Congress Passes Supplemental; Cease-Fire in the Capital
On May 24, Congress sent President Bush a version of the $120 billion supplemental war funding bill that he signed into law. The final bill (H.R. 2206) — also raises the minimum wage for the first time in over ten years, a fact that seems to have been lost in national news coverage.

Congress Approves Budget Resolution
On May 17, Congress achieved a basic benchmark of responsible fiscal governance — passing a final budget resolution. The votes were close (Senate 52-40, House 214-209), but Democrats were able to reach final compromises on a few contentious issues.

Congress Demands Answers to USDA Security Breach
On April 13, a user of FedSpending.org, an online database on government spending run by OMB Watch, discovered that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was publishing personally identifiable information about a loan she received from the agency.

Congressional Hearing Reveals Flaws in Outsourcing Tax Debt Collection
On May 23, the House Ways and Means Committee heard testimony on the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) private debt collection program that lets outside contractors pursue federal tax debts.

The latest in fiscal policy, from The Watcher:

Social Programs Are Collateral Damage of the War Funding Debate
A review of the debate over the war funding bill and the social programs caught in the same net.

Budget Resolution Report and Vote Could Come Soon
Conferees have nearly resolved the few major differences between Senate and House versions of the congressional budget resolution.

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Mapping out the Post-Veto Supplemental Landscape
President George W. Bush and Congress are continuing their power struggle over policies related to the war in Iraq, with a war funding bill containing a "goal" timeline for withdrawal of soldiers headed for an almost certain veto.

Senate Still Without Strong Earmark Disclosure Provisions
While the House passed earmark disclosure provisions in its initial rules package in January, a stronger proposal for earmark disclosure passed by the Senate as part of a larger lobbying and ethics reform bill has languished for months.

The Entitlement Crisis That Isn't
On April 23, the Social Security and Medicare Board of Trustees released its annual reports on the two programs. These reports reveal there is not, in fact, an "entitlement" crisis.