House Budget Hawks Cheer DOGE Package

The White House’s delivery to the House of Representatives of a package that would codify some of the Department of Government Efficiency’s cuts into law was greeted with enthusiasm by the fiscally hawkish House Freedom Caucus on Tuesday. The rescissions package, delivered by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to Republican House leadership, would codify $ 9 billion in cuts to USAID, as well as funds to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Rescissions packages can be passed with a simple majority in…

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Results of the first review initiates battle over budget rules

During the confirmation hearings of the Office of Management and Budget director and deputy director for budget earlier this year, lawmakers pressed Russ Vought and Dan Bishop about whether they would comply with the Impoundment Control Act. The budget rules of the road require Congressional approval if OMB decides not to spend money appropriated in law. While both Vought and Bishop promised to comply with the law, a new decision by the Government Accountability Office casts further doubt on whether OMB will follow the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. GAO…

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The Latest: White House unveils Trump’s 2026 proposed budget

The White House is unveiling President Donald Trump’s budget, a sweeping framework proposing steep reductions in non-defense domestic spending while increasing expenditures on national security. The budget plan released Friday shows a desire to crack down on diversity programs and initiatives to address climate change. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to strip temporary legal protections from 350,000 Venezuelans, potentially exposing them to being deported. Here’s the latest: Trump insists the economy will do ‘fantastically’ despite recession concerns The president in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet…

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Federal benefits face possible cuts in House Republicans’ budget resolution

Although the details of House Republicans’ narrowly approved budget framework are still up in the air, some initial proposals show the possibility of changes to federal benefits, mainly in retirement and health care. As part of the GOP budget resolution, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is looking at cuts of at least $ 50 billion from its mandatory spending, according to the framework that lawmakers approved in a vote of 216-214 on Thursday. That level of spending cuts would almost certainly dig into federal benefits, the National Active…

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The so-called budget is only the start of a lot of hard work

The top-line budget agreement Congress worked out last weekend doesn’t mean the work is done. Members still have to work out the agency-by-agency allocations and whatever policy riders each side can stomach. David Berteau, president and CEO of the Professional Services Council, joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to give the industry view. Interview transcript: Tom Temin: And this is really going much further than the NDAA with its Title 800 procurement reforms year after year. This is kind of a big, important bill, isn’t it, David? David Berteau: It’s…

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VA updates FY 2025 health care budget shortfall to $6.6B, nearly half its previous estimate

The Department of Veterans Affairs is cutting its request for additional funding by almost half after officials told lawmakers last week that a shortfall in its health care budget wasn’t as severe as earlier estimates showed. The VA is now asking Congress for a $ 6.6 billion supplement to its fiscal 2025 budget to keep providing more health care to more veterans than ever before. Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal said in an interview Tuesday that the PACT Act, which expands eligibility for VA health care and benefits to…

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