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A two-year shutdown of government shutdowns?

Feb 8, 2018
Congress had to pass a budget bill to avoid a shutdown this week. It also had to lift the debt limit or risk the government running out of money in March. So lawmakers packaged the bills. But they aren’t just doubling up on legislation, they’re doubling down on the national debt.   Click the audio […]

Two-year Senate budget deal provides certainty and busts spending caps

Feb 7, 2018
Of course, the Senate deal has to be approved by the House and signed by President Donald Trump. But, assuming that happens, we wouldn’t have to worry about shutdowns or continuing resolutions until the end of fiscal 2019. So what then would a two-year spending plan mean for the federal government?  Click the audio player […]

Weekly Wrap: Janet Yellen and Donald Trump's economic plans

Mar 17, 2017
Nela Richardson of Redfin and Cardiff Garcia of FT Alphaville join us for the Weekly Wrap to discuss the week’s business and economic news. This week is all about Janet Yellen and Donald Trump. While Yellen’s Federal Reserve increased interest rates, Trump released his budget proposal aimed at cutting funds for government agencies and increasing […]
Federal Reserve Board Chairwoman Janet Yellen announced this week the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

Trump’s opening salvo in the budget wars

Mar 16, 2017
President Donald Trump’s proposed budget is known as the skinny budget, the basic outline of what the president’s priorities are. It’s a bit like an expanded version of one of his tweets. It’s a long way from what the actual budget will be, but it is a window into his thinking when it comes to […]

Republican-controlled Congress to hit its first debt ceiling this week

Mar 13, 2017
President Donald Trump is set to release a so-called “skinny budget” this week. However, Congress has a more pressing money issue. On Wednesday, we bump up against the debt ceiling. Click the audio player above to hear the full story.

Weekly Wrap: GOP health care plan and Trump's budget

Mar 10, 2017
David Gura of Bloomberg and Leigh Gallagher of Fortune join us to discuss the week’s business and economic news. This week, they talk about opposition to the new GOP health care plan and details of President Donald Trump’s budget proposal.  
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) explains the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act during his weekly press conference at the Capitol yesterday in Washington, D.C.
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The race is on to mark up the Affordable Care Act replacement

Mar 8, 2017
Committee work has begun on the process of marking up the GOP alternative to the Affordable Care Act. But while Obamacare took months to craft, Republican lawmakers are trying to move through their repeal-and-replace bill much swifter. Committee markup on a bill of this size would normally take weeks, but in this case, Republicans are […]

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Energy Star program could be targeted for budget cut

Mar 6, 2017
Congress is awaiting President Donald Trump’s budget proposal with the details about his vision of government, and some preliminary elements of that plan are trickling out. According to some reports, the Environmental Protection Agency may lose as much as a quarter of its budget. And the energy and environmental publication E&E News says that one of […]

What does 'welfare' mean to you?

Apr 24, 2013
'Welfare' used to simply mean 'well-being'. These days it often has negative connotations and multiple meanings.