Illegal immigrants turn to GoFundMe in effort to stay in U.S.
Dozens of people have launched GoFundMe accounts to raise money that they say they will make sure is used to push the president's plans for his "great, beautiful wall."
Taxes & Budget
Coverage of the national budget and your taxes.
Trump finds fault with latest spending bill: Where's the border wall funding?
By Gabriella Muñoz - The Washington Times
President Trump called the latest spending bill "ridiculous" while complaining about border wall funding Thursday morning and demanded Republicans "finally get tough." Published September 20, 2018
Recent Stories
Eliminating 'most problematic' federal regulations saves taxpayers $1.3 billion this year
The Trump administration ripped up federal regulations at a record pace this year and saved taxpayers $1.3 billion, double the goal set by the president, according to an American Action Forum analysis.
House Freedom Caucus threatens to withhold votes on spending bills
House conservatives, increasingly frustrated they're getting shut out of the spending debate on Capitol Hill, now are reaching for relevance by saying they could withhold their votes unless they begin to see wins for their priorities.
Americans feel little from Trump tariffs; China is yet to budge on trade deals
American consumers have not felt widespread price increases months after the Trump administration started rolling out tariffs, and economist Robert Scott says the doomsday predictions might never materialize.
Lawmakers reach deal on $850 billion 'minibus' package to fund Department of Defense, others
House and Senate lawmakers on Thursday said they've finalized an approximately $850 billion spending package to fund the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education through September 2019.
House passes three-bill funding package
The House approved the first batch of 2019 spending bills Thursday and shipped the legislation to President Trump to sign, keeping Congress on track for its best annual funding process in decades.
Bernie Sanders, allies push to expand Social Security benefits
Sen. Bernard Sanders and progressive allies banded together Thursday to try and expand Social Security insurance, saying too many retirees can't get by on what it pays now and they must stave off any cuts Republicans demand in the wake of their deficit-ballooning tax bill.
Congress eyes stopgap funding through Dec. 7 to avoid partial shutdown
Congress is hoping to pass nine of the 12 annual appropriations bills for 2019 before Oct. 1 -- and plans to fund the remaining departments at current-year levels through Dec. 7 to avoid a partial shutdown when funding expires at the end of the month.
House Republicans from N.Y., N.J. oppose permanent cap on state and local deduction
As House Republicans move forward on a second round of tax cuts this week, a handful of GOP members from northeastern states are urging their leadership to abandon any effort to lock in a new cap on the federal deduction for state and local tax paid, saying the new limit disproportionately harms their states.
Gingrich, Republicans float new Contract with America ahead of midterms
Republicans have poll-tested a Contract with America-style agenda to carry into the fall elections as they ponder whether they need to give voters a bolder plan for what they will do if they keep control of Congress.
'Minibus' spending package protects Capitol Hill sledders
Among the winners in the newly-released spending package that funds federal energy, veterans and legislative branch programs? Capitol Hill sledders.
Bad news sells, but optimism wins
For the past two years, most major media outlets have been running non-stop about what a disaster President Trump is, and how his mere existence is a threat to both citizens' pocketbooks and liberty. Yet the economy has been booming, and lower taxes and fewer regulations not only meant more prosperity but more liberty.
House Republicans move to lock in cuts with Tax Reform 2.0
House Republicans announced legislation Monday to permanently lock in last year's tax cuts, looking to remind voters of the surging economy -- and the Republicans' role in getting it there -- in the weeks before the November elections.
Congress on track to pass first three spending bills weeks before deadline
Negotiators reached a deal Monday on the first three spending bills for the new fiscal year, in what lawmakers touted as the best progress in a decade on making the annual funding process work.
Trump mocks Obama for doubting his economic plan
President Trump on Monday mocked former President Barack Obama for betting against the economic boom under Mr. Trump, taunting him with the recent 4.2 percent GDP growth.
Lawmakers debating spending bills won't rule out government shutdown
Facing an end-of-month funding deadline, lawmakers negotiating the federal government's 2019 spending bills say they are confident they will be able to head off a third shutdown this year.
Good news for the school year
There's good news this school year for families looking to provide the best possible opportunities for their children. Thanks to tax reform and America's booming economy, parents can save more money for their children's education, and students are finding better job options than we've seen in decades.
U.S. companies added a solid 163,000 jobs in August: Survey
U.S. businesses added 163,000 jobs in August, a private survey found, a decent gain that suggests that employers are confident enough to keep hiring.
Trump urges lawmakers to include work requirements for food stamps in farm bill
President Trump called on Congress Wednesday to approve work requirements for people receiving food stamps, as part of a massive farm bill that lawmakers are negotiating.
Wealthy urbanites from Hollywood to Manhattan cash in on farm bill
The farm bill last year sent $15,488 in subsidies to the homes of Hollywood's elite, and Congress is back at the drawing board this year.
GOP candidates pressure Trump to abandon pay freeze for federal workers
President Trump signaled Monday that he's still reconsidering his announcement to freeze pay for more than 2 million federal civilian workers, after hearing objections from Republican candidates in Virginia, a state with a large population of federal employees.
Trump sets pay freeze for federal workforce in 2019, citing budget problems
President Trump rescinded a pay raise Thursday for more than 2 million civilian federal employees next year, saying the government can't afford the scheduled increases and issuing a call for a move to a merit-based pay system.
Trump says Canada badly wants in new NAFTA deal as Friday deadline looms
President Trump said Wednesday that Canada wants in on the new NAFTA deal and negotiating hard to make it happen.
Calculating the tax cut
Last December's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act didn't come wrapped in shiny paper and a bow, but it might as well have. It's like a Christmas gift that keeps on giving.
Trump administration pulled plug on military parade before being briefed by Pentagon planners
The Trump administration made the decision to cancel a highly controversial military parade in Washington, D.C., before receiving the Pentagon's official cost estimate for the event, a Defense Department spokesman said Monday.
Trump cancels military parade because of 'ridiculously high' price
President Trump canceled the military parade on Friday and blamed local D.C. politicians for wanting a price "so ridiculously high."
Trump's military parade delayed at least until 2019, Pentagon says
The Defense Department says the Veterans Day military parade ordered up by President Donald Trump won't happen in 2018. Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said Thursday that the military and the White House "have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019."
Trump's military parade now estimated to cost $92M
President Trump's military parade could cost as much as $92 million, U.S. officials said Thursday, putting a massive price tag on the Veterans Day event that originally was estimated to run no more than $30 million.
'Unite the Right 2' cost D.C. about $2.6 million, mayor's office says
Sunday's white civil rights rally and related counterprotests cost the nation's capital about $2.6 million, according to rough numbers released by the mayor's office in Washington, D.C.
Trump defends tariffs, says U.S. 'was built' on taxing imports
President Trump said Wednesday that tariffs are propelling the U.S. to better trade deals, defending his trade wars amid a new round of strong economic reports from the government.
Trump signs defense policy bill that rebuilds military, boosts troop pay
President Trump signed a $716 billion defense bill Monday that authorizes hundreds of new planes, ships and tanks -- and delivers a substantial victory to the administration by watering down penalties on a Chinese telecom company.
China slaps U.S. with 25% retaliatory tariff on $16 billion worth of goods
The U.S.-China trade war continued to escalate Wednesday, when the Chinese government announced it will slap a 25 percent retaliatory tariff on $16 billion worth of U.S. imports, CNBC reported.
Report: Simpler tax code means billions of dollars saved in time
The GOP's tax cuts could save Americans billions of dollars by reducing the number of hours they spend calculating and filing their returns, according to a report released Tuesday.
The unintended target of tax reform: Churches now face 21% penalty
Houses of worship and nonprofit groups are crying foul as they realize that a provision in last year's tax reform law requires them to pay federal taxes on some employee benefits for the first time, a development that could cost them thousands of dollars.
Trump bump: Economy, employment strong and expanding, says Conference Board report
The New York-based nonprofit Conference Board reports that its monthly Employment Trends Index is on the upswing.
Trump says he'll force showdown with Congress over border security
President Trump said Thursday night that he's "a little torn" whether to force a government shutdown over border security funding before or after the midterm elections.
Steve Womack, other lawmakers trying to fix budget process in Congress
Key lawmakers say they want to deliver recommendations on how to fix Congress' broken budget process some time next month, far ahead of a November deadline and signaling their hopes of building bipartisan momentum.
Wildfires scorching homes, land -- and California's budget
Just a month into the budget year, the state has already spent more than one-quarter of its annual fire budget, at least $125 million, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Mike Mohler said Wednesday.
Pentagon to face increased operational restrictions under defense authorization bill
The Pentagon will face stricter operating and reporting rules under the major defense authorization bill heading to the White House for President Trump's signature, as U.S. military leaders find themselves under fire for what critics say is a failure to account for and minimize civilian casualties from U.S. airstrikes and military operations.
Lawmakers defuse Trump's shutdown threat by passing partial spending bills ahead of deadline
Congress is taking big strides to defuse President Trump's shutdown threat, working to pass as many spending bills as possible before next month's deadline so most of the government will remain open no matter what Mr. Trump demands on border security.
Defense lawmakers green light plans for Trump's military parade in D.C.
Congressional defense lawmakers have reluctantly given the green light to the Trump administration's plans to hold a military parade down the streets of Washington D.C.
Ohio joins battle to force Lois Lerner records be released
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine asked a judge Wednesday to release former IRS senior executive Lois G. Lerner's secret testimony about her actions during the Obama administration's tea party targeting, saying Americans deserve an "unvarnished publish accounting" of what Ms. Lerner did.
Senate rejects Democratic push for more election security funds
Senate Republicans on Wednesday defeated an attempt to allocate $250 million to states for "election security," turning back what Democrats said would have been the first steps to combat foreign meddling in the looming midterm elections.
Feds spend $400K to better understand 'gender variant' children
U.S. taxpayers are officially on the hook for a $400,000 study comparing "gender variant" children with their peers.
Trump's border wall shutdown threat bucks Republican spending agreement
President Trump said Monday that he wouldn't flinch from a government shutdown this fall over border wall funding, injecting confusion into what had been an unusually orderly and productive appropriations process for the Republican-run Congress.
Trump threatens border security shutdown; GOP cool to idea
Republicans anxious about keeping control of Congress think it's a bad idea, but President Donald Trump still says he's willing to close the government over border security issues, including money he wants to build a promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Stivers: Surging economy will result in voters picking Republicans in midterm vote
The head of the House Republicans' campaign committee said Sunday that the surging U.S. economy will help the GOP hold onto its majority, as President Trump vowed to campaign nonstop this fall for Republican candidates in tight races.
Conservative activist warns of possible recession caused by Trump's trade policies
Billionaire industrialist Charles Koch is warning that Trump administration trade policies could trigger a recession.
Trump's economic adviser says he'll be 'tougher on spending' ahead of budget deadline
President Trump's economic adviser said Sunday the administration will be tougher on spending as the budget deficit is projected to hit $1 trillion.
Ocasio-Cortez slams military spending: We must 'reprioritize what we want to accomplish as a nation'
New York congressional candidate and self-described democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explained on "The Daily Show" Wednesday night how she plans to pay for some of her platform policies such as free health insurance and education for all.
House GOP: Latest tax cuts to 'lock in' relief for middle class families, small businesses
House Republicans said Wednesday their plan for a second round of tax cuts will "lock in" tax relief for middle class families and small businesses, as GOP leaders met with President Trump on their agenda for the rest of the year.
Paul Ryan: 'We've got a lot of work to do' leading up to midterms
With midterms close on the horizon for Congress, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan explained on Wednesday that the spending bills are a top priority and that the immigration bill is being delayed to August to garner more votes.
Trump officials announce $12 billion bailout plan for farmers
The administration announced a $12 billion bailout plan Tuesday for farmers hurt by "unjustified retaliatory tariffs" in President Trump's trade wars, while some GOP lawmakers and farmers recoiled at the government aid and urged the president to seek a negotiated peace with U.S. trading partners.
This vital U.S. Army unit is always in the crosshairs of environmental activists
Six years after Superstorm Sandy battered the Atlantic Coast, the Army Corps of Engineers this summer rolled out its plans to secure the New York shoreline -- and once again found itself in a bitter fight with environmentalists who say the blueprint is an ecological disaster waiting to happen.
Trump's bailout plan for farmers criticized by some in GOP
Some key farm-state lawmakers criticized President Trump's proposed $12 billion bailout plan Tuesday for farmers hurt by his tariff wars.
Feds' spending watchdog site riddled with errors
Federal agencies are finally submitting their spending data to a special public database so taxpayers can see where the money is going -- but a majority of the numbers are little more than junk, according to a new government report Tuesday.
Liberal war on work
Once upon a time, work for welfare was a pretty accepted notion. In 1996, Bill Clinton signed a strict workfare bill that was so popular, it helped him get re-elected. A Brookings Institute study by welfare scholar Ron Haskins proved those reforms moved more than half of those on welfare (mostly young single moms) into the workforce, and millions eventually gained economic self-sufficiency.
Congress to back off harsher sanctions for China's ZTE: Report
Congress will back off ZTE Corp. crackdowns in the latest defense spending bill, which means President Trump's deal with the Chinese company will stand, two senators confirmed on social media Friday.
Trump's 'economic miracle' threatened by tariff wars, Fed interest rate hikes
A jobs boom has driven unemployment to record lows and bolstered the president's pro-worker agenda, but tariff wars and a likely Federal Reserve interest rate hike are darkening the horizon for the Trump economy.
House passes $58.7 billion funding package for interior, environment, financial services in 2019
The House on Thursday took another step forward on its 2019 spending bills, passing a $58.7 billion package that funds interior, environmental, financial services and general government programs.
Recent Opinion Columns
A tax cut for America
Most of the gifts exchanged at this time of year are opened on Christmas Day. But this time around, a big one arrived a few days early: the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Will the tax bill harm charities?
Americans are the most generous people in the world.
Much fast growth right around the corner
Every day there are legions of new economists who dismiss the Donald Trump economic agenda and his forecast of 3 percent growth as a wild-eyed fantasy. The consensus is that the economy "can't possibly grow at 3 percent" says The Wall Street Journal. "Slow growth is the new norm, so get used to it," writes Rucir Sharma, Morgan Stanley, chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley in Foreign Affairs magazine this month.
Pulling the administrative state off autopilot
This past weekend marked President Trump's 100th day in office. While tax cuts and health care reform have been discussed, neither has moved forward. With a potential fight over the debt limit looming, there is surely a lot that could be said about what Mr. Trump has and has not accomplished over the last few months. But there is at least one bright spot: reducing burdensome federal regulations.
Why so many are unemployed for so long
If you pay people not to work, what do you think they will do?
From The Vault
April was best month in history for U.S. budget, according to CBO figures
The federal government took in a record tax haul in April en route to its biggest-ever monthly budget surplus, the Congressional Budget Office said, as a surging economy left Americans with more money in their paychecks -- and this more to pay to Uncle Sam.
U.S. added modest 103K jobs in March; rate stays 4.1 percent
U.S. employers added a modest 103,000 jobs in March after several months of robust gains, though the government's overall jobs report suggests that the labor market remains fundamentally healthy.
IRS audits fewest tax returns in 15 years amid pressure from Congress to scale back enforcement
The IRS is auditing fewer tax returns than at any other time in the past 15 years as the agency struggles with what it says it a shrinking budget and pressure from Congress to be less zealous in enforcement.
U.S. economy grew at solid 2.6 percent rate in the fourth quarter
The U.S. economy grew at a solid rate of 2.6 percent in the final three months of last year, helped by the fastest consumer spending since the spring of 2016 and a big rebound in home construction.
Disney enters tax cut 'crumb' debate, offers $1K cash bonuses to 125K employees
Disney has joined a growing list of companies that have offered employees cash bonuses after the passage of tax reform legislation in Congress.
Big business backs Trump tax cuts with bonus payouts
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has belittled the burgeoning number of tax cut bonuses handed out by employers to millions of employees as "crumbs," but to workers receiving them, it's welcome cash in their pockets.
Walmart raises minimum hourly wage to $11, offers bonuses and new benefits in wake of tax law
Walmart on Thursday announced that it will increase the starting wage rate for hourly employees to $11 and provide additional benefits to other workers in the wake of the $1.5 trillion tax-cut package Congress passed last month.
An ode to the Laffer Curve
The unsung hero of the Republican Christmas gift of a tax cut is Arthur Laffer — the Reagan economist who helped devise the Gipper's tax reductions. Those tax cuts rebuilt the U.S. economy in the 1980s and pulled us out of the mini-depression of high inflation and unemployment in the late 1970s.
Republicans strike deal on tax package
Republican negotiators on Wednesday said they've managed to strike a deal on a $1.4 trillion tax-cut package and that they'll be prepared to send it to President Trump's desk next week.
Tax-cut plan will more than pay for itself, add $300 billion in revenue: Treasury report
The Treasury Department said Monday that the Senate-approved tax reform plan would pay for itself and more, actually boosting revenue by $300 billion over 10 years.
U.S. employers add 228K jobs; unemployment rate stays 4.1 percent
U.S. employers added a robust 228,000 jobs in November, a sign of the job market's enduring strength in its ninth year of economic recovery.
'Trump economy' grew at strong 3.3 percent in third quarter
The U.S. economy grew even faster than initially estimated in the third quarter, with gross domestic product rising 3.3 percent, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.
Solid hiring in July cuts unemployment rate to 4.3 pct.
U.S. employers added 209,000 jobs in July, a second straight month of robust gains that underscore the economy's vitality as it enters a ninth year of expansion.
A plan to save Social Security
It is no secret that what the major media seem to care most about is radically different from what concerns average Americans. While the inside-the-Beltway crowd continues to focus on alleged collusion between President Trump and Russia, real concerns like the future of Social Security are ignored.
Trump sends optimistic budget to pessimistic Congress
The White House's newly minted 2018 budget sprints toward balance over the next decade by counting on a major economic growth spurt to boost revenue and deep cuts on the spending side -- all of it enhanced by more than a few gimmicks and wildly optimistic assumptions.
