October SnapshotThe National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF) presents a monthly overview of the bills we scored in October, including cost estimates and sponsorship data. Please note that the estimates are preliminary and that NTUF revises estimates as new data becomes available. Links to each Member's BillTally report are for the previous Congress. For more information on how NTUF scores legislation, BillTally's methodology is available here. By The NumbersDuring the month of October, NTUF analysts scored 355 bills to determine their impact on the federal budget. Of those, 208 were House bills with 106 introduced in the past month. In the Senate, cost estimates were obtained for 147 bills, 54 of which were introduced in October. The 208 House bills scored by NTUF in October would save $11.1 billion a year. Totals exclude offsetting provisions. The Largest spending increase proposals include: - H.R. 776, to require an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase of at least three percent for seniors at a first-year cost of $21.37 billion.
- H.R. 2590, to require either a annual COLA for disabled and retired individuals or a $250 one-time payout to recipients, resulting in $14.5 billion in new spending.
- H.R. 2705, to establish a global univeral basic education program, which would authorize $2 billion over five years.
House savings legislation includes: - H.R. 1848, to institute a one percent federal spending reduction at a savings of $67 billion over two years.
- H.R. 2576, to return traditional calculation of income when applying for Medicaid eligibility at a net savings of $5.2 billion over five years.
- H.R. 3090, to eliminate the Economic Development Administration, saving $292 million.
House Bills Scored by NTUF in October (in millions of $) | | Number of Bills | Net Annualized Cost/Savings | Average Cost/Savings | Average Number of Sponsors | Spending Increase Bills | 42 | $24,433 | $582 | 16.6 | Spending Cut Bills | 8 | ($35,374) | ($4,447) | 26.1 | No Net Cost Bills | 155 | $0 | $0 | 9.0 | Excluded* | 3 | N/A | N/A | 2.0 | Total | 208 | ($11,141) | | | * Excluded Bills are not applicable under BillTally Methodology Source: NTUF BillTally System |
Senators proposed $42.8 billion in spending reductions. Totals exclude offsetting provisions. The largest spending increase proposals include: - S. 1660, to ensure the jobs of certain teachers and first responders and to encouage the hiring of unemployed workers at a five-year cost of $172 billion.
- S. 1403, to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act programs, resulting in $42.45 billion in new spending over five years.
- S. 1723, to provide grants to states to protect the jobs of public school teachers, education staffs, and first responders, costing $34.99 billion over five years.
Senate savings legislation includes: - S. 1476, to reduce the federal workforce by 15 percent at a savings of $300 billion over five years.
- S. 1316, to institute a one percent federal spending reduction at a savings of $67 billion over two years.
- S. 1378, to return traditional calculation of income when applying for Medicaid eligibility at a net savings of $5.2 billion over five years.
Senate Bills Scored by NTUF in October (in millions of $) | | Number of Bills | Net Annualized Cost/Savings | Average Cost/Savings | Average Number of Sponsors | Spending Increase Bills* | 38 | $53,349 | $1,404 | 4.9 | Spending Cut Bills | 6 | ($96,138) | ($16,023) | 3.3 | No Net Cost Bills | 96 | $0 | $0 | 5.1 | Excluded** | 7 | N/A | N/A | 4.9 | Total | 147 | ($42,789) | | | * One overlapping spending increase bill was excluded ** Excluded Bills are not applicable under BillTally Methodology Source: NTUF BillTally System |
Know Your Cut BillsWith the addition of the 8 House and 6 Senate cost savings bills scored in October, NTUF's savings bill list for the 112th Congress now contains 170 bills. The 8 House savings bills, excluding overlapping measures, would cut $35.4 billion. One House bill was an update of a previous estimate. The Senate's 6 bills would cut $96.1 billion, also excluding overlapping measures. The full spreadsheet can be accessed here.House StatsThe following sponsorship figures are based on the House bills that were scored by NTUF within the month of October (totals include both sponsors and cosponsors):Senate StatsThe following sponsorship figures are based on the Senate bills that were scored by NTUF within the month of October (totals include both sponsors and cosponsors):Friendship CircleCosponsoring bills not only shows direct support for specific legislation but it can provide insight into national issues. Below are bills that had the most cosponsors in BillTally's three established bill categories. You can join the discussion with your fellow citizens and policy experts at WashingtonWatch.com.Most Friended House Bills- Spending Increase Bill: H.R. 27, Lumbee Recognition Act - 133 cosponsors - sponsored by Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
- Spending Cut Bill: H.R. 2059, a bill to prohibit funding to the United Nations Population Fund - 101 cosponsors - sponsored by Renee Ellmers (R-NC)
- No Cost Bill: H.R. 3200, Local Flexibility for Transit Assistance Act - 119 cosponsors - sponsored by Russ Carnahan (D-MO)
Most Friended Senate BillsWe Want You!NTUF is looking for winter and spring associate policy analysts to participate in our internship program. Associates assist with BillTally research and other policy projects. Academic credit is possible. Email questions to ntuf@ntu.org. To apply visit our internship page. Join us and help keep a tab on Congress! | | NTUF In The News
Earlier this month, NTUF Senior Policy Analyst Demian Brady joined the Illinois Policy Institute's Executive Vice President Kristina Rasmussen to discuss NTUF's BillTally project and some of the Foundation's preliminary results for Illinois lawmakers. As Brady explained, NTUF looks at the legislation that Members of Congress sponsor and cosponsor as "their [legislative] wish list. If [elected officials] were made king for a day, this is the list of legislative ideas that they think are great."
In discussing NTUF's preliminary findings, Brady mentioned that of the state's 19 Representatives in the House that 11 had net spending agendas that would cut average annual spending, while 8 Representatives had agendas that would increase spending on an annual basis. As of September 1st, the largest spending cutter in the state's delegation was Congressman Joe Walsh (R-8th), who proposed roughly $190 billion in cuts spread over 11 different bills. Based on the preliminary data, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) had the largest net spending agenda.
You can listen to the interview here. |
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About NTUF The National Taxpayers Union Foundation is a research and educational organization dedicated solely to helping citizens of all generations understand how tax policies, spending programs, and regulations at all levels affect them now and in the future. Through NTUF's timely information, analysis, and commentary, we're empowering citizens to actively engage in the fiscal policy debate and hold public officials accountable every day. NTUF is a 501(c)(3) research and education organization. Donations are deductible for personal income tax purposes. Please make a donation today to help further NTUF's mission of research and education! This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to aid or hinder the passage of any legislation or as a comment on any Member's fitness to serve. Cosponsor information obtained from GovTrack.us.
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