Budget Matters Blog

Category: Budget Process


Summer Interns Tackle Big Budget Issues

Over the coming weeks, we'll be highlighting NPP's amazing summer interns. The stellar efforts of talented student interns throughout the year allows NPP to expand and deepen what we do across all aspects of our work. Welcome to the first of our Summer Intern Profiles.


Hot Summer Budget Battle #2: The 2014 Budget

They don't agree on much, but in at least one way the House and Senate are on the same page: They both want to increase military funding next year.


Hot Summer Budget Battle #1: Sequestration

The 2011 Budget Control Act set the stage for the harsh automatic budget cuts known as sequestration to take place on January 1, 2013. These cuts will go on for a decade unless Congress agrees to stop them. Some initiatives, like the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, have been cut by more than 20 percent.


Social Security and Medicare: Ties that bind

Nearly every American is intimately connected with the earned benefits Social Security and Medicare – first as a contributor then as a recipient. Nearly 90% of us indicated that we’re in favor of taking strong measures to preserve the long-term stability of both programs.


Coming Together for a Challenge

NPP successfully met our May Gift Challenge, thanks to the generosity of our online community!


Civic Hackers Conclude: Federal Spending Transparency Nonexistent

Guest blogger Anthony Holley reports on the Hack for Western Mass project to reconcile federal spending data in USASpending.gov with numbers reported in the federal budget.


Civic Hacking With Hack for Western Mass

This past weekend ~100 hackers from all over Massachussetts generously donated their time and expertise for the National Day of Civic Hacking event for Western Mass. This inspiring event was one of 95 held across the country.


Where Are We Now – It’s Appropriations Season

    May 15 marks the unofficial start of the annual appropriations process on Capitol Hill, where members of the House and Senate funding committees can begin putting together the 12 annual spending bills that support many domestic federal programs and the Pentagon.But first, let’s take a step back. Actually, ...


A Pathway To a Better Federal Budget

Join me, if you will, in envisioning a pathway to a nation where the federal budget reflects the priorities of the American people.



Sequestration - Useless Baggage

They’ve hit a new low. Citing significant concerns about long lines at airports and flight delays caused by the furlough of air-traffic controllers, Congress let the Federal Aviation Administration override strict sequestration rules and redirect funds within its budget. And they did so with lightning speed.