CQ Budget

CQ Roll Call’s budget tracker David Lerman explains how lawmakers in Congress spend the nation’s money.

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Politics
Government
301
Here Come the Minibuses
The House takes up its first package of spending bills — a minibus — for fiscal 2019 this week, while the Appropriations committees continue to mark up their remaining bills ahead of floor action. CQ Budget and Appropriations reporter Ryan...
10 min
302
Putting Trump's Immigration Crackdown in Context
President Donald Trump's move to criminally prosecute migrants crossing the border illegally, and to separate them from their children, aims to end the longstanding practice of releasing immigrants into the country, pending deportation, says CQ...
22 min
303
House-Senate Tussle Over Spending Bills
Lawmakers know how much money they can have for the 12 spending bills but the House wants to give a huge chunk of it for Homeland Security, leaving no room for any increase to the Labor-HHS-Education bill, says CQ Budget and Appropriations editor...
11 min
304
Potential Hiccups to the Interior-Environment S...
The House Appropriations Committee takes up a spending bill to provide fiscal 2019 funding for the Interior Department and the EPA—attracting riders from lawmakers that could waylay the legislation. CQ energy and environment reporter Jeremy Dillon...
8 min
305
Children's Insurance Program Sparks Divisions i...
CQ appropriations reporter Jennifer Shutt outlines the obstacles lawmakers could face in advancing the Trump administration's proposal to claw back $15 billion from previously approved spending.
8 min
306
First House Spending Bills Address #MeToo, Mari...
It's not a joke! House appropriators are starting to mark up two spending bills this week. CQ appropriations reporter Kellie Mejdrich breaks down what's in the Military Construction-VA title, while reporter Katherine Tully-McManus unpacks...
14 min
307
Spending Bill Strategy
Republican lawmakers are hoping to be able to pass several of the 12 spending bills before the 2019 fiscal year begins Oct. 1. CQ appropriations reporter Jennifer Shutt explains how that might work.  
10 min
308
GOP Farm Bill Targets Food Stamps, Heads for Ho...
On the heels of Republican leaders calling for cuts to entitlement programs, a GOP-written farm bill is headed to the House for a vote, angering Democrats who charge they were left out of the process and as a result millions of low-income people could...
11 min
309
Pitfalls Under New Tax Law
With tax day on Tuesday, CQ budget and tax editor Peter Cohn takes a look at the impact the new tax law will have on individual taxpayers and the broader economy.  Republican proponents say the tax overhaul will spur economic growth, but it is...
12 min
310
Back to the Future for the 2018 Spending Bill
Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trump are mulling going back to the 2018 omnibus and cutting programs already funded by the spending bill in a possible effort to assuage their political base, says CQ budget editor Peter Cohn. He explains the...
15 min
311
The GOP's About-Face on Deficits
Democrats say the GOP is being hypocritical to call for a balanced budget amendment after passing legislation that skyrocketed the deficit. CQ appropriations reporter Ryan McCrimmon unpacks what's behind the GOP's drive.  
8 min
312
Fiscal 2019 Holds Same Old Problems
The fiscal 2018 omnibus is finally law. But, Congress is already prepping to take on the fiscal 2019 appropriations process. Despite optimism, meeting the Oct. 1 fiscal year deadline will be an uphill climb, says CQ appropriations reporter Jennifer Shutt.
11 min
313
Top Appropriators Seek Hometown Cash as Shutdow...
CQ appropriations reporters Kellie Mejdrich and Ryan McCrimmon explain how a committee chairmanship can pay off in more ways than one and why Republicans are once again talking about another round of tax cuts.
9 min
314
Abortion Rift Slows Spending Bill Progress
CQ budget and appropriations reporter Jennifer Shutt explains how the latest negotiations to arrive at a fiscal 2018 catchall spending bill have been mired over funding that could reach Planned Parenthood, always...
9 min
315
The Policy Fights That Could Upend Final 2018 S...
With half of fiscal year 2018 already behind them, lawmakers are struggling with a catch-all spending bill to fund the rest of the year, but controversial issues popping up — from gun control legislation to the border wall — could cripple talks,...
9 min
316
Guns, Immigration Could Trip Up Long-Awaited 20...
CQ budget and appropriations reporter Ryan McCrimmon previews what lawmakers are likely to include in a catch-all fiscal 2018 spending bill and the issues that could spark controversy.
10 min
317
Trump Budget Could Conflict With Spending Plans
Roll Call senior Senate reporter Niels Lesniewski and CQ appropriations reporter Jennifer Shutt preview the Trump administration's fiscal 2019 budget request, which is being released just days after Congress passed a $153 billion...
6 min
318
Another Stopgap Coming as Congress Readies to S...
Negotiations to keep the government funded beyond Feb. 8 are underway, as lawmakers prepare to add even more to the nation's credit card, say CQ's senior budget reporter Paul M. Krawzak and appropriations reporter Jennifer Shutt. Also, the race heats...
11 min
319
Hoping to Avoid Another Shutdown
CQ appropriations reporter Jennifer Shutt talks about the various hurdles lawmakers will need to overcome to prevent another government shutdown.​
9 min
320
Shutdown Scramble
CQ Budget Tracker Editor David Lerman has the latest on the government shutdown and why Senate lawmakers are at an impasse.  
9 min
321
Inching Toward a Spending Spree
CQ budget reporter Paul M. Krawzak explains the negotiations to lift the budget caps by as much as $250 billion over two years.  
11 min
322
Congress' Spending Quagmire
The Budget Tracker Extra Podcast is now CQ Budget. New look but same great show.  CQ's budget and appropriations reporter Ryan McCrimmon explains the obstacles faced by lawmakers to lifting the spending caps and agreeing to a long-term budget deal.
11 min
323
The Long and Winding Road to A Spending Deal
CQ budget and appropriations editor Peter Cohn explains why a long-running standoff over spending limits is complicating passage of a stopgap measure needed to avoid a government shutdown come Christmas.
11 min
324
Defense, Domestic Budget Increases Crucial for ...
CQ appropriations reporters Kellie Mejdrich and Jennifer Shutt discuss the two-week spending bill that averted a government shutdown and look at how lawmakers may keep the government funded beyond Dec. 22.  
13 min
325
GOP's Band-Aid Deal to Avert a Shutdown
CQ budget reporter Jennifer Shutt explains the continuing resolution to fund the government through Dec. 22 and a temporary funding fix for the Children's Health Insurance Program.
8 min