California U.S. Senate Candidate Spending Analysis – Carly Fiorina
Total Net Spending Agenda: -$154.796 billion
(savings)
Economy,
Transportation, and Infrastructure: Unknown
A.
Free Trade Agreements:
“…
Carly will support and vote to approve the United States’ free trade agreements
with South Korea and Colombia, as well as the Panama Trade Promotion
Agreement…”
http://www.carlyforca.com/downloads/carlys_economic_growth_plan.pdf
Cost:
Unknown.
Note:
The primary impact of free trade bills is generally on federal revenues.
Depending on the terms of the agreement, there may be some outlays as well. For
example, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that H.R. 3688, the United
States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (110th Congress),
“would reduce revenues by $20 million in 2008, increase revenues by $292
million over the 2008-2012 period, and reduce revenues by $423 million over the
2008-2017 period. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3688 also would increase
direct spending by $4 million in 2008 and by $27 million over the 2008-2012
period, and reduce direct spending by $443 million over the 2008-2017 period.
Further, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would result in new
discretionary spending of less than $500,000 per year, assuming the
availability of appropriated funds.”
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdoc.cfm?index=8790&type=1
Education,
Science, and Research: $600 million
A.
Accountability and Choice:
“Carly
will pursue policies that put into place more accountability and choice into
education.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/downloads/carlys_economic_growth_plan.pdf
Cost:
$600 million (first-year cost).
Source: Related legislation has been introduced
in the form of H.R. 4837 (111th Congress), the School Accountability
Improvement Act of 2010. The text authorizes $600 million over five years to
conduct research and to make grants to states and groups of states for the
purpose of developing and implementing standards and assessments in academic
subjects for which states are held accountable for making adequate yearly
progress under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
Note:
Federal law mandates that students have the option to change to another public
school if their original school fails to meet established annual progress goals.
Several bills in the 111th Congress make reforms to that option. The
remaining bills concerning school choice aim to restore the DC Opportunity
Scholarship Program. The program is currently being funded through a continuing
resolution at $12 million and is not allowed to award new scholarships; the
funding is only available for existing participants. At its height of funding,
in Fiscal Year 2008, the program received $15 million.
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy10/pdf/appendix/edu.pdf
Energy,
Environment, and Agriculture: Unknown
A.
Comprehensive Energy Policy:
“…
Carly supports, and will work to develop, a comprehensive energy policy for the
country that relies on the development of energy from many sources including
clean coal, nuclear power, wind, solar, and increased access to domestic
sources of petroleum.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/downloads/carlys_economic_growth_plan.pdf
Cost:
Unknown.
Note:
H.R. 2846 (111th Congress), the American Energy Act, would
address a number of energy issues including opening more areas to natural gas
exploration, streamlining the nuclear regulatory process, and providing tax
incentives for the use of clean-coal equipment and to assist in the operation
of coal-to-liquid fuel facilities. A
cost estimate is unavailable. NTUF is
unable to estimate any other costs due to the lack of details in Fiorina’s
proposal.
B.
Energy Research:
“What
we need to do in a comprehensive energy policy is fund energy R&D [Research
and Development], we need to give more federal funding to [the] Lawrence
Livermore [National Laboratory], for example, we need to give more to Berkeley…
.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mOO65sXxz0&feature=player_embedded#!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/01/boxer-fiorina-debate_n_702976.html
Cost: Unknown.
Note: Related legislation has been
introduced in the form of H.R. 5262 (111th Congress), a bill to amend
the Atomic Energy Defense Act to authorize the Administrator for Nuclear
Security to establish technology transfer centers at national security
laboratories, and for other purposes. The bill provides for such centers at
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California, and Sandia National
Laboratory, California. The bill would require each center to foster
collaborative scientific research, technology development, and the appropriate
transfer of research and technology to users in addition to the national
security laboratories. A cost estimate is currently unavailable.
C.
Offshore Drilling:
“…
I believe it [the decision to allow for offshore drilling] should be up to the
voters in each state… .”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgsRZ-_HJSE&feature=channel
Cost: Unknown.
Note: The primary fiscal impact of
expanding offshore drilling would be to increase “offsetting receipts,” which
the U.S. Treasury officially records as “negative outlays.” The amount
resulting from Fiorina’s proposal would depend upon each state’s preferences.
Health: -$3.119
billion (savings)
A.
Health Clinics:
“…
[A]nother obvious thing that will help – that we can do right now – is to have
more health clinics around the state and around the country[,] … lower cost
clinics where people can go for more routine care. So that people aren’t
abusing the emergency room or, worse yet, people are just failing to take care
of their health because there isn’t a[n] inexpensive, convenient, accessible
place to go to get a flu shot or to talk to someone about a thrown-out back or
whatever the problem is.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myNnv8Raz-o&feature=channel
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: Related legislation has been introduced in
the form of S. 1355 (111th Congress), a bill to improve access to
health care for individuals residing in underserved rural areas and for other
purposes. A cost estimate is currently unavailable. The President’s Fiscal Year
2011 Budget requests $2.4 billion in FY 2011 for health centers.
B.
Health Insurance Market Competition:
“To
improve quality while also lowering costs, Washington should focus on passing
bipartisan reforms that are known to be effective, such as encouraging
competition in the health insurance market… .”
http://www.carlyforca.com/issues/healthcare/
Cost: Unknown.
Note: Elsewhere, Fiorina discusses
allowing the purchase of health insurance across state lines. It is unclear what
additional policies she would pursue.
C.
Purchase Insurance Across State Lines:
“…
[I]f we would allow, indeed encourage, health insurance companies to compete
across state lines[;] … let people buy health insurance anywhere in the country
they want, from anyone they want.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ3uZyhQFyI&feature=related
Cost: $56 million ($280 million over
five years).
Source: CBO cost estimate for H.R. 2355
(109th Congress), the Health Care Choice Act of 2005. This bill was
reintroduced in the 110th Congress in the form of H.R. 4460.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/66xx/doc6639/hr2355.pdf
D.
Reimportation of Prescription Drugs:
“Why
shouldn’t we have competition for pharmaceuticals? … Why shouldn’t people be
able to import drugs from Canada? I’m all for it.”
http://www.baycitizen.org/health/story/fiorina-health-care-bill-repeal-replace/
Cost: -$600 million (-$5.4 billion
over nine years).
Source: CBO estimate for H.R. 380 (110th
Congress), the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act. CBO projects
that the savings would result because of reductions in federal direct spending
for prescription drugs by $5.4 billion over nine years.
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=8729&zzz=35857
E.
Repeal and Replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA):
“Carly
opposes the recently enacted health care legislation because it increases
taxes, expands the role of government in health care, creates uncertainty for
businesses when it comes to planning for health care for their employees and
will do nothing to lower costs of care or increase its quality… . She advocates
for its repeal and replacement with a bill that relies on creating more
competition, reducing the role of government, lowering costs and enhancing the
quality of care.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/downloads/carlys_economic_growth_plan.pdf
Cost: Unknown.
Note: CBO failed
to complete a comprehensive analysis of all the spending resulting from passage
of H.R. 3590 (111th Congress), the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (PPACA). Among the known costs, including the changes in direct
spending listed in a March 11, 2010 CBO letter, and the specified and certain
estimated authorizations and implementation costs in a CBO letter on May 11,
2010, the law could increase spending by $88.679 billion over the FY 2011 to FY
2015 period. The bill also included unspecified spending authority that CBO has
not estimated.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/113xx/doc11307/Reid_Letter_HR3590.pdf
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/114xx/doc11490/LewisLtr_HR3590.pdf
It is also unclear what specific programs Fiorina
would implement in the place of PPACA.
F.
Tort Reform:
“To
improve quality while also lowering costs, Washington should focus on passing
bipartisan reforms that are known to be effective, such as … cracking down on
frivolous lawsuits … .”
http://www.carlyforca.com/issues/healthcare/
Cost: -$2.575 billion (-$10.3 billion over five
years).
Source: In a 2009 letter to Senator Orrin Hatch, CBO
stated, “Tort reform could affect costs for health care both directly and
indirectly: directly, by lowering premiums for medical liability insurance; and
indirectly, by reducing the use of diagnostic tests and other health care
services when providers recommend those services principally to reduce their potential
exposure to lawsuits.”
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10641/10-09-Tort_Reform.pdf
Homeland
Security, Law Enforcement, and Immigration: $1.598 billion
A.
Border Security:
“Carly
believes that the solution to our nation’s illegal immigration program must
begin with securing our borders.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/issues/immigration/
“The
assumption should be that it is the federal government’s responsibility to
secure the border. They have failed in that responsibility. They do not need
one new piece of legislation to secure the border. They just need to do it.”
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/05/03/fiorina-on-immigration
Cost: $1.5 billion ($3 billion over two years).
Source: Related legislation was
introduced in the form of S. 2348 (110th Congress), the Beginning
Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2007. The text authorizes $3 billion for
two years.
Note: Ms. Fiorina has not made specific
plans or recommendations as to how to secure the border. However, in comparison
with other sources and similar statements from other candidates, a border fence
would be a traditional first step. Recent media reports cite $3 billion as a
recurring cost for a border fence.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/17/napolitano-shifts-policy-on-mexico-border-fence/
In August 2010, President Obama signed
H.R. 6080 (111th Congress), a bill making emergency supplemental
appropriations for border security for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2010, and for other purposes. The bill increases funding for more agents and
equipment along the Mexican border. Media reports cite $600 million as a total
cost.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/13/obama-signs-600m-border-security-bill-law/
B.
Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act:
“I
believe that the 21st century is the century of brainpower and
innovation and we need to cultivate all the brainpower we can by making sure
that people are well educated here. Yes, I would support the DREAM Act, because
I do not believe that we should punish children who through no fault of their
own are here trying to live the American Dream.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/01/boxer-fiorina-debate_n_702976.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nubghKQIUQE&feature=player_embedded#!
Cost: Unknown.
Note: The DREAM Act would adjust the
status of certain undocumented alien children to conditional legal permanent
resident status if they meet specific criteria. In the 108th Congress,
CBO estimated that S. 1545, the DREAM Act, would have a minimal cost over the
first five years, but would eventually cost upwards of $15 million a year for
increased Medicaid and Food Stamp expenses for which the children would become
eligible. Given the recent legislative changes to federal student loan programs
and the changes made to Medicaid in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act, it is uncertain what the current cost of this legislation might be.
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=4981&type=0
C.
Guest Worker Program:
“Carly
is also committed to developing an effective visa program and temporary worker
program to support legal immigrants … . An effective temporary worker program
for seasonal agricultural employees and visa programs for workers in other
high-skill, high-demand industries can help us fill what are often dire
employment needs.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/issues/immigration/
Cost: $98 million ($492 million over
five years).
Source: Related legislation for seasonal
agricultural workers has been introduced in the form of S. 1038 (111th
Congress), the AgJOBS Act of 2009, a bill to improve agricultural job
opportunities, benefits, and security for aliens in the United States, and for
other purposes. A related provision for so-called “blue card” agricultural
worker visas was included in the CBO cost estimate for S. 2611 (109th
Congress), the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006.
http://www.cbo.gov/cedirect.cfm?bill=s2611≅=109
Miscellaneous –
Federal Government: -$153.875 billion (savings)
A.
Budget – Spending Cap:
“Fiorina
proposes that Congress… [p]ass the Sessions/McCaskill spending cap bill … .”
http://www.carlyforca.com/2010/09/carly-fiorina-unveils-plan-to-rein-in-out-of-control-government-spending/
“Where would I cut? First, let’s institute a spending cap
in Washington, D.C. I would return spending, as a beginning, to 2008 levels.”
http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/09/30/transcript-kpcc-debate-between-california-senate-c/
“Fiorina
proposes that Congress… [c]ap annual spending to the historical average of 20
percent of the economy.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/2010/09/carly-fiorina-unveils-plan-to-rein-in-out-of-control-government-spending/
Cost: -$108.414 billion (first-year
savings).
Source: According to Tables 3.1 and 8.1
of the Budget of the U.S. Government,
Fiscal Year 2011, Historical Tables, FY 2008 levels for non-defense,
non-veterans spending totaled $437.6 billion, and is expected to reach $546.1
billion in FY 2011. In a September debate, Fiorina said “I would not cut
funding for national security.” NTUF assumes her proposal would exclude defense
and veterans spending as well.
With regards to Fiorina’s statement relating to a 20 percent Gross Domestic
Product spending cap, too many variables exist to calculate the savings that
would result from a FY 2012 spending cut, the first year Fiorina could vote on
a federal budget. Had it applied to FY 2011, a $780.249 billion savings would
result. This was calculated with data from Table 2.1 of the Budget of the U.S. Government, Fiscal Year
2011, Historical Tables, and by reducing government spending by 5.1
percent. Fiorina’s spending reduction timetable is also unclear.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals
B.
End Ownership of Certain Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSE):
“Fiorina
proposes that Congress … [e]nd taxpayers’ ownership stakes in Detroit, Wall
Street, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by the end of 2011.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/2010/09/carly-fiorina-unveils-plan-to-rein-in-out-of-control-government-spending/
Cost: Unknown.
Note: Related legislation has been
introduced in the form of S. 1242 (111th Congress), the Government
Ownership Exit Plan Act. The bill would prohibit purchases of new ownership
stakes in private companies through the Troubled Asset Relief Program and
require the selling of any current ownership stakes. A cost estimate is
currently unavailable.
C.
Federal Earmark Elimination:
“Fiorina
proposes that Congress … [e]nd earmarks and sweetheart deals … .”
http://www.carlyforca.com/2010/09/carly-fiorina-unveils-plan-to-rein-in-out-of-control-government-spending/
Cost: Unknown.
Source: Fiorina is unclear about what
“sweetheart deals” would be eliminated. If she is referring to provisions
passed in H.R. 3590 (111th Congress), the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act, related legislation has been introduced in the form of
H.R. 4960 (111th Congress), a bill to eliminate sweetheart deals
under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The bill would repeal
Medicaid spending provisions for Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana,
Tennessee, and “Frontier States.” The sponsor reports the bill would save $2.9
billion over five years.
Note: Eliminating earmarks does not
necessarily reduce spending. Earmarks are special instructions on the use of
appropriated funds. If the earmarked funds are returned to the agencies’
general appropriations and are not rescinded, no savings would result.
D.
Federal Employees – Partner Benefits:
“I do believe that marriage is between a man and a woman,
but also have been consistent and clear that I support civil unions for gay and
lesbian couples.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/02/carly-fiorina-opposes-sam_n_703447.html
Cost: $39 million ($196 million over
five years).
Note: CBO estimate for S. 1102 (111th
Congress), the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/114xx/doc11494/s1102.pdf
E.
Federal Program Reauthorizations:
“Fiorina
proposes that Congress … [r]eview every government program as their
authorizations expire to ensure only effective programs receive additional
funding.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/2010/09/carly-fiorina-unveils-plan-to-rein-in-out-of-control-government-spending/
Cost: Unknown.
Note: Related legislation was introduced
in the form of H.R. 5794 (110th Congress), the Federal Sunset Act of
2008. The bill would establish a Federal Agency Sunset Commission to evaluate
the efficiency and need for every agency and recommend its abolishment or
reauthorization. A cost estimate is unavailable. Similar legislation has not
been introduced in the 111th Congress.
F.
Federal Workforce:
“Carly
believes the federal government must start with obvious reforms: … limiting
federal salaries and benefits.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/issues/fiscalaccountability/
“I would call on the federal government to freeze pay. I
would call on the federal government as well to only hire one person for every
two that leave government service”
http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/09/30/transcript-kpcc-debate-between-california-senate-c/
Cost: -$5.5 billion (-$19.5 billion
over five years).
- Workforce
Benefits: (Unknown). It is unclear to what extent Congress could affect current
federal workforce benefits owing to legal issues.
- Workforce
Pay: (-$2 billion). Related legislation has been introduced in the form of H.R.
5382 (111th Congress), a bill to provide for a temporary freeze on
the pay of civilian employees of the Federal Government. Uniformed service
employees are exempted. The sponsor reports the bill would save $2 billion over
one year.
http://bachmann.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=187328
- Workforce
Attrition: (-$3.5 billion). Related legislation has
been introduced in the form of H.R. 5348 (111th Congress), the Federal
Workforce Reduction Act of 2010. The bill would allow the government to hire
only one employee for every two workers who leave. Departments of Defense,
Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs employees would be exempt. The sponsor
reports the bill would save $35 billion over ten years.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0810/080910l1.htm
G.
Income Tax Deficit Check-Off:
“Fiorina
proposes that Congress … [g]ive taxpayers the opportunity to designate 0 to 10
percent of their federal tax liability towards debt reduction.”
http://www.carlyforca.com/2010/09/carly-fiorina-unveils-plan-to-rein-in-out-of-control-government-spending/
Cost: Unknown.
Note: Related legislation has been
introduced in the form of H.R. 4308 (111th Congress), the Deficit
Reduction Check-Off Act, and S. 3496 (111th Congress), the Debt
Buy-Down Act. Cost estimates for both bills are currently unavailable.
H.
Stimulus:
“Fiorina
proposes that Congress … [p]ut unused stimulus money toward debt reduction … .”
http://www.carlyforca.com/2010/09/carly-fiorina-unveils-plan-to-rein-in-out-of-control-government-spending/
Cost: -$40 billion (-$199 billion
over five years).
Source: As of September 17, 2010,
unobligated “stimulus” spending for contracts, grants, loans, and entitlements
totaled $199 billion. NTUF assumes that the bulk of these funds would otherwise
be spent over the next five years. There is an additional $55 billion worth of
unobligated tax benefits, an unknown portion of which may result in outlays
through “refundable” credits.
http://www.recovery.gov/pages/textview.aspx?List={EB595CCA-D93F-48F4-AF96-11E2D41DE73D}&xsl=Charts/FundingOverviewChartTextView.xsl
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Policy Paper
