Government Spending & Fiscal Policy News

The Daily Signal examines federal and state spending, efforts to cut waste and deficits, and the role of the DOGE initiative, with in-depth reporting, analysis, and conservative commentary on taxpayer dollars and government efficiency.
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    • News

    EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Roger Marshall Prescribes Solutions for Congress’ Budget Woes

    FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Nearly 40 Republican senators gathered Wednesday afternoon for a frank conversation about Congress’ broken budget process and the rapidly growing national debt. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., led the conference meeting with his GOP colleagues in hopes of offering solutions to end the cycle of emergency spending requests and massive omnibus legislation….
    Rob Bluey
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    • Opinion

    DHS Chief Mayorkas’ Budget Request Is an Unserious Response to Threats to Homeland

    The Biden administration released its proposed budget for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2025 last month. Coming in at nearly $108 billion, the budget funds numerous aspects of the department’s efforts to secure the homeland. However, when it comes to resolving the unprecedented border crisis DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the Biden…
    Rep. Mark Green
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    • Opinion

    What the Conservative Defense Budget Would Prioritize

    President Joe Biden released his official fiscal 2025 defense budget request in March, and in the document, his administration’s misguided priorities are on full display. While paying lip service to the concept of China as the primary challenge for the United States, the official request fails to align spending with strategy. Most egregiously, the request…
    Wilson Beaver
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    • News

    ‘The DC Cartel Is At It Again’: GOP Lawmakers Rip $1.2 Trillion Spending Package

    House Republican lawmakers are speaking out against a $1.2 trillion spending package released early Thursday morning ahead of a potential partial shutdown of the government. The 1,000-plus-page package of bills includes funding for the State, Education, Defense, Labor, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services departments in fiscal year 2024 as well as for “general…
    Samantha Aschieris
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    • Opinion

    2 Charts: Comparing Biden’s Federal Budget to Your Household Budget

    President Joe Biden’s latest budget proposes the federal government spend trillions more than it will take in, increasing the already unsustainable federal debt by $17 trillion over the next 10 years. But these 13- and 14-figure dollar amounts have little meaning for ordinary Americans whose income, spending, and debt are typically in the five- and…
    Rachel Greszler
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    • Opinion

    Back in the USSR?: Biden’s Budget for Gargantuan Government

    In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. It marked the end of an experiment that lasted almost a century, testing the premise that godless secularization—turning control of people’s lives over to other people to rule them, who decide what others need and how they should live and conduct their lives—is the answer for mankind. In the…
    Star Parker
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    • Opinion

    How All Americans Are Paying for San Francisco’s Pork-Barrel Spending

    Washington is once again facing a potential shutdown. Funding for the federal government will run out in early March unless the House and Senate can bridge their differences and pass spending legislation. At the same time, the city of San Francisco seems to have few problems doling out huge amounts to well-connected activist groups and…
    David Ditch
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    • Opinion

    Mountain of Expenses: Denver’s Fiscal Woes Climb as Illegal Aliens Overwhelm City

    Denver is buckling under a financial crisis caused by illegal immigration. But the fault lies not in the stars, but with the city itself. “Denver will cut hours at recreation centers, end in-person vehicle-registration renewals and eliminate spring flower beds to save $5 million this year, a response to the migrant crisis that is expected…
    Jarrett Stepman
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    • News

    Mike Johnson Says He Won’t Back Out of Spending Deal Despite Freedom Caucus Opposition

    House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday he will not withdraw from a controversial spending deal to avoid a government shutdown that is opposed by several members of his conference. Johnson, on Sunday, announced a deal with other congressional party leaders on a spending package of $1.59 trillion for fiscal year 2024, which has been attacked by members…
    Arjun Singh
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    • News

    Heritage Action Calls for Lawmakers to Oppose Spending Deal

    The budget deal reached this past weekend between Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress fails to include real spending cuts or to secure the border, warns Ryan Walker, the executive vice president of Heritage Action for America.  “The American people are begging Congress to secure the border and rein in the unprecedented government spending and…
    Fred Lucas
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    • News

    Heritage Action President Calls on House Speaker to Prioritize Border Security in Spending Fight

    Heritage Action for America President Kevin Roberts called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to prioritize securing the border and reject additional spending for Ukraine without a “plan that defines the end goal in Ukraine,” in a letter released Tuesday. A $106 billion supplemental spending bill proposed by the White House in October includes around $61…
    Katrina Trinko
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    • Opinion

    Government Keeps Lights on as Spending Fight Continues. What Happens Next?

    Congress has averted a government shutdown—for now.  The continuing resolution passed Saturday keeps government agencies funded at current levels until Nov. 17. The bill passed 335-91 in the House and 88-9 in the Senate. But it’s a short-term fix, and lawmakers remain on a tight deadline to finish passing 12 annual appropriations bills. Republicans continue…
    Virginia Allen
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    • Opinion

    American Sovereignty at Stake in Budget Deal Showdown Over Border Funding

    Is the United States still a sovereign country, or not? That question simply can’t be ignored in the congressional budget fight now coming to a head. A short-term budget compromise isn’t going to fix this long-term issue as our border remains a sieve. While Democrats and the legacy media continue to do their best to…
    Jarrett Stepman
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    • Opinion

    How Border Crisis Became Focus of Federal Spending Debate and What Elon Musk Has to Do With It

    The crisis at the U.S. southern border is now being closely linked to Congress passing annual spending bills.  Congress has until Saturday to pass the 12 government spending bills for fiscal year 2024, or a short-term funding bill, in order to avoid a government shutdown, but some Republican lawmakers say they won’t support funding the…
    Virginia Allen
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    • Opinion

    With Food Stamps Work Requirement, GOP Budget Takes Important Step

    House Republicans released their budget resolution last week, and the proposal takes some important steps to advance reforms in welfare programs. One of the ways it aims to accomplish that is by inserting much-needed work requirements into the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.      Such budget documents typically do not provide…
    Rachel Sheffield
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    • News

    Heritage Foundation Backs House Deal on Continuing Resolution With Spending Cuts, Border Security

    The Heritage Foundation on Monday threw its support behind a spending agreement reached as a compromise among House Republicans.  The budget deal was reached between leaders of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and the Republican Main Street Caucus, a group of House members that describe themselves as pragmatic conservatives.  “The proposal cuts spending and seeks…
    Fred Lucas
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    • News

    Conservatives, Moderates Reach Spending Deal That Includes Border Provisions

    A group of House Republicans has released a draft bill to fund the government after weekend negotiations to avoid a shutdown. The bill, titled the Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, 2024, was published and introduced in the House by Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida as a compromise between the House Freedom Caucus…
    Arjun Singh
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    • News

    SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: Hispanic Leaders Celebrate Smithsonian Suspending ‘Marxist’ Latino Exhibit

    The Smithsonian Institution reportedly has suspended an exhibit intended as a foretaste of the forthcoming National Museum of the American Latino in the nation’s capital. One of the critics whose work inspired the move is calling on Congress to defund the planned museum. The exhibit “¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States” opened at…
    Tyler O’Neil
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    • Opinion

    Sen. Mike Lee Tells How ‘The Firm’ Hijacks Legislative Process to Continue Reckless Spending

    Another year, another “government shutdown” fight on Capitol Hill. As of this writing, 12 appropriations bills need to pass by Sept. 30 or the government will “shut down.” This means that some workers will be furloughed and most agencies will close temporarily. We had a similar situation last December and the result was a rather…
    Jarrett Stepman
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    • Opinion

    Federal Spending Bills Must Address Border Crisis, Conservatives Say

    If Congressmen are serious about border security, they will use the power of the purse to secure America’s borders, according to Lora Ries. Congress is gearing up for debates over the federal budget and some Republicans say they won’t support any spending bill that gives money to the Department of Homeland Security without action being…
    Virginia Allen
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