Pelosi sets minimum pay level for House staff at $45,000 per year
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is setting the minimum salary level for House staff to $45,000 per year, arguing the move is direly needed to retain talent.
Taxes & Budget
Coverage of the national budget and your taxes.
Backlog is ‘still crushing’ IRS, agency’s taxpayer advocate tells Congress
The IRS backlog has grown worse over the last year and millions of returns filed on paper this year have yet to be touched by the agency, the country’s official taxpayer advocate told Congress in a new report Wednesday.
Biden gas tax holiday faces revolt by top Democrats
Democrats on Capitol Hill are revolting over a proposal by President Biden for Congress to temporarily suspend the federal tax that drivers pay at the gasoline pump.
Biden to call on Congress, states to temporarily waive gas taxes in bid to ease pain at the pump
Pandemic fraud syndicates eye next targets for theft of taxpayers’ money
Yellen wants more money to fix the ‘awful’ performance of the IRS
Yellen warns inflation to remain ‘high,’ force Biden to revise budget forecasts
$1.9T COVID-19 relief advanced equity, boosted Black people and Hispanic people, report finds
IRS audits plummet as wealthy escape scrutiny, poorest taxpayers get hit
Biden says ‘more work to do’ on inflation, calls on Republicans in Congress to help
President Biden said more steps must be taken to stop soaring inflation after a Labor Department report showed mixed results for the job market.
Florida residents sue to block state from dissolving Disney’s special tax district
Four Florida residents are suing to block the state from dissolving Disney’s special tax district on the grounds it will force taxpayers to pick up the theme park’s $1 billion debt burden.
Biden presses $33B aid package for Ukraine as Russia steps up bombardment in the east
President Biden prodded Congress on Thursday to approve another $33 billion to support Ukraine in its fight against a renewed Russian military assault and replenish depleted American arsenals, saying the cost of defending democracy in Kyiv “is not cheap.”
Democrats eye tying emergency Ukraine aid to stalled $10B coronavirus package
Senate Democrats are considering pairing emergency military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine with a stalled $10 billion coronavirus package.
Taxpayers subsidize premium content streaming app for PBS
The Public Broadcasting System’s inclusion of a premium access service on its digital streaming app is stirring debate about whether government funding gives it an unfair advantage in the streaming wars.
Biden sends more guns, money to Ukraine as Putin tries to reboot invasion
President Biden said Thursday the U.S. will be sending another $800 million in military aid to Ukraine to send an “unmistakable message” to Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Kremlin tries to reboot its troubled invasion of its neighbor.
Supreme Court upholds Puerto Ricans’ exclusion from benefits program
The Supreme Court has upheld the differential treatment of residents of Puerto Rico, ruling that Congress was within its power to exclude them from a benefits program that’s available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Florida Legislature quickly makes good on Gov. DeSantis’ threat to strip Disney’s special tax status
The Florida Senate voted Wednesday to end Disney’s special taxing district in a battle over the state’s new sex-education law, pushing the theme park giant a step closer to losing the unique autonomy it has functioned under since the park was built more than five decades ago.
Biden’s tax hikes could hasten the onset of a recession, experts warn
President Biden’s proposal to raise taxes across the board could hasten the onset of an economic recession, economists say.
Florida Gov. DeSantis to seek end to Disney’s taxing district in special session
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday he’ll seek to eliminate Disney’s special taxing district when the Legislature meets this week, a move that follows the theme park giant’s criticism of a new state ban on sex education for early elementary grades.
Supreme Court rejects blue states’ challenge to cap on state and local tax deductions
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge to Congress’ 2017 tax reform that capped the state and local tax deduction filed by three blue states.
Biden uses Tax Day to draw contrasts with GOP
President Biden used Monday’s tax-filing deadline to promote his social welfare agenda while lobbing attacks at Senate Republicans, saying his tax plan would look out for the middle class while Senate Republicans promote a plan that would impose income taxes on those who currently pay none.
Tax Day laggards: Consider filing for extension if in a rush
Millions of Americans wait until the last minute to file their taxes and this year is no exception.
Biden, first lady report 2021 income of nearly $611,000 on tax returns
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden made public their tax return on Friday showing they earned nearly $611,000 in 2021.
IRS braces for flood of Tax Day returns, as taxpayers see delayed refunds amid backlog
The Internal Revenue Service is bracing for a flood of tax returns on the official deadline on Monday in a system already beleaguered with delays.
State Dept. authorizes $100M in security assistance for Ukraine
The State Department late Tuesday authorized an additional $100 million in security assistance for Ukraine.
Senators agree to $10 billion virus-aid package, nix Biden’s request to fund global COVID-19 fight
Bipartisan negotiators struck a $10 billion Senate deal Monday to handle COVID-19 that is less than half the amount that President Biden demanded last month.
Senate closes in on $10B virus funding deal; House Dems object to lack of global funding
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill scrambled Monday to finalize and pass a $10 billion COVID-19 response package that will likely be less than half the amount that President Biden demanded.
Review finds Biden’s plan to raise the corporate tax to 28% would kill 138,000 jobs
President Biden’s proposal to hike the corporate tax rate to 28% will shrink the U.S. economy and decimate more than 138,000 jobs over the next decade, found an analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.
Hogan, lawmakers, announce agreement on $1.86B in tax relief
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and leaders in the legislature have reached a $1.86 billion agreement for tax relief over five years for retirees, small businesses and low-income families, officials announced Monday.
Pentagon budget request seeks extra money for Ukraine military support, Afghan resettlement
The Department of Defense is asking Congress for $773 billion for the Pentagon in 2023, an increase of $30 billion from what President Biden asked for last year.
Biden’s budget will seek minimum tax on households worth more than $100M
President Biden will release on Monday a budget blueprint that calls on Congress to require a 20% minimum tax on households worth more than $100 million.
IRS still paying pandemic benefits to dead people: Audit
The IRS is still paying pandemic benefits to dead people, the agency’s inspector general has revealed in a new report that identified tens of thousands of erroneous payments.
Michigan’s Democratic governor calls for temporary freeze on 6% gasoline sales tax
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday proposed temporarily freezing Michigan’s 6% sales tax on gasoline and diesel fuel as a way to lower high pump prices and keep intact road and bridge funding.
Hunter Biden federal probe ongoing despite paid tax bill: Report
President Biden’s son Hunter paid off his tax liability, but the grand jury probe into his business dealings continues, according to a report Thursday.
Gas tax suspension for 30 days advancing in Maryland
Maryland lawmakers unanimously approved legislation Thursday to suspend the state’s gas tax for 30 days, with a final vote expected soon to send the measure to Gov. Larry Hogan who supports it.
Feds have recovered less than 1% of $163 billion in bogus unemployment benefits
The federal government blew at least $163 billion on bogus pandemic unemployment benefit payments and has recaptured less than $1 billion of it, the program’s inspector general told Congress on Thursday.
Biden signs budget bill that includes $13.6 billion for Ukraine
President Biden signed a bill Tuesday that will provide $13.6 billion in new military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine as part of $1.5 trillion in federal spending that will fund the government through September.
Dems’ climate change agenda inches forward with $18 billion boost from government spending bill
President Biden managed to salvage a sliver of his climate change agenda in the $1.5 trillion government spending bill with at least $18 billion of it going to programs intended to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Biden’s budget bill funnels millions in pork to vulnerable Democrats
President Biden’s $1.5 trillion government funding bill funnels millions of dollars in pork to vulnerable Democrats in November’s midterm elections while benefiting Republicans who helped secure its passage.
Democrats slammed over bill to hike taxes on major oil companies
Congressional Democrats like Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island want to bring down sky-high gas prices by raising taxes on major oil-and-gas companies, a proposal that dumbfounded critics said would trigger even higher prices at the pump.
States look to gas tax holidays to ease pain at pump
Governors and state legislatures of both parties throughout the country are looking to suspend their gasoline taxes to give their residents a little relief from soaring prices at the pump.
Senate approves $1.5 trillion spending bill with Ukraine aid, earmarks
The Senate on Thursday gave final approval to a $1.5 trillion government funding bill that included $14 billion in aid for Ukraine, sending it to President Biden for his signature.
Biden’s inflation plan will only pour ‘fuel on the fire,’ warn fiscal hawks
President Biden’s proposals to pour more taxpayer money into government programs to counter rising costs have fiscal hawks confounded, with many arguing it will exacerbate the current inflation crisis.
Millions of students could lose free school lunches if Congress fails to act
Lawmakers have dropped an extension of waivers for free universal school lunches from the new bipartisan $1.5 trillion spending package working its way through Congress, meaning millions of students could soon lose the food subsidies that they have been offered since the start of the pandemic.
House passes Biden’s $1.5 trillion budget after Pelosi beats back far-left revolt
House Democrats passed President Biden’s $1.5 trillion bipartisan budget deal Wednesday, which includes emergency aid to Ukraine and billions in congressional pet projects via legislative earmarks, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi staved off a last-minute rebellion from her party’s far-left flank.
Progressives threaten to derail Biden’s $1.5 trillion budget over COVID-19 funding
Progressive House Democrats are threatening to derail President Biden’s $1.5 trillion bipartisan budget deal over what they see as inadequate funding for combatting the coronavirus.
Pelosi rushes to pass 2,741-page budget bill ahead of Democratic retreat
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is rushing to pass a 2,741-page funding measure Wednesday before Democrats set off to Pennsylvania for a party retreat, giving lawmakers less than 15 hours to comb through the legislation.
Top lawmakers reach deal on Ukraine aid, $1.5T spending
Congressional leaders reached a bipartisan deal early Wednesday providing $13.6 billion to help Ukraine and European allies plus billions more to battle the pandemic as part of an overdue $1.5 trillion measure financing federal agencies for the rest of this year.
GOP senators threaten to delay Ukraine aid if paired with government funding bill
A cadre of GOP senators is threatening to delay passage of emergency military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine if it’s paired with a yearlong budget bill that does not defund President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Biden’s deficit reduction pledge undercut by push for trillions in new social welfare spending
President Biden’s pledge to cut the deficit by more than $1 trillion by the end of the year has budget experts and fiscal hawks scratching their heads, especially as the White House pushes trillions in new spending.
GOP-led Michigan legislature sends tax cut bill to Gov. Whitmer, who pledges veto
The Republican-led Legislature on Thursday gave final approval to a veto-destined bill that would cut Michigan’s income tax, expand tax exemptions for older people and largely restore a per-child tax credit that was eliminated a decade ago.
House GOP presses Biden’s infrastructure czar on efforts to ‘root out waste and fraud’
GOP lawmakers are demanding documents from the White House regarding its management of $1.2 trillion in bipartisan infrastructure funding as part of a larger effort to “root out waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement” within the federal government.
Biden asks Congress for $10B in emergency aid for Ukraine
President Biden is upping his request for humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine, calling on Congress to approve $10 billion to help bolster the nation in its fight against Russia.
Sen. Joe Manchin shuts down Biden’s talk of reviving $1.75T social welfare bill
Sen Joe Manchin III on Tuesday shot down President Biden’s calls to revive the administration’s $1.75 trillion social welfare and climate package, known as the Build Back Better Act.
Business group says Biden energy policies hurt U.S., fuel Putin’s war chest
Democrats’ focus on green energy and climate change has cut domestic oil production, driven up gas prices and helped to fund Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a conservative business group said Monday.
DHS eyes more welfare for legal immigrants as Supreme Court hears challenge
The Biden administration has moved to make it more attractive for immigrants to sign up for welfare, laying down a marker just days before the Supreme Court is slated to take up the issue in a legal challenge seeking to restore tougher Trump-era rules.
Rising gas prices and tax-holiday proposal put Biden, Democrats in bind
Record-high inflation, geopolitical tensions abroad and warnings about the price of gasoline reaching $7 per gallon have Democrats in Washington scrambling to address costs directly hurting Americans’ pocketbooks.
Sen. Manchin balks at vulnerable Democrats’ push to suspend federal gasoline tax
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III pushed back Tuesday on a proposal by vulnerable members of his party to suspend the federal gasoline tax until after the November elections.
IRS blames pandemic, Congress for failure to process taxpayers’ returns
IRS Commissioner Charles P. Rettig acknowledged Tuesday the tax agency faces “enormous challenges” in providing service this year, but said taxpayers should direct their anger at Congress for not giving him enough money.
New GOP ad blitzes Dems over skyrocketing cost of Super Bowl snacks
Ahead of Sunday’s big game, Republicans released a new digital advertisement Friday that blames Democrats for hiking the cost of chicken wings, guacamole and other popular Super Bowl fare.
