Budget Matters Blog


Election 2014: A Voter's Guide to the Federal Budget

It’s election season, when the political ads and campaign claims will fly. National Priorities Project’s 2014 Voter’s Guides will help you pierce through campaign rhetoric and get to the bottom of how candidates approach critical federal budget issues.


Fast Facts about our Workforce this Labor Day

As you’re gathering your friends and family around for one last summer barbecue this Labor Day weekend, don’t forget to recognize the day as a time to celebrate workers for their contributions to the strength, well-being, and prosperity of our nation. In honor of Labor Day, here are some fast facts on the American workforce, minimum wage workers, and the unemployed.


Raising the Federal Minimum Wage is Good for Working Families, the Economy, and the Federal Budget

The federal minimum wage is normally seen as a labor standard that imposes costs on businesses, and, by lifting up the wage floor, benefits low wage workers.  This is an accurate, but incomplete view, however, as it doesn’t show the impact on the federal budget that results from businesses failing...


Summer Intern Profile: Christoph Demers

A look back at a busy few months from Christoph Demers, NPP's summer research intern.


5 Reasons to Talk to Congress This August

August recess is the best opportunity to tell Congress your thoughts on Iraq, immigration, corporate taxes, unemployment benefits, and more.


$1.5 Trillion and Counting: What New Involvement in Iraq Means for Federal Spending

As President Obama allowed a trickle of troops back into Iraq, and air strikes are expected to continue for weeks or months, Americans are wary about our role in a conflict most of us think we never should have started in the first place. Polls show that while Americans are divided on new airstrikes in Iraq, most are against sending troops back.


Pick Your Better Border Budget Battle: Can we reach a deal on the border crisis?

Competing funding proposals to deal with the border crisis express vastly different priorities about border security, refugee assistance, and legal representation, echoing the deep divisions about immigration reform overall.


Penny on the Dollar: US Foreign Aid is about One Percent of Spending

One of the most enduring myths about the federal budget is that a significant portion of it goes overseas in the form of foreign aid.  In fact, foreign aid is about one percent of the federal budget.


Deja-Vu all over again: Can Congress Pass a Budget?

With elections looming in November, most observers don’t expect Congress to pass a budget before the October 1 deadline. 


Billions of Dollars Missing From Government Spending Website

The Government Accountability Office recently found that $619 billion in federal grants and loans was improperly reported in 2012.