View the PDF version Overview In recent years, Washington has focused increasingly on avoiding impending deadlines that require more immediate legislative action. The federal government reaching the statutory debt limit—often called “the debt ceiling”—has become one of these simultaneously dramatic…
View the PDF version Overview For decades, leaders in the United States have struggled to find a solution to the exploding costs of medical care and high rates of uninsured Americans. When Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010,…
View the PDF version Overview The chief function of the United States government is to keep the American people safe. To that end, America’s vast national security apparatus utilizes a number of tools and strategies for investigations, intelligence collection, communication…
View the PDF version Overview The current administration has set an ambitious legislative agenda for its first year in office including immigration and healthcare reform, an overhaul of the tax code, and passing an infrastructure bill. With the fate of…
View the PDF version Overview As communities across America continue to rebuild following the Great Recession, local leaders in both the public and private sectors have turned to all available avenues to reboot their economies, attract job creators, and spark…
View the PDF version Overview Every two years, at the beginning of each Congress, both the House of Representatives and Senate are responsible for adopting rules that govern the procedure and process of their respective bodies. These rules are complex…
Click to download in PDF Form Overview Each year, Congress must decide how to spend taxpayer dollars pursuant to Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the U.S. Constitution. This responsibility has manifested itself in the form of statutory requirements,…
View the PDF version Overview Dodd-Frank, officially called the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Public Law 111-203), is major legislation signed by President Obama in July 2010, designed in the aftermath of the “Great Recession” of 2007-2009….
The House and Senate often use annual budget bills to communicate their broad visions for the size and role of the federal government. Even so, the rules governing the budget process can remove some of the procedural obstacles that stand…
The transfer of power from one Presidential Administration to the next is one of the most important processes in our American democracy. According to the Partnership for Public Services’ Center for Presidential Transition, “presidential transitions are big, complicated and dangerous.” …
In January, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed some of the most significant changes to Medicare Part D since its creation. In a 700-page set of proposed rules, CMS proposed changes that many argued would potentially affect…
The topic of how much energy we all use has become a political hotbed, especially as it relates to climate change. There have been numerous attempts at both the federal and state level – some successful – to promote new…