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download our printable pocket card to help members of Congress decide if spending cut offsets are “real” or gimmicky. This is designed to fit in a suit jacket pocket for on-the-go use during live negotiations and debate. Please note, this is not a comprehensive list but a way to check for some of the most common concerns — those fake offsets that
appear fiscally responsible but really aren't. Of course, we are always happy to help perform detailed legislative analysis for you at NTU/NTUF if you need to go deeper.
- New Outlays Require Spending Cuts
If the bill increases outlays, including through tax expenditures, is the new spending fully offset by corresponding decreases in outlays on a dollar-for-dollar basis? - Account for Interest Costs
Are you including added debt service costs for new deficit spending in the total amount to offset? Are all the offsets backloaded at the end of the window or do they follow the pace of spending? Is it likely “future” savings will never be realized due to a long ramp-up or administration shift?
Are all rescissions real money being clawed back or are these dollars that were never going to be spent for one reason or another?
Are the offsets produced by timing shifts, growth assumptions without data made available to you, fraud recovery funds without hard estimates, or other “on paper” accounting gimmicks?
- Missing Outlays in the Offset Target
Is the amount to be offset lowered artificially by fake expirations within the window for “temporary” spending programs nobody actually expects to sunset?
