In the News
March 22, 2012
On Wednesday evening during markup of Chairman Paul Ryan's proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Budget in the House Budget Committee, U.S. Representative Heath Shuler (D-NC), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration, offered an amendment calling for a balanced approach to deficit reduction that includes both spending cuts and tax reform. The amendment received bipartisan support from members of the House Budget Committee, falling just one vote short of passage.
March 8, 2012
By Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., Vice Chair of the Blue Dog Task Force on Fiscal Responsibility
Congressman Jim Cooper writes in The Atlantic about the obsolete laws that are harming Congress and the nation. This article is part of The Atlantic's new ongoing series, "America the Fixable."
Congressman Jim Cooper writes in The Atlantic about the obsolete laws that are harming Congress and the nation. This article is part of The Atlantic's new ongoing series, "America the Fixable."
March 5, 2012
By Frances Seward
**Because a subscription is required to read the full article, only excerpts of the article are available here so as to respect copyright laws. To read the full article, visit CQ.com or click here.
Two bipartisan groups of lawmakers are working behind the scenes to revive momentum for comprehensive legislation to address the government's fiscal woes and in particular to chart a course for long-term deficit reduction.
**Because a subscription is required to read the full article, only excerpts of the article are available here so as to respect copyright laws. To read the full article, visit CQ.com or click here.
Two bipartisan groups of lawmakers are working behind the scenes to revive momentum for comprehensive legislation to address the government's fiscal woes and in particular to chart a course for long-term deficit reduction.
February 17, 2012
By Rep. Mike Michaud of Maine
This week, the House passed legislation to give Congress and the president an important tool to help reduce spending and balance the budget. The Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act would provide a constitutional way to target the pork-belly projects that get included in the giant budget bills passed by Congress the past few years.
This week, the House passed legislation to give Congress and the president an important tool to help reduce spending and balance the budget. The Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act would provide a constitutional way to target the pork-belly projects that get included in the giant budget bills passed by Congress the past few years.
February 1, 2012
The Blue Dogs are adding their bark to chorus of congressional voices calling for quick action on legislation aimed at tightening laws that prohibit lawmakers and their aides from using inside information to make financial trades.
"Members of Congress, their staff, and other federal employees who use special, nonpublic information to make a profit are in complete violation of the public's trust," they wrote in a letter to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.). "This type of insider trading is unacceptable and it should be illegal."
"Members of Congress, their staff, and other federal employees who use special, nonpublic information to make a profit are in complete violation of the public's trust," they wrote in a letter to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.). "This type of insider trading is unacceptable and it should be illegal."
November 9, 2011
By Reps. Joe Donnelly and Dan Boren
In a time of seemingly endless partisanship, there is one thing that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can agree on: We still have a lot of work to do to see our economy recover.
As leaders of the Blue Dog Task Force on Economic Growth, there is no greater priority for us than our nation's economic recovery, which is why we're focused on creating a positive economic climate geared toward bolstering growth and promoting innovation.
In a time of seemingly endless partisanship, there is one thing that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can agree on: We still have a lot of work to do to see our economy recover.
As leaders of the Blue Dog Task Force on Economic Growth, there is no greater priority for us than our nation's economic recovery, which is why we're focused on creating a positive economic climate geared toward bolstering growth and promoting innovation.
October 30, 2011
By U.S. Rep. John Barrow
There's pretty much universal agreement throughout the country that our government has too many regulations on the books.
It's never been more difficult or time-consuming to try to start a small business or expand an existing company. According to the Federal Register, the 2009 Code of Federal Regulations contains 163,333 pages in 226 books. Imagine trying to start a business and having to navigate through all those regulations. It's absurd, wasteful and an enormous obstacle to our economy.
There's pretty much universal agreement throughout the country that our government has too many regulations on the books.
It's never been more difficult or time-consuming to try to start a small business or expand an existing company. According to the Federal Register, the 2009 Code of Federal Regulations contains 163,333 pages in 226 books. Imagine trying to start a business and having to navigate through all those regulations. It's absurd, wasteful and an enormous obstacle to our economy.
October 13, 2011
By Jim Matheson and Mike Ross
As leaders in entrepreneurship and innovation, American businesses have expanded around the world to grow and compete for the 21st century global customer base.
However, our tax code lags dangerously behind the realities of globalism. Within a year, the nominal U.S. corporate tax rate of 35% will be the highest in the world — a staggering barrier prohibiting American businesses from returning profits home for investment in our economy.
As leaders in entrepreneurship and innovation, American businesses have expanded around the world to grow and compete for the 21st century global customer base.
However, our tax code lags dangerously behind the realities of globalism. Within a year, the nominal U.S. corporate tax rate of 35% will be the highest in the world — a staggering barrier prohibiting American businesses from returning profits home for investment in our economy.
October 12, 2011
By Kristina Peterson
A coalition of moderate House Democrats urged the Congressional deficit-reduction committee to include a temporary tax break for U.S. companies bringing home overseas profits, according to a letter sent Wednesday.
A coalition of moderate House Democrats urged the Congressional deficit-reduction committee to include a temporary tax break for U.S. companies bringing home overseas profits, according to a letter sent Wednesday.
October 12, 2011
By Vicki Needham
House Blue Dogs are on board with a temporary corporate tax holiday they argue will boost economic growth.
The group joined a growing bipartisan chorus pressing the congressional deficit-reduction committee to give U.S. multinational corporations a tax break in exchange for investing at home.
House Blue Dogs are on board with a temporary corporate tax holiday they argue will boost economic growth.
The group joined a growing bipartisan chorus pressing the congressional deficit-reduction committee to give U.S. multinational corporations a tax break in exchange for investing at home.