Budget Matters Blog


Open Government Advocates Unite at Transparency Camp

Meeting people from around the world, setting legislative agendas, and going to Capitol Hill - it's just another day at the Sunlight Foundation's Transparency Camp.


Extra Cash Pushes Debt Ceiling Deadline to September

A better-than-expected cash flow at the U.S. Treasury has turned May 18 into just any old day.


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, ...


Open Data from White House Shows Path Forward

Today, the White House is issuing a new Executive Order on Open Data -- one that is significantly different from the open data policies that have come before it -- reflecting Sunlight's persistent call for stronger public listings of agency data, and demonstrating a new path forward for governments committing to open data.


Congress Prevents Flight Delays by Lying; Cuts Funding for Domestic Violence Relief Programs

Last week we explained that Congress was rushing to prevent airport delays, even as education programs and services for vulnerable Americans - such as shelters for victims of domestic violence - were seeing funding cuts. Then lawmakers passed the "Reducing Flight Delays Act" - by lying about a typo and throwing transparency out the window.


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.



How Much Foreign Aid Does the U.S. Give Away?

Back in October I wrote a blog post here about how much the U.S. spends on diplomacy and foreign aid. "Very little," I wrote back then.


Can the DATA Act Restore Medicare "Cuts?"

The Medicare program accounts for around 14 percent of the entire federal budget, but you wouldn’t know it from USAspending.gov, a website that’s supposed to make government spending transparent. If you use it to investigate how much the government spent on Medicare benefits last year, you’ll find a surprising number: zero.


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.


How Budget Cuts Affect Special Education Programs

The cost of education for a child with disabilities can be double the amount needed for a child without disabilities.  Many students with special needs require multiple services such as classroom aides, counseling, specialized equipment, or access to health professionals during the day. Special education programs are often underfunded, leading to poor outcomes for students and repercussions for schools and communities. Unfortunately, many school districts today are seeing budget cuts, and these cuts exacerbate the challenges faced by special education programs.