cash benefits to retired and disabled… Continue Reading
10.06.15
Social Security Replacement Rates
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its October 6, 2015, issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on Social Security replacement rates. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: Social Security Replacement Rates Social Security provides monthly cash benefits to retired and disabled… Continue Reading
10.02.15
UPDATED BUDGET BULLETIN: Debt-Limit Debate New Budget Committee and Treasury Forecasts
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today updated its recent issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on the debt-limit debate to include new Budget Committee and Treasury forecasts. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: The current Budget Committee forecast is for extraordinary measures to be… Continue Reading
10.02.15
UPDATED Debt-Limit Debate: New Budget Committee and Treasury Forecasts
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today updated its recent issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on the debt-limit debate to include new Budget Committee and Treasury forecasts. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: The current Budget Committee forecast is for extraordinary measures to be… Continue Reading
09.30.15
Enzi: Congress Should Pass Annual Spending Bills Instead of Continuing Resolutions
WASHINGTON D.C. - Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed a short-term continuing resolution, which would fund government agencies through December 11, 2015: "Earlier this year, Congress approved its first joint 10-year balanced budget since 2001. Now one of our top priorities must be to approve fiscally responsible spending legislation to match this sensible blueprint," said Chairman Enzi. "For the first … Continue Reading
09.29.15
BUDGET BULLETIN: 2016 Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its September 29, 2015, issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on the 2016 Continuing Resolution, which would fund government agencies through December 11, 2015. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: 2016 Continuing Resolution With appro… Continue Reading
09.29.15
2016 Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its September 29, 2015, issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on the 2016 Continuing Resolution, which would fund government agencies through December 11, 2015. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: 2016 Continuing Resolution With appro… Continue Reading
09.15.15
BUDGET BULLETIN: Fall Debt-Limit Debate
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its September 15, 2015, issue of the Budget Bulletin focused on the debt-limit debate. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: The Fall Debt-Limit Debate There is a growing consensus that sometime between November 15 and December 15 of this… Continue Reading
08.25.15
CBO Report Shows Impact of Budget Caps on Overspending
WASHINGTON D.C. - Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) today released the following statement in response to the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) "Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook: 2015 to 2025." Enzi noted that that report shows the positive impact of the budget caps, passed as part of the bipartisan Budget Control Act, on the federal government's overspending. "Today's report from CBO demonstrates the tremendous impact the budget caps approved as part of the Budget C… Continue Reading
08.24.15
Sen. Ayotte Holds Field Hearing with IRS Commissioner to Examine Tax-Related ID Theft
Invites Granite Staters to share experiences with tax identity theft in advance of hearing WASHINGTON, DC - On Wednesday, August 26, U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) held a Budget Committee field hearing with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen on the IRS' handling of fraudulent tax returns. Ayotte invited Commissioner Koskinen to participate in the hearing in order to hear directly from New Hampshire residents who have been victims of tax-related identity theft or have … Continue Reading
