Budget Matters Blog

Category: Budget Process


Congress Approves Deal to Reopen Government, Raise Debt Ceiling

After more than two weeks of the government shutdown, Congress approved a deal to fund the government through Jan. 15 and raise the debt ceiling through Feb. 7.


No Deal Yet? End the Shutdown and Raise the Debt Ceiling

We are now 15 days into the government shutdown, and just two days away from the debt ceiling deadline. Together, we must demand better.


Three Dangerous Myths About the Debt Ceiling

Why should you care about the debt limit? Here's a look at some of the debt ceiling myths making the rounds and what you can do about it.


243 Million Ways to End This Shutdown

Our nation is in crisis. The federal government has shutdown and lawmakers show no sign of moving toward an agreement. But there are 243 million ways to end this shutdown.


How Much Does the Government Shutdown Cost?

We've been talking a lot about how this government shutdown is corrosive for our democracy. But, of course, there's also a cost in dollars.


Government Shutdown: What You Need to Know

The government has shut down today because Congress failed to do its job of passing a budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins today.


Government Shutdown: Dear Congress

NPP is working with partner organizations to send a letter to our lawmakers in Washington, D.C. Dear Congress: it's time for Congress to return to the regular appropriations process and ensure that people have a voice in how their tax dollars are spent.


Government Shutdown is a Failure of Democracy

The one-two punch of a looming government shutdown and the reliance on stop-gap spending measures to fund the government is a stark reminder of the rampant dysfunction in the halls of Congress.


Will the Government Shut Down?

There are just a few days left before Oct. 1, the start of the federal government’s new fiscal year and the deadline for Congress to pass some sort of a spending bill in order to avoid a government shutdown.


Washington to Spend Trillions in 2014 (With No Debate or Transparency)

Congress failed to make funding decisions for fiscal 2014 on its regular time-frame, and now the debate on Syria has jumped to the front of the line. That means Congress is going to make some very last-minute decisions about spending in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Even more last-minute than they had already planned.