WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its May 2017 WasteWatcher, a monthly dispatch to members of the news media, highlighting some of the most prominent fiscal issues affecting American taxpayers. The stories from its May edition of WasteWatcher are listed in part as follows:
Setting
the Internet Free
By Deborah Collier
On May 18, 2017,
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted by a 2-1 margin to
open a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Restoring Internet Freedom. Full
story here.
House
Passes the American Health Care Act, Senate Up Next
By
Elizabeth Wright
On May 4, 2017, the House of Representatives
passed H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act (AHCA). The AHCA repeals
many provisions in Obamacare and makes significant and positive changes
to current law. Full story here.
Safeguarding
Infrastructure Investment
By Sean Kennedy
As a
candidate, President Trump pledged to invest in upgrading the country’s
infrastructure. Hopefully, the president is not trying emulate the
(not-so-) “shovel-ready” standard that was attached by President Obama
to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Full story here.
HUD:
Noble Motives, Fiscal Disaster
By Curtis Kalin
The
stated mission of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
is to “create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality
affordable homes for all.” While that goal is laudable, the systemic
dysfunction that permeates the department will prove to be a tough
challenge for HUD Secretary Ben Carson. Full story here.
Making
Unauthorized Spending Wrong Again
By William M. Christian
One
of the best potential reforms of the way that Congress does business is
H.R. 2174, Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers’
Unauthorized Spending Accountability (USA) Act, which she introduced on
April 26, 2017. Full story here.
Going
Off the Rails in Texas
By Andrew Nehring
America’s
first high-speed rail project could happen in Texas, where Houston and
Dallas would be connected along a 240-mile stretch of railroad. However,
CAGW considers the project a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars. Full
story here.
Making
the Case for Dynamic Scoring
By Rachel Cole
When
Congress considers legislation to lower taxes, the Congressional Budget
Office (CBO) will be using dynamic scoring to help estimate its cost. Full
story here.
CAGW is the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.
