Director’s Desk
Director’s Desk
In normal circumstances, all spending measures begin in the House. But this year, in the absence of passing a budget resolution in the House, as Josh discusses in the accompanying newsletter piece, Senate leadership will move forward on spending bills without any guidance from the lower chamber. Senate Budget Committee Chair Mike Enzi (R-WY) announced
Director’s Desk
Kenneth Gold | March 18, 2016
Although the NCAA Tournament attracts far more attention, mid-March also marks the beginning phase of the congressional budget and appropriations process. Even though the November 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act set the discretionary spending levels for FY17, passing a budget resolution is still significant. First, a budget resolution is a political document, and provides a vehicle
Director’s Desk
Kenneth Gold | February 24, 2016
By far the most interesting and important political dynamic to watch in the Second Session will be relations between Speaker Ryan and ultra-conservatives in his own party. The first real test of that will come when the House Budget Committee issues its FY17 spending plan. The 2015 Bipartisan Budget Agreement set discretionary levels for this
Director’s Desk
Kenneth Gold | February 8, 2016
Will 2016 be more like 1994, or 2014? The Bipartisan Budget Agreement (PL 114-74) signed in November would seem to pave the way for relatively easy passage of at least some, if not all of the 12 individual FY17 appropriations bills. Under the two-year deal, top line discretionary spending levels (302a) are in place for
Director’s Desk
Kenneth Gold | January 20, 2016
Yesterday the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its revised update that projects the federal deficit increasing this year to $544 billion, $130 billion higher than its August estimate, and $105 billion more than last year’s deficit. It will equal 2 cialis 20mg fta 4.9% of GDP, and will be the first time
Director’s Desk
Kenneth Gold | January 7, 2016
Having tried and failed for five years, congressional Republicans last night finally passed and sent to the president a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, fully knowing they don’t have the votes to override a certain veto. Although the House had already voted 61 times to repeal Obamacare, Republicans had been unable to bring
Director’s Desk
Kenneth Gold | November 2, 2015
In addition to providing a two-year budget framework, the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act is far kinder to federal employee pay and benefits than the 2013 Ryan-Murray agreement. It’s also kinder than the FY 16 congressional budget resolution, which would have made sharp cuts to feds in the workplace. The 2013 budget deal raised the amount
Director’s Desk
Kenneth Gold | September 28, 2015
It’s hard not to think that yesterday’s dugout fight between Washington Nationals Jonathan Papelbon and Bryce Harper isn’t somehow a reflection of what’s going on only a few blocks away on Capitol Hill; and manager Matt Williams will likely soon be joining Speaker Boehner on a Florida golf course. The Speaker’s resignation appears to have
Director’s Desk
Kenneth Gold | July 27, 2015
Although no one expected any of the 12 appropriations bills to even be considered on the Senate floor, the House passed six of the spending bills and was on its way to passing two more before the August recess. Although Republicans have 54 seats in the Senate, it’s well short of a filibuster-proof majority, and
Director’s Desk
GAI | March 31, 2015
GAI Enters the 21st Century: Follow Us on Twitter and Facebook 2015 marks the 50th year that GAI has been conducting congressional classes for federal personnel. It seems a fitting time, then, that we embrace new social media technologies to enable our alumni and other readers to more effectively keep current on those congressional and