Hidden Agenda Tax Increases

Be clear that my stance on this mass off issues is based on principles, not party loyalty.

When we see a political movement, or a small segment of some political party, consistently engaging in harmful behavior, then calling it out is not partisanship—it’s responsibility. In this case a small band of Republicans have gone off the rails of the Party's Public Position and have adopted, secretly, a series of ideas of their own that undermine the very people who voted them into office. Such a situation cannot go unnoticed or ignored by anyone.

Below please find a list of items that present leadership of Republican Party seems interested in.  Please keep in mind this is not a list that represents the desires, needs and goals of the entire Republican Party – just a select few.  I hope that you will take a look at them and contact your elected officials about those you agree with or disagree with – otherwise they will be left alone to decide or be encouraged by lobbyists.

As times goes on - it will be necessary to be aware of whom are responsible for these sorts of things, so that, they may be held accountable.

The American government should always have the goal uphold integrity, accountability, and the public good.  In light of that I would call my fellow Americans to take a look at the following document now being circulated in Washington, DC among Members of Congress, both the Senate and the House.

I want to ensure that the truth is known and that those responsible for harmful actions are held accountable for them. 

In the following document you will find examples of taking funds away from some work and then, two pages later, suggesting they give it right back.  Very strange.

Raising taxes across the board, with the exception of those making MORE than $350,000.

Electrification of Native American Indian Reservations will be cut.

Preferential treatment is to be awarded to Electrical Vehicle manufacturers.

Money and support is to be withdrawn from the only organization that ensures giant banks do not dabble in stocks and that stock brokers do not mix their work with any banking arms they may have.

There is no intention of canonizing the ‘Department of Government Efficiency’.  It is not mentioned at all, yet, some people are reportedly repeatedly raiding government offices with the intention of seizing sensitive and private information.

There are plans to for Federal Land to be sold, Federal Buildings to be sold.

There is clear indication that lumbering will be permitted across Federal lands at an increased rate, yet, the perceived gain for the government would only be $2 Billion (USD).  That’s a lot money but no where near what the lumber is worth, nor the water quality of the regions impacted.

Recently it was announced that oil would be added Petroleum Reserve, which will reportedly take 15 years to complete.  According to the following document the votes are to be on intending to guarantee income from selling oil from that Petroleum Reserve.

The mass of material indicates that income for the Federal Government will rise, families will be further pressures with tax increases, drug prices will rise, school breakfast and lunch is to be cut, school operations are to be interfered with and more, including at least three major notes made concerning a single industry – the Electric Vehicle industry.

WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE

Health

Limit Federal Health Program Eligibility Based on Citizenship Status

Up to $35 billion 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, many non-citizens who entered the country illegally are eligible for

federal health care programs including advance premium tax credits and

Medicaid. This policy would remove specified categories of non-citizens from

eligibility for federal health care programs.

Eliminate Medicare Coverage of Bad Debt

Up to $42 billion 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Medicare currently reimburses hospitals at 65 percent of bad debt (uncollected

cost-sharing that beneficiaries fail to pay), while private payers do not typically

reimburse providers for bad debt. This policy brings Medicare more in line with

the private sector by gradually reducing the amount that Medicare reimburses

providers for bad debt.

Medicare Site Neutrality

Up to $146 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, Medicare and beneficiaries pay more for the SAME health care service

furnished in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) than in physician offices.

The budget supports Medicare site neutral payments by equalizing Medicare

payments for health care services that can be safely delivered in a physician’s

office.

Improve Uncompensated Care

Up to $229 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Medicare currently provides additional financial support to hospitals that serve a

disproportionate share of low-income patients related to uncompensated care.

These payments are limited to hospitals, which fails to acknowledge the amount

of uncompensated care delivered in non-hospital settings. This policy reforms

uncompensated care payments by removing the payment from the Medicare

Trust Fund and establishing a new uncompensated care fund that will equitably

distribute payments to providers based on their true share of charity care and

non-Medicare bad debt.

Prevent Dual Classification for Hospitals Under Medicare

Up to $10 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Prevent dual reclassifications for hospitals under Medicare to eliminate double

dipping of benefits.

Other Reforms to Obamacare Subsidies

Up to $5 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Reform Obamacare subsidies in the individual market to: lower premiums, lower

out-of-pocket costs, direct subsidies to patients over health insurers, and target

Premium Tax Credits to the most needy Americans.

Reform Graduate Medical Education (GME) Payments

Up to $10 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Reform Medicare graduate medical education (GME) payments. Enact H.R.

8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act reported out of the Ways and

Means Committee on May 8, 2024. The bill would ensure that 10 percent of

newly enacted GME slots would go to truly rural teaching hospitals. Also include

a policy that would decrease excess GME payments to “efficient” teaching

hospitals.

Geographic Integrity in Medicare Wage Index

Up to $15 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Enact geographic integrity in Medicare’s Wage Index calculations to reduce

overpayments to urban hospitals.

Repeal DACA Obamacare Subsidies Final Rule

$6 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● In May 2024, the Biden Administration finalized a rule that would allow DACA

recipients to enroll in subsidized marketplace and basic health program (BHP)

plans. The rule expands eligibility by modifying the definition of “lawfully present”

to include DACA recipients.

Codify Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) Rule

No budgetary effects

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Codify the Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA)

Treasury rule to allow companies to offer their employees defined benefit

contributions towards qualified health plans. Enact H.R. 3799, the Custom Health

Option and Individual Care Expense Arrangement Act reported out of the Ways

and Means Committee on June 7, 2023.

Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act (H.R. 8246)

Up to $10 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Increase access to rural emergency care services and facilitate better discharges

to post-acute care for patients. Ensure patients can expeditiously access

emergency and post-hospital care in long-term care hospitals, nursing homes,

and home health programs. Enact H.R. 8246, the Second Chances for Rural

Hospitals Act reported out of the Ways and Means Committee on May 8, 2024.

Eliminate Inpatient-only List

Up to $10 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Eliminate the inpatient-only list so more same-day surgeries and procedures can

be performed in lower cost, outpatient settings.

Improve Senior Access to Innovation and Telehealth

Up to $20 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Enact H.R. 8261, the Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access

Act reported out of the Ways and Means Committee on May 8, 2024. Enact H.R.

2407, the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection

Screening Coverage Act (JCA bill), H.R. 8816, the American Medical

Innovation and Investment Act, H.R. 1691, the Ensuring Patient Access to

Critical Breakthrough Products Act of 2023, and H.R. 4818, the Treat and

Reduce Obesity Act of 2023 reported out of the Ways and Means Committee on

June 26, 2024.

Reform IRA’s Drug Policies

Up to $20 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Reform the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug policies to discourage price

setting on innovative drugs treating rare patient populations.

Reform Medicare Physician Payments

Up to $10 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Reform Medicare’s physician payment system to encourage more predictability

and certainty.

Reform Obamacare Market Plan Design and Eligibility

Up to $10 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Reform Obamacare market plan design and eligibility rules such as actuarial

value calculations and open enrollment periods.

Recapture excess Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies

Up to $46 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, an individual can receive advance payments of the premium tax credit

to coincide when health insurance premiums are due each month, based on an

estimate of income. If the tax credit is paid in advance, the taxpayer must

reconcile the advance credit payments with actual income filed on the tax return

and repay any excess tax credits. For individuals with incomes below 400

percent of FPL, any repayment amount is capped. The budget removes limits on

repayments of excess premium tax credit payments so any individual who was

overpaid in tax credits would have to repay the entire excess amount, regardless

of income.

Block Grant GME at CPI-M

Up to $75 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Federal Government spends more than $20 billion annually in the Medicare

and Medicaid programs to train medical residents with little accountability for

outcomes. GME reform has been recommended by the independent Medicare

Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and included in past presidential

budgets. This policy streamlines GME payments to hospitals, while providing

greater flexibility for teaching institutions and states to develop innovative and

cost-effective approaches to better meet our nation’s medical workforce needs.

Repeal Obamacare Subsidies “Family Glitch” Final Rule

Up to $35 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The text of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) made it clear that individuals with

affordable employer coverage (as defined in the law) are not eligible to receive

Obamacare subsidies for ACA plans. The affordability standard in Obamacare

specifically applied only to individuals and not to the cost of family coverage

overall. The provision was written this way to reduce the Congressional Budget

Office (CBO) score for this provision. In October 2022, the Biden Administration

illegally altered the ACA by creating a new affordability standard to both

employees and their dependents, running afoul of the text and Congressional

intent of the law, resulting in individuals leaving employer coverage and onto

ACA plans.

Energy

Repeal Title I of IRA (Excluding: 45Q Carbon Sequestration, 45U Nuclear Power,

45Z Clean Fuels, and EV Tax Credit)

$404.7 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Reducing 45Q, 45U, and 45Z would streamline and reduce government

intervention in the energy industry that props up the green energy sector and

distorts market competition.

Close the EV credit leasing loophole

$50 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Closing the EV credit leasing loophole ensures that only EV buyers, not lessees,

receive tax credits, preserving integrity of the program and preventing misuse of

taxpayer dollars.

Tax

Repeal Green Energy Tax Credits

Up to $796 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would repeal credits created and expanded under the Inflation

Reduction Act. These credits are related to clean vehicles, clean energy, efficient

building and home energy, carbon sequestration, sustainable aviation fuels,

environmental justice, biofuel, and more. The full cost of the IRA provisions is

about $329 billion, which becomes about $800 billion when paired with the

tailpipe emission rule designed to dramatically increase the uptake of EVs and

EV credit use. Based on political will, there are several smaller reform options

available (starting as low as $3 billion) that would repeal a smaller portion of

these credits.

End Employee Retention Tax Credit

$70-75 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) is a refundable tax credit aimed at

encouraging employers to keep employees on payroll during economic

hardships, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Ending the ERTC would extend the

current moratorium on claims processing and eliminate the credit for claims

submitted after January 31, 2024, along with introducing stricter penalties for

fraud. These changes align with the House-passed Tax Relief for American

Families and Workers Act.

SSN Requirement for Child Tax Credit

$27.7 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would better ensure program integrity by requiring claimants (children

and parents) to have a Social Security number to be eligible for the CTC. This

change enforces a clear eligibility requirement based on Social Security numbers

valid for employment, directly aligning these credits with the principle of

supporting those who contribute to the economy through work. This measure not

only streamlines administration, potentially reducing fraud, but also reinforces the

idea that tax-based benefits should reward work and support families genuinely

eligible under the law. TCJA included a provision that required a SSN for each

child to claim the CTC which is expiring in 2025.

Endowment Tax Expansion to 14 Percent Rate

$10 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) imposed a new tax on a small group of

private nonprofit colleges and universities. Institutions enrolling at least 500

students that have endowment assets exceeding $500,000 per student (other

than those assets which are used directly in carrying out the institution’s exempt

purpose) pay a tax of 1.4 percent on their net investment income. In 2022, the

tax raised $244 million from 58 institutions. This would raise that rate to 14%.

H.R. 8913, Increase Applicability of Endowment Tax

$275 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● H.R. 8913 adjusts the criteria for which students are counted when determining

whether a private college or university is subject to an excise tax on its net

investment income. This bill incentivizes universities that receive generous U.S.

federal tax benefits to either enroll more American students or spend more of

their endowment funds on those students to avoid being subject to the

endowment tax. This bill would subject roughly 10 to 12 additional schools to the

Endowment Tax, all of which could avoid the tax by admitting more American

students or spending down their endowments.

H.R. 8914, University Accountability Act

No budgetary effects

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● H.R. 8914, marked up by the Ways and Means Committee on July 9, 2024,

would enact penalties for colleges and universities that violate students’ rights

under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (which applies to educational institutions and

protects against discrimination). It was ordered reported favorably by a vote of 24

yeas (you and 23 other Republicans) and 12 nays (all Democrats).

Repeal SALT Deduction

$1.0 trillion in 10-year savings relative to TCJA extension

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would eliminate both the individual and business State and Local Tax

deduction. Currently, the cap is $10,000. After 2025, this limitation will expire.

Make $10k SALT Cap Permanent, but Double for Married Couples

$100-$200 billion cost relative to TCJA extension

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would extend the $10k SALT cap but double it for married couples.

$15k/$30k SALT Cap

$500 billion cost relative to TCJA extension

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would cap the SALT deduction at $15k for individuals and $30k for

married couples.

Eliminate Income/Sales Tax Deduction Portion of SALT

$300 billion cost relative to TCJA extension

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would eliminate deductibility of state and local income or sales taxes

from the SALT deduction, making only property taxes SALT deductible. The $10k

SALT cap would expire as scheduled in current law.

Eliminate Business SALT Deduction

$310 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would eliminate the business SALT deduction. The individual SALT

deduction would be unchanged from current law.

Eliminate the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction

About $1.0 trillion in 10-year savings relative to TCJA extension

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would fully repeal the deduction for mortgage interest on primary

residences. This is a Tax Foundation score.

Lower Home Mortgage Interest Deduction Cap to $500k

About $50 billion in 10-year savings relative to TCJA extension

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would lower the cap on the home mortgage interest deduction from

the TCJA level of $750k to $500k. This is a Tax Foundation score.

Eliminate Nonprofit Status for Hospitals

$260 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● More than half of all income by 501(c)(3) nonprofits is generated by nonprofit

hospitals and healthcare firms. This option would tax hospitals as ordinary

for-profit businesses. This is a CRFB score.

Eliminate Exclusion of Interest on State and Local Bonds

$250 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Interest earned on municipal bonds is currently excluded from taxable income.

This option would end the exclusion, making income from municipal bond interest

taxable.

End Tax Preferences for Other Bonds

$114 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would eliminate the exclusion of interest earned on private activity

bonds, Build America bonds, and other non-municipal bonds.

Eliminate Head of Household Filing Status

$192 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Head of Household filing status provides a larger standard deduction for

unmarried individuals who have children. This option would eliminate the Head of

Household filing status.

Eliminate the American Opportunity Credit

$59 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The American opportunity tax credit (AOTC) is a credit for qualified education

expenses paid for an eligible student for the first four years of higher education.

Taxpayers can get a maximum annual credit of $2,500 per eligible student. This

option would repeal the credit.

Eliminate the Lifetime Learning Credit

$26 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Lifetime Learning Credit (“LLC”) provides a nonrefundable tax credit equal to

20 percent of qualified tuition and related expenses of the taxpayer that do not

exceed $10,000. This option would repeal the credit.

Replace HSA’s with a $9,100 Roth-Style USA Indexed to Inflation

$110 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would replace Health Savings Accounts (HSA) with a $9,100

Universal Savings Account indexed to inflation. While it would raise revenue by

$110 billion in the budget window, it would have a small cost outside of the

budget window. This is a Tax Foundation score.

End Treatment of Meals and Lodging (Other than Military)

$87 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Employer-provided meals and lodging are generally excluded from taxable

income if they are for the employer's convenience. This option would eliminate

this exclusion for all employees except military personnel, making these benefits

taxable and saving $87 billion over 10 years.

Eliminate Deduction for Charitable Contributions to Health Organizations

$83 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Taxpayers can deduct contributions to qualifying health organizations (patient

advocacy groups, professional medical associations, and other U.S.-based

charitable organizations with 501(c)(3) tax status) from their taxable income. This

option would remove the deduction for contributions to health organizations,

generating $83 billion in savings over 10 years.

Eliminate Credit for Child and Dependent Care

$55 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Taxpayers can claim a credit for a portion of their child and dependent care

expenses (up to $2,100). This option would remove the child and dependent care

credit, yielding $55 billion in savings over 10 years.

Eliminate Exclusion of Scholarship and Fellowship Income

$54 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Qualified scholarships and fellowships are generally excluded from taxable

income if used for tuition and related expenses. This option would make all

scholarship and fellowship income taxable, increasing revenue by $54 billion

over 10 years.

Eliminate Employer Paid Transportation Benefits

$50 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Employer-provided transportation benefits (up to $315 per month), like transit

passes and parking, are excluded from taxable income. This option would

eliminate the tax exclusion for these benefits, generating $50 billion in savings

over 10 years.

Eliminate Exemption of Credit Union Income

$30 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Credit unions are exempt from federal income taxes on their earnings. This

option would subject credit unions to the federal income tax.

Eliminate Exclusion of Employer Provided On-Site Gyms

$20 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Employer-provided on-site gym facilities intended for employees and their

families are excluded from taxable income. This option would make the value of

on-site gyms taxable.

Eliminate Deduction of Interest on Student Loans

$30 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Taxpayers can deduct up to $2,500 of interest paid on student loans from their

taxable income. This option would eliminate the deduction for student loan

interest.

Federal Excise Tax on Federal Unions’ Non-Representation Spending

$7 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would impose a federal excise tax on non-representation spending by

federal unions.

Make DEI Union Expenses Non-Deductible

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, federal unions are able to deduct all expenses on DEI training because

they are “educational.” This proposal would impose new limits, likely raising

some revenue.

Increase Electric Vehicle Fees

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Electric vehicles do not currently contribute to the Highway Trust Fund, which is

largely funded by the federal gas tax. This option would assess a new fee on

electric vehicles.

Border Adjustment Tax

$1.2 trillion+ in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option creates a new tax on goods where they are consumed, not produced.

This shift from an origin-based tax to a destination-based tax.

H.R. 5688, Improvements to Health Savings Accounts

$10 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● H.R. 5688 allows individuals who utilize key health services such as direct

primary care arrangements and worksite health clinics to use their own resources

to contribute to health savings account funds. The bill also eliminates a

prohibition against an individual establishing an HSA if their spouse has an

existing flexible spending arrangement and allows individuals to convert their

own flexible spending or health reimbursement arrangement dollars into a health

savings account.

Eliminate Tax on Tips

$106 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Tips received by employees are subject to income and payroll taxes. This option

would eliminate the income tax on tips.

Eliminate Tax on Overtime

$750 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This blanket exemption would prevent overtime earnings from being taxed. This

is a Tax Foundation score.

Exempt Americans Abroad from Income Tax

$100 billion 10-year cost

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, the foreign earned income exclusion offers tax benefits to Americans

residing overseas. Adjusted annually for inflation, the exclusion amount reached

$126,500 for 2024. It is unclear whether this proposal intends to raise this limit or

fully eliminate U.S. taxation on individual foreign income. This is a Tax

Foundation score.

Auto Loan Interest Deduction

$61 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This would allow Americans to deduct their auto loan interest payments from

their taxes. The specifics are unclear at the moment. This is a Tax Foundation

score.

Repeal IRA’s Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax

$222 billion 10-year in costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) imposes a 15% corporate alternative minimum

tax on adjusted financial statement income for corporations. This option would

repeal the IRA's corporate AMT.

Eliminate the Death Tax

$370 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Estates exceeding a certain value are subject to federal tax. The TCJA doubled

the estate tax exclusion. The 2023 exclusion amount is $12.9 million per person

($25.8 million for married couples). This option would eliminate the federal estate

tax.

Cancel Amortization of R&D Expenses

$169 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Prior to TCJA, research and development (R&D) costs could be immediately

expensed. TCJA replaced R&D expensing with amortization. This option would

return to the pre-TCJA treatment of R&D.

Implement Neutral Cost Recovery for Structures

$10 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● While TCJA improved the tax treatment of short-term investments with the

temporary 100 percent Bonus Depreciation provision, it did not improve the

treatment of long-term investments in buildings and structures. This policy would

allow businesses to index the value of deductions to inflation and a real rate of

return (to address the time value of money). Experts believe this would preserve

the economic benefits of full expensing for long-term structures at a fraction of

the cost. Has a large cost outside of the budget window. This is a Tax Foundation

score.

Lower the Corporate Rate to 15 Percent

$522 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● TCJA permanently lowered the corporate income tax rate from a globally

uncompetitive 35 percent to 21 percent. This option would further lower the

corporate rate to 15 percent.

Lower the Corporate Rate to 20 Percent

$73 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● TCJA permanently lowered the corporate income tax rate from a globally

uncompetitive 35 percent to 21 percent. This option would further lower the

corporate rate to 20 percent.

Repeal IRA’s IRS Enforcement Funding

$46.6 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Over the FY25-FY34 period, that rescission is estimated to reduce outlays by $20

billion, reduce revenues by $66.6 billion, and as result increase the deficit by $46.6

billion. This estimate is relative to the 2024 baseline.

Restructure the EITC to Reduce Improper Payments

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● In 2023, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) had an estimated improper

payment rate of 33.5 percent, totalling $22 billion dollars. This policy option would

simplify the EITC by breaking it out into a “worker credit” and a “child credit,”

allowing for more accurate eligibility verifications and reducing improper

payments.

Trade

Codify and Increase 301 Tariffs on China

$100 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The current 301 tariffs bring in approximately $40 billion per year. This option

would codify the 301 tariffs in addition to increasing the tariffs on products

already subject to 301.

10 Percent Tariff

$1.9 trillion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would create a 10% across the board tariff on all imports.

H.R. 7679, End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act

$24 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Legislation requiring de minimis value shipments to also pay any existing 301

tariffs would reduce the volume of de minimis shipments from China by half.

Welfare

Codify the Chained CPI-U for Poverty Programs

$5 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Codifying the Chained CPI-U will limit the Executive Branch’s ability to change

the federal poverty line, which determines eligibility and funding allocations to

states for federal means-tested welfare programs. Using just the CPI-U

overstates inflation, contributing to a larger welfare system and a culture of

government dependency.

Eliminate Social Services Block Grant

$15 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is an annually appropriated capped

entitlement to states to support a range of social service activities. However,

most of these activities are funded by other federal programs, including TANF,

the Community Services Block Grant, the Child Care and Development Fund,

and more. Furthermore, the SSBG provides excessive state discretion over $1.7

billion annually with no accountability. Presidents Bush and Trump proposed

eliminating the SSBG in their budgets and the House has proposed its

elimination in budget resolutions in the 112th, 113th, 114th, and 115th

Congresses. This block grant is duplicative of other programs, lacks effective

oversight, and should be eliminated.

Eliminate TANF Contingency Fund

$6 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The TANF Contingency Fund provides additional funding to states experiencing

economic hardship. However, it is essentially a slush fund, providing states with

excessive discretion over federal funds, and is duplicative to other federal

programs. This policy option would eliminate the TANF Contingency Fund.

Improve SSI Income and Asset Verification

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● SSI provides cash assistance to aged, blind, and disabled individuals with little or

no income. Under current law, SSA is not required to verify financial accounts of

SSI applicants and recipients who allege ownership of resources valued at less

than $400. A recent SSA-OIG report concluded that this practice led to incorrect

resource determinations, resulting in 198,960 recipients receiving $718 million in

SSI payments for which they were not eligible. This policy option would lower the

$400 resource-level tolerance to $0 and require SSA to validate the financial

accounts of all SSI applicants and recipients, strengthening program integrity and

reducing improper payments.

TANF Work Requirements

$7 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Adult TANF recipients, with some exceptions, must participate in work activities

to receive benefits. Under current law, HHS has the authority to reduce or waive

penalties to states that do not meet TANF work participation requirements. This

policy option would take away HHS’s ability to do so with the intent to incentivize

work as a pathway to self-sufficiency, reducing direct spending by $7 million.

Require School Attendance for SSI Benefits

$640 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Children under 18 may qualify for SSI if they are disabled and their household

has limited income and resources. This policy option would condition SSI

benefits for qualified children under the age of 18 on school attendance.

Sliding Scale for SSI Benefits

$5 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● SSI, unlike other welfare programs, does not pay benefits on a sliding scale.

Recognizing household economies of scale, this reform (based on a CBO budget

option) converts SSI payments to a sliding scale. The sliding scale formula would

be (as per the CBO budget option and proposed by the 1995 National

Commission on Childhood Disability): SSI federal payment rate multiplied by the

number of child recipients in the family and raised to the power of 0.7.

Deny SSI to Those with Felony Arrest Warrants

$3 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● In addition to being an important program integrity measure, this policy option

would help restore the original intent of PRWORA to discontinue SSI benefits for

individuals who are ‘‘the subject of an arrest warrant’’ compared to the previous

language of ‘‘fleeing to avoid’’ arrest. It would also have the added benefit of

helping law enforcement find criminals who have been evading the law.

Reduce TANF by 10 Percent

$15 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The TANF block grant provides fixed funding to the 50 states, DC, and territories,

for a range of benefits and services to assist low-income families with children.

Current law allows states to carry over unspent TANF funds indefinitely. At the

end of 2022, $9 billion TANF dollars remained unspent – over half the size of the

$16.5 billion block grant. This policy option would reduce the TANF block grant

by 10 percent.

ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMITTEE

Health

Reverse Executive Expansion of State-Directed Payments in Medicaid

Up to $25 billion in 10-year savings (Informal Estimate)

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Biden Administration finalized regulations effectively removing limits on the

levels of state-directed payments (SDPs) in Medicaid, which are used to

artificially increase federal Medicaid matching funds. This policy would impose

limits on SDPs.

Medicaid FMAP Penalty for covering Illegal Aliens with State-Only Money

TBD on Savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would impose a reduction in a state’s FMAP if the state uses

state-only funding to provide coverage to illegal aliens through the state’s

Medicaid program. States currently offering Medicaid coverage for illegal aliens

include California and New York.

Repeal CMS Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Final Rule

Up to $22 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would repeal the final rule, “Minimum Staffing Standards for

Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency

Reporting.” The rule was finalized in May 2024 and would impose minimum

staffing standards on long-term care facilities, creating an unfunded mandate on

critical health care facilities across the country, threatening provider facility

closures and patient access to care.

Eliminate Prevention and Public Health Fund

$15 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Created under Obamacare, the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) is

“the nation’s first mandatory funding stream dedicated to improving our nation’s

public health system.” In reality, the PPHF has served as a slush fund for the

HHS Secretary, who has full authority to spend funds in this account on any

program or activity under the Public Health Service Act the Department chooses

without further congressional action. There is currently authorized $1.3B for

FY24-FY25, $1.8B for FY26-FY27, and $2B for FY28 and every fiscal year

thereafter. This policy would repeal this fund but does not cut a specific program.

Equalize DC FMAP to What States Receive

$8 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy would base the District of Columbia's federal medical assistance

percentage (FMAP) on the standard formula rather than fixed at 70 percent by

statute. Under the policy, the District's matching rate would fall from 70 percent to

50 percent.

Lower Medicaid Matching Rate Floor

Up to $387 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● There is currently a floor for states’ federal medical assistance percentage

(FMAP) set in statute at 50%. This option would lower the floor and allow all

states’ FMAPs to be set according to the formula. This option would primarily

impact high-income states, like California and New York.

Equalize FMAP for ACA Expansion Population

$561 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Obamacare Medicaid expansion gives preferential treatment to able-bodied

adults over children or individuals with disabilities with a set 90 percent Federal

Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) federal reimbursement for the

Obamacare adult expansion population. This policy would end Obamacare’s

preferential treatment for adults over children by equalizing federal

reimbursement of expansion adults to the normal FMAP formula.

Establish Medicaid Work Requirements

$100 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The policy would restore the dignity of work by implementing work requirements

for able-bodied adults without dependents to qualify for Medicaid coverage, as

included in the House-passed Limit, Save, Grow Act (H.R. 2811). Certain

populations would be exempted, such as pregnant women, primary caregivers of

dependents, individuals with disabilities or health-related barriers to employment,

and full-time students.

Limit Medicaid Provider Taxes

$175 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● States increase the amount of federal Medicaid funding they receive by levying

taxes on providers and then increasing their reimbursement rates. This policy

would lower the Medicaid provider tax safe harbor from 6% under current law to

4% from 2026 to 2027 and 3% in 2028 and after.

Repeal Biden Administration Finalized Medicaid/CHIP ACCESS Rule

$121 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● In May 2024,the Biden Administration finalized a rule focused primarily on

expanding access to Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) in both fee

for service (FFS) Medicaid and in managed care plans, including by instituting

worker compensation requirements.

Repeal Biden Administration Finalized Medicaid Eligibility Rule

$164 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● In September 2023 and April 2024, CMS finalized two parts of a rule that governs

protocols for states verifying Medicaid and CHIP eligibility. Among other things,

the proposed rule imposed a prohibition on conducting eligibility checks more

frequently than once every 12 months, elimination of the requirement for

in-person interviews for some populations, and minimum time allowances for

enrollees to provide documentation needed.

Medicaid Per Capita Caps

Up to $900 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, states receive open-ended Federal Medicaid matching funds based on

the costs of providing services to enrollees. Under Medicaid today, for every

dollar a state spends on Medicaid services, it gets $1 to $3 of Federal support

(richer states get $1, poorer states get $3). States are guaranteed continued

federal support for actual spending, even if those costs go up or do not achieve

desired outcomes. With a per capita cap, the federal government makes a limited

payment to the state based on a preset formula, which does not increase based

on actual costs. States exceeding the “cap” for enrollees would thus need to find

other revenues to maintain spending levels or explore innovative ways to reduce

excessive costs. This policy would establish a per capita cap for each of the

different enrollment populations set to grow at medical inflation.

Remove American Rescue Plan Temporary FMAP Increase

$18 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The American Rescue Plan included a provision that aimed to encourage

non-expansion states to expand their Medicaid programs. In addition to the 90

percent FMAP available under Obamacare for the expansion population, states

can also receive a 5 percent increase in their regular federal matching rate for 2

years after expansion takes effect. The additional incentive applies whenever a

state newly expands Medicaid and does not expire. This policy rolls back this

additional 5 percent FMAP incentive.

Standardize Medicaid Administrative Matching Rate

$69 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The federal government reimburses states at a different rate for some

administrative activities. This policy option would standardize the Medicaid

administrative matching rates at 50 percent for all administrative categories.

Medicare Site Neutrality

Up to $146 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, Medicare and beneficiaries pay more for the SAME health care service

furnished in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) than in physician offices.

The budget supports Medicare site neutral payments by equalizing Medicare

payments for health care services that can be safely delivered in a physician’s

office.

Unspecified Proposals to Address IRA Drug Pricing Policies

Unknown costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Energy and Commerce provided no details on this policy option, solely stating

that the policy would mitigate the “worst of innovation killing parts of IRA.”

Unspecified Proposals to Reform CMMI

Unknown costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Energy and Commerce provided no details on this policy option, solely stating

that the policy would reform CMMI and cost money.

Unspecified Proposals to Post-Acute Care

Unknown costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Energy and Commerce provided no details on this policy option, solely stating

that the policy would “facilitate better discharges to post-acute care for patients”

and cost money.

Unspecified Proposals to Medicare’s Physician Payment System

Unknown costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Energy and Commerce provided no details on this policy option, solely stating

that the policy would include “reforms to Medicare’s physician payment system”

and either cost money or be budget neutral.

Unspecified Proposals to ACA Subsidies in Individual Market

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Energy and Commerce provided no details on this policy option, solely stating it

would “lower premiums, lower out of pocket costs, direct subsidies to patients

over health insurers, and counter the Democrats goal of subsidizing wealthy

Americans premiums and further increasing ACA spending.”

Unspecified Proposals to Change FMAPs

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Energy and Commerce provided no details on this policy option, solely stating it

would “rebalance Federal Matching Rates to be more fair to states with more

people with lower incomes.”

Energy

Inflation Reduction Act Repeals in Titles V and VI

$17.3 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Title V programs include ($12.69 billion):

o Home energy performance based and whole-house rebates ($2.8 billion)

o High efficiency electric home rebate program ($2 billion)

o State-based home energy efficiency contractor training and grants ($120

million)

o Assistance for latest and zero building energy code adoption ($600

million)

o Funding for Department of Energy, Loan Program Office ($3.9 billion)

o Advanced vehicle technology manufacturing ($1.6 billion)

o Transmission facility financing ($14 million)

o Interregional and offshore wind transmission planning and modeling ($73

million)

o Department of Energy administrative funding ($80 million)

o Federal Regulatory commission funding (($85 million)

o 1.42

o Grants for interstate electricity transmission lines ($337 million)

o Advanced industrial facilities deployment program ($2.3 million)

o Department of energy oversight ($59 million)

o Canal improvement project ($21 million)

o Domestic manufacturing conservation grants ($1 billion)

● Title VI Programs include ($4.64 billion):

o Clean heavy-duty vehicles ($621 million)

o Grants to reduce air pollution at ports ($1.8 billion)

o Diesel emissions reductions ($20 million)

o Funding to address air pollution ($40 million)

o Funding to address air pollution at schools ($4 million)

o Low emissions electricity program ($20 million)

o EPA production declaration assistance ($44 million)

o Methane emissions reduction grants ($698 million)

o Climate pollution reduction grants ($2 million)

o Low embodied carbon labeling for construction materials ($30 million)

o Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant ($1.4 billion)

H.R. 2811 Energy Leasing and Permitting Provisions

$7.5 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Division D, Title II and III of H.R. 2811, Limit, Save, Grow Act includes all of H.R.

2 , The Lower Energy Costs Act and Transparency, Accountability, Permitting,

and Production of American Resources Act or the TAPP American Resources

Act. CBO’s score of the LSG notes that these provisions reduce revenues by

$6.4 billion. The HBC Energy team does not have any further information or

detail on this provision.

Repeal EPA Tailpipe Emissions Rule and Department of Transportation CAFE

Standards Rule

$111.3 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The EPA Tailpipe and DOT CAFE Standard rules considerably increase the

usages of the IRA’s EV tax credits. It is likely that these rules will be among the

first repealed by Trump executive action.

Sell Oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Can be Dialed Based on Need

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● SPR sales can be dialed based on need.

Other

Electromagnetic Spectrum Auction

$70 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● FCC auctioning certification and permitting for electromagnetic spectrum to

provide wireless and broadcast services throughout the country.

AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

Welfare

Reform 2021 Revaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP)

Up to $274 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● In August 2021, President Biden expanded the TFP without cost constraints,

leading to a 23 percent increase in SNAP benefits at the cost of $300 billion over

ten years. At the request of congressional lawmakers, GAO conducted a legal

review of Biden’s reevaluated TFP and found that USDA’s actions violated the

1996 Congressional Review Act, which requires government agencies to submit

significant policy updates to Congress. This policy option could implement a

range of reforms to the TFP, from limiting changes in the cost to the rate of

inflation (saving $36 billion over ten years) to completely repealing the Biden

Administration’s TFP expansion (saving $274 billion over ten years).

SNAP Work Requirements

$5 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) age 18 – 49 are supposed to

meet work requirements to be eligible for SNAP benefits. The FRA temporarily

increased the age limit for exemption from work requirements to 54 and created

various exemptions for certain populations from work requirements. This policy

implements work requirements from LSG to raise the age limit for exemption to

56 and restricts the ability for states to carry forward work requirement

exemptions to future years.

End Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility

$10 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Current law allows states to provide SNAP benefits to individuals who would

otherwise be ineligible through broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE), which

allows individuals who receive welfare assistance from programs such as TANF

to enroll in SNAP automatically. Because some TANF services are available to

households with incomes higher than those that are eligible for SNAP, states can

allow individuals to enroll in SNAP without meeting federal eligibility criteria for

assets, income, or both. Ending BBCE would improve program integrity within

SNAP and protect the program for the truly needy.

End SNAP-LIHEAP Linkage (“Heat and Eat”)

$7 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The amount of SNAP benefits a household receives is based on its countable

income (income minus certain deductions). The “heat and eat” loophole allows

states to provide minimal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program

(LIHEAP) benefits to SNAP recipients to make them eligible for larger countable

income deductions, triggering higher SNAP benefits. Eliminating this loophole

would encourage fiscal responsibility by closing misaligned incentives that game

the system, emphasizing that government benefits should be for those who need

them the most and simplifying program administration.

Cap SNAP Maximum Benefit

$2 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● SNAP benefit amounts are tied to the cost of USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan and

determined by household size. Currently, the average monthly SNAP benefit

increases for each additional household member. This policy option would cap

the maximum household SNAP benefit equal to a family of six.

Repeal Provision Requiring USDA to Disregard Improper Payments Below $56

$70 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Under current law, USDA is required to tolerate and disregard improper

payments below $56 when calculating payment error rates, contributing to a

distorted portrayal of SNAP’s improper payments. This policy option would

eliminate this “tolerance threshold” to provide a more comprehensive

understanding of fraud, waste, and abuse within SNAP.

Expand the National Accuracy Clearinghouse

$658+ million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy option would expand the use of the SNAP National Accuracy

Clearinghouse (NAC), which is designed to prevent SNAP recipients from

receiving benefits in multiple states.

Prohibit Retail Food Store Owners from Redeeming Benefits at Their Own Stores

and Disqualify Retailers Convicted of SNAP Benefit Trafficking

$5 million in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● One common type of fraud within SNAP involves owners of stores redeeming

their own benefits for ineligible items or cash. This policy option would combat

this fraud by prohibiting store owners from redeeming SNAP benefits at their own

stores and disqualifying retailers convicted of SNAP benefit trafficking.

Require States to Suspend SNAP Account After 60 Days of Purchases Made

Exclusively Out of State

$1 million in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● While SNAP is federally-funded, states are responsible for providing SNAP

benefits to their residents. Prolonged out-of-state SNAP activity may indicate a

recipient has moved, and therefore should be receiving SNAP benefits from

another state, or may be a sign of potential fraud. This policy option would

suspend SNAP accounts of recipients who make exclusively out-of-state

transactions for 60 days to ensure the integrity of state SNAP programs and flag

potential fraud.

EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE

Higher Education

Repeal Biden’s “SAVE” plan, streamline income-driven repayment plans

$127.3 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Under this option, the Department of Education (ED) would offer borrowers two

repayment plans for loans originated after June 30, 2024: the currently available

10-year repayment plan and a new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan.

● This option would eliminate all other plans, including the Saving on a Valuable

Education (SAVE) Plan, which is the IDR plan that was created administratively

in 2023.

Limit the ED’s regulatory authority

$30 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would limit the authority of the ED to issue regulations that would

increase the cost of federal student loans or that would have economically

significant effects (have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more

or that would adversely affect the economy in a material way).

Establish risk-sharing requirements for federal student loans, PROMISE grants

$18.1 billion 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Under this policy option, postsecondary institutions would be required to make

annual payments, called risk-sharing payments, in order to participate in the

federal student loan program.

● Those payments would be the main source of funding for the Promoting Real

Opportunities to Maximize Investments and Savings in Education (PROMISE)

grants, which would be made to eligible postsecondary education institutions to

help improve affordability and promote success for students.

Reform Gainful Employment

TBD 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy option would establish minimum levels of performance (i.e. expanding

Gainful Employment) for programs to participate in Title IV federal student aid

programs.

Repeal Biden closed school discharge regulations

$4.9 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would repeal a Biden administration rule that established a standard

process for discharging loans made to borrowers who attended schools that

closed, thus increasing the likelihood of loan discharge for those borrowers.

Repeal Biden borrower defense to repayment discharge regulations

$9.7 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would partially repeal a Biden administration rule that made it easier

for a borrower to discharge loans as a result of a school’s misconduct, including,

for example, misrepresentation of student outcomes.

Repeal 90/10 rule

$1.6 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would repeal the requirement that for-profit institutions receive no

more than 90 percent of their revenue from federal financial aid, including

veterans’ education benefits.

Reform Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

TBD 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would allow the Committee on Education and the Workforce to make

much-needed reforms to the PSLF, including limiting eligibility for the program.

Sunset Grad and Parent Plus loans

TBD 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would eliminate parent PLUS loans, which are offered to parents of

dependent undergraduate students, and grad PLUS loans, which are offered to

graduate students and students enrolled in professional programs.

● This option would generally eliminate such loans to new borrowers beginning on

July 1, 2025, and would eliminate the program altogether by 2028.

Establish new annual and aggregate loan limits for unsubsidized undergraduate

and graduate loans

TBD 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Accompanying the above option, beginning on July 1, 2025, this option would

amend loan limits for unsubsidized graduate and undergraduate loans.

● In total, CBO estimates this and the former option would reduce direct spending

by $18.7 billion.

Amend the need analysis formula used to calculate federal student aid eligibility

TBD 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would amend the need analysis formula to calculate federal student

aid eligibility using the median cost of attendance of similar degree programs

nationally instead of the cost of attendance of a student's individual program.

End in-school interest subsidy

TBD 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, the government pays the interest that accrues on a student loan while

the borrower is still enrolled in school full-time, essentially meaning the student

does not have to pay interest on their loan while actively studying. This policy

option would eliminate this arrangement.

Allow borrowers to rehabilitate their loans a second time

$138 million in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would allow borrowers who default on their loans to be eligible for a

second rehabilitation loan, which allows borrowers to exit default by making nine

one-time payments.

● Under current law, borrowers can rehabilitate their loans just once.

Eliminate interest capitalization

$3.8 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Interest capitalization is when unpaid interest is added to the principal balance of

a federal student loan. This good governance option would eliminate interest

capitalization.

Reform Pell Grants

TBD 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would allow the Committee on Education and the Workforce to make

reforms to the Pell program, such as capping grants at the median cost of

attendance and/or expanding Pell grant eligibility to short-term credential

programs.

Health

Ban Telehealth and Other Facility Fees

$2.3 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● As hospitals expand ownership of outpatient and physician office settings,

consumers are seeing an uptick in fees for more than just the care provided to

them. These “facility fees” are increasingly a driver of healthcare costs in

America, and are leading to consumers being charged as though they received

treatment in a hospital even if they never entered one. This proposal would

prohibit hospitals from billing unwarranted facility fees for telehealth services and

for certain other outpatient services.

Make It a Prohibited Transaction for Employer-Sponsored Health Plans to Pay for

340B Drugs Above the 340B Discounted Price

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● 340B covered entities routinely charge commercial insurers full price for 340B

discounted drugs. This policy would make it a prohibited transaction under

ERISA for an employer-sponsored insurance plan to pay full price for a 340B

discounted drug. Such a policy would require full transparency of 340B

discounts.

Increase Penalties for Transparency Noncompliance

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Penalties under the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act for noncompliance are

dialable. Noncompliance penalties could be increased in order to generate

increased budgetary savings, assuming the underlying transparency penalties

are enacted into law.

Clarifying and Bolstering ERISA Preemption

Unknown/Savings Presumed

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The purpose of ERISA is to provide a uniform regulatory framework over

employee benefit plans. However, the scope of ERISA preemption has been

challenged numerous times in federal court. Strengthening the ERISA

preemption could increase revenue by decreasing compliance costs for employer

sponsored health insurance plans.

H.R. 2868 - Association Health Plans Act

$579 million in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Favorably reported by E&W June 6, 2023 24 - 18. Passed the House on June 21,

2023 as part of the CHOICE Arrangement Act (H.R. 3799) 220 - 209. This bill

provides statutory authority for the treatment of association health plans (AHPs)

as single, large employer health plans for purposes of the Employee Retirement

Income Security Act (ERISA).

H.R. 2813 - Self-Insurance Protection Act

No budgetary effects

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Favorably reported by E&W June 6, 2023 23 - 18. Passed the House on June 21,

2023 as part of the CHOICE Arrangement Act (H.R. 3799) 220 - 209. This bill

specifies that stop-loss coverage is not health insurance coverage for purposes

of regulation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The

bill also preempts state laws that prevent employers from obtaining stop-loss

coverage.

H.R. 824 - Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Favorably Reported by E&W July 19, 2023, 29 - 20. This bill allows employers to

offer stand-alone telehealth benefits to all employees. This includes employees

who are eligible for enrollment in their employer's group health plan.

Expanding Direct Contracts and Value-Based Care within Employer-Sponsored

Health Insurance

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This would include legislation to expand the use of direct contracting and

innovative, value-based care models among employer-sponsored insurance

plans.

Telehealth-Only COBRA Coverage Option

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The intent would be to provide both COBRA-enrollees and employers tasked with

offering COBRA continuation coverage to offer a telehealth-only option, within the

existing employer’s health plan.

Specialty Drug Coverage Under ERISA

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The intent would be to bolster employer-sponsored insurance coverage of high

cost specialty drugs, either through value-based arrangements, reinsurance

models, or expanded risk pools through association health plans.

Other

Change Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to 60 Percent

$3 billion 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows the nation’s highest-poverty

schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled

students without collecting household applications. Instead, schools that adopt

CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on participation in other specific

means-tested programs, such as SNAP and TANF. Currently, schools can qualify

if 40 percent of students receive these programs. This proposal would lift that to

60 percent.

Require Income Verification for School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National

School Lunch Program (NSLP)

$9 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would require all students who apply and are approved for free and

reduced price meals to submit income verification documentation. This policy

option would increase program integrity, ensuring those who receive benefits are

in fact eligible, and would preserve the fiscal sustainability of the program for

future generations.

FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE

Financial Regulators

Eliminate the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) transfer abilities

TBD 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) currently has the ability to

carry-over unspent funds into the next Fiscal Year. This ability is eliminated

under this policy option.

Eliminate SEC Reserve Fund

$475 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The SEC’s so-called “Reserve Fund” is simply a slush fund created by

Dodd-Frank, allowing regulators to spend without oversight by Congress.

● This policy option would eliminate this fund,—as was requested by President

Trump.

Eliminate mandatory funding for Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

$9 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a mandatory program that

is not subject to Congress’ oversight through appropriations. This policy option

would subject the CFPB to the annual appropriations process.

● *Savings could depend on the appropriations process.

Eliminate mandatory funding for financial regulators

$47 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● With the exception of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), presently all federal financial

regulators are mandatory programs and not subject to Congress’ oversight

through appropriations. This policy option would revise the funding structure for

the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, National Credit Administration, Federal

Deposit Insurance Corporation, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and

Office of Financial Research so that industry assessments are re-routed directly

to the Treasury, then Congress appropriates one year of funding.

● *Savings could depend on the appropriations process.

Eliminate Office of Financial Research

$946 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy option would eliminate the Office of Financial Research (OFR). The

Dodd-Frank Act grants the OFR broad powers to compel financial companies to

produce sensitive, non-public information. While the Dodd-Frank Act describes

the OFR as an “independent agency,” OFR reports to the Secretary of the

Treasury who serves in the President’s cabinet and is arguably one of the most

political financial regulators. Additionally, OFR funding is outside congressional

appropriations and oversight.

Other

Repeal Orderly Liquidation Authority

$22 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Through the Orderly Liquidation Fund (OLF), the Federal Deposit Insurance

Corporation (FDIC) now has the authority to access taxpayer dollars in order to

bail out the creditors of large, “systemically significant” financial institutions. This

increases moral hazard on Wall Street by explicitly guaranteeing future bailouts

and is, thus, eliminated under this policy option.

Reduce Fed Dividend payment to big banks

$3 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● When a Federal Reserve bank accumulates a surplus fund, under the provisions

of Section 7 of the Federal Reserve Act, it is required to pay out of such fund to

its stockholding member banks dividends for a year in which the current earnings

of the Federal reserve bank are insufficient for this purpose. This policy option

would reduce these dividend payments to big banks (presumably directing

savings to the Treasury).

Rescind remaining unobligated HAMP-to-HHF funds transferred in Omnibus

Unknown 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The savings from ending the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP; $2

billion) was transferred to the account of the Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) under

Division O, Sec. 709 of the Omnibus. This policy option would rescind these

funds.

Increase and extend the G-Fees charged to pay for 2011 Payroll Tax Bill

$14 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Government sponsored enterprise (GSE) guarantee fees are charged by Freddie

Mac and Fannie Mae to lenders for bundling, selling, and guaranteeing the

payment of principal and interest on their Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS).

G-Fees help GSEs manage their credit risk by covering projected credit losses

from borrower defaults over the life of the loans, administrative costs, and a

return on capital. This policy option would thus increase and extend G-Fees.

● Payroll tax could be a problem; extension CRFB option ($5 billion).

Reform Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac

At least $5 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Nearly 16 years after the 2008 financial crisis, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae

remain under government conservatorship, with taxpayers standing behind their

obligations. This policy option would reform these two government-sponsored

enterprises with the goal of increasing their efficacy and accountability.

Move Fed employees to basic government pay and benefits scale

$1 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently, as an independent agency, the Fed has their own pay and benefit

arrangements. This policy option would require the Fed to follow the G.S.

payscale.

Eliminate all NFIP subsidies

$11 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Currently National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) subsidies are not based on

need and fail to adequately assess risk. This policy option would eliminate all

NFIP subsidies and divert revenue from the program to the Treasury.

SCIENCE, SPACE, and TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Inflation Reduction Act

Repeal IRA spending under jurisdiction

Up to $232 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy would repeal IRA Title IV measures under the jurisdiction of the

Science, Space, and Technology committee.

● Title IV measures include:

o Alternative Fuel and Low-Emission Aviation Technology Program ($123

million)

o Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and Forecasting for Weather and

Climate Budget Authority ($47 million)

o Computing Capacity and Research for Weather, Oceans, and Climate ($4

million)

o Acquisition of Hurricane Forecasting Aircraft ($22 million)

NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Leasing

Restore noncompetitive leasing

$160 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy restores noncompetitive leasing for oil and gas, streamlining the

process and enhancing federal revenue through increased energy development.

Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Leasing

$4.2 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Expanding offshore leasing opportunities would boost federal revenue by

opening new areas for oil and gas exploration, contributing significantly to

savings over the next decade.

Reopen ANWR and require new lease sales

$45 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Alaska’s Right to Produce Act (H.R. 6285) would reopen lease sales in the

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), generating revenue from oil and gas

extraction, with additional contributions from offshore leasing.

Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing

$500 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Expanding onshore leasing for oil and gas would generate substantial federal

savings, with estimates currently ranging from $500 million to potentially higher

based on updated analyses.

Increased Geothermal Leasing

$20 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy would boost leasing for geothermal energy development, contributing

additional revenue while promoting cleaner energy alternatives.

Increased Coal Leasing

Savings TBD

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Expands coal leasing; scores will likely be in the single digit millions.

H.R.7370, Permit Processing Reform for Geothermal

Savings TBD

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Streamlined the permit process for geothermal energy

IRA Funds

Rescind IRA Funds

$1.943 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Title IV savings include:

o Investing in Coastal Communities and Climate Resilience ($1.3 billion)

● Title V savings include:

o National Parks and Public Lands Conservation and Resilience ($132

million)

o US Geological Survey 3D Evaluation Program ($7 million)

o Bureau of Reclamation Domestic Water Supply Projects ($487 million)

o Department of Interior Oversight ($3 million)

o National Parks Service Employees ($267 million)

● Title VI savings:

o Endangered Species Act Recovery Plans ($50 million)

o Funding for USFWS to Address Weather Events ($40 million)

● Title VIII savings

o Tribal Climate Resilience ($195 million)

o Native Hawaiian Climate Resilience ($1 million)

o Tribal Electrification Program ($115 million)

o Emergency Drought Relief for Tribes ($11 million)

Rescind Presidio money from IRA

Up to $200 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife and Parks Assistant Secretary

Shannon Estenoz directed the transfer of $200 million in funding provided in the

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to address deferred maintenance to the Presidio

Trust, despite the fact that this was not consistent with standard agency practices

for selecting priority deferred maintenance projects. This policy would revoke this

$200 million transfer.

Other

Timber Sales

$1-2 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Increase Timber Sales. Can be dialed up or down.

Sell Federal Land

Savings TBD

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Increases sale of federal land

H.R. 4374, Chaco Canyon

$17 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● End the restriction on oil and gas leases in Chaco Canyon

OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE

Federal Workforce

Raise FERS Contribution Rate to 4.4 Percent

$44 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● In the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), employee contribution

rates are tiered by year hired: 0.8 percent if hired in 2012 and earlier, 3.1 percent

if hired in 2013, and 4.4 percent if hired in 2014 and after. This option would raise

the contribution rate across-the-board to 4.4 percent.

Eliminate FERS Supplemental Retirement Payments

$5 - $13 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would eliminate the supplement to FERS employees who retire

before they are eligible for Social Security. Under current law, if an employee

retires before 62, a supplemental FERS payment is made to bridge the employee

until they are eligible for Social Security. This change will align federal retirement

policies more closely with the private sector and encourage longer service.

Base FERS Retiree Benefit on High-5 Instead of High-3 Salary

$4 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy option would change the FERS retirement formula to use the average

of employees' earnings over the five consecutive highest earning years as

opposed to the currently used calculation of the highest three consecutive years.

This shift, which would reflect employees’ career earnings more accurately and

be more in line with private sector plans, would reduce FERS spending to ensure

the system’s long-term sustainability.

Enact Federal Employee Health Benefits Protection Act (H.R. 7868)

$2.1 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Under this Act, OPM must conduct a comprehensive audit of employee family

members currently enrolled in the FEHB program and disenroll or remove from

enrollment any ineligible individual found to be receiving FEHB benefits. This

reform would reduce improper payments, saving $2.1 billion over 10 years.

Convert New Federal Workers to At-Will Employment Unless They Accept Higher

FERS Contribution

Unknown

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would require future federal employees to elect between two

classification systems: the current system with merit-based civil service

protections or a new at-will classification. If an employee elects to be classified

as an at-will classification, they will maintain a lower FERS annuity contribution

rate (4.4 percent or lower). However, for employees that elect to be classified

under the current merit-based civil service system, their annuity employee

contribution would be increased to a higher rate. Since a significant percentage

of future civil service employees would elect to take advantage of the job

protections of the current merit-based civil service system, this reform should

yield mandatory savings due to the reduction in the federal agency’s FERS

annuity contribution share.

Eliminate Official Time Unless Unions Compensate the Federal Government

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This reform would charge federal labor organizations for their use of agency

resources as well as any official time.

Charge a Fee for Federal Employee MSPB Appeals

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Federal employees subject to adverse action by their agency, including dismissal,

can appeal their case to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). In the

majority of cases, MSPB upholds the ruling of the agency. This policy option

would charge a fee for federal employee MSPB appeals, raising revenue while

reducing the cost of frivolous MSPB filings.

Adjustment to Limit of Federal Employee Buy-Outs

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy option would increase the federal employee buy-out threshold from

the existing $25,000 maximum allowance for civilian employees to $40,000 (in

parity with DOD’s current authority) and would establish a $2 billion Voluntary

Separation Incentive Payment Fund within the U.S. Treasury to fund these

buy-outs. It would also lower the 20-year Voluntary Early Retirement (VER)

option to 15 years of service.

Move FEHB from a Premium-share Model to a Voucher Model

$16-18 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The FEHB program provides the federal workforce and annuitants (and their

dependents and survivors) with health insurance coverage. The FEHB program

also covers postal workers but beginning in 2025, those benefits will be provided

through the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) program. Under this option,

the FEHB and PSHB programs would be reformed by replacing the current

premium-sharing structure with a voucher, which would not be subject to income

and payroll taxes. CBO classifies the federal share of premiums for most federal

employees as discretionary but federal spending on premiums for annuitants and

postal workers is classified as mandatory.

Other

Government Efficiency Commission

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option creates a Government Efficiency Commission in support of the

Administration’s efforts.

Federal Building Occupancy At Minimum of 80 Percent

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy option requires agencies to meet a minimum 80 percent average

occupancy in their buildings and leased spaces in the DC-VA-MD-WV area and

to dispose of any surplus properties.

Renewing Efficiency in Government by Budgeting (REG Budgeting) Act

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This policy option requires federal regulatory agencies to constrain unfunded new

costs imposed by federal regulators and requires OMB to set an annual,

regulatory budget that restricts the amount of new, unfunded regulatory costs

agencies can impose each year.

Full Responsibility and Expedited Enforcement (FREE) Act

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The federal permitting process is often burdensome, inconsistent, and costly.

This option streamlines the federal permitting process by expanding the use of

“permits-by-rule” (PBR) rather than case-by-case application for and review of

individual permit applications, creating a more efficient and consistent process.

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

The Secure the Border Act

$6.1 billion in 10-year costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Our signature border security package this Congress. CBO reports that it will

decrease direct spending by approximately $21 billion over the window, decrease

revenues by approximately $27.1 billion over the window, and decrease

discretionary spending by approximately $32 billion over the window.

Immigration Fees

$5-20 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Judiciary is open to dialing up any and all immigration related fees in their

jurisdiction to hit a desired reconciliation target.

Extend and Increase Customs User Fees

$25 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Customs User Fees are collected by CBP for inspecting cargo and people.

This option would extend the fees through the 10-year window and increase

them by 25 percent.

Eliminate Diversity Visa Program

$3.2 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Diversity Immigrant Visa program, provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas

annually. It aims to attract applicants from countries with otherwise low

immigration rates to the U.S. Unlike most visa programs, it requires no job offer

or familial tie for entry. This option would eliminate the program.

Reinstate Public Charge Rule

$15 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The public charge rule reduces the number of people eligible for green cards or

visas by redefining what made them dependent on government benefits. This

policy was expanded under the Trump Administration with two proposed rules in

2019. Neither are in effect. This policy would prevent people who are unable to

take care of themselves from benefiting from long-term care at the government’s

expense.

Reclaim Certain Funding

No score; possible deficit reduction

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Leadership requested the reclamation of funding for certain offices and programs

included in the list below. We are not sure how much funding remains in these

accounts.

o US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)

o United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

o International Organization for Migration (IOM)

o Safe Mobility

o Funding for the Executive Office for Immigration Review

o EOIR Language Access Plan

o Stab-Serv and Case Management Pilot Program

o Welcome Corps

o Housing Programs for illegal migrants (HUD)

o Non-Government Organizations participating in aiding illegal migration

Visa Overstay Fee

No score; possible deficit reduction

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would increase the fee on visa overstays and make such fees

non-waivable.

Ongoing Immigration Fees

No score; possible deficit reduction

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This suite of options would impose ongoing fees (monthly) for the duration of

parole, ongoing fee for asylee until case is adjudicated, ongoing work

authorization fees (monthly) for asylees and parolees, and additional fee on work

applications.

Increased Penalties for Employing Illegal Immigrants

No score; possible deficit reduction

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Leadership did not provide any further detail on this option.

Rescind DOJ Asset Forfeiture Account

$1 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This was private option on the FY25 budget resolution

Bonus to Law Enforcement Agencies that honor ICE Detainers

No score; deficit increase

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Program not detailed by leadership. Would likely need to be a mandatory

account with a grant program to pass Byrd Rule.

REINS Act

No budgetary effects

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Restrains the administrative state by amending the Congressional Review Act

(CRA) of 1996, by requiring the Legislative Branch’s approval on major rules and

regulations proposed by the Executive Branch.

HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE

Border and Immigration

Border wall funding appropriation

No score yet; deficit increase

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The Homeland Committee would like funds to build border barriers, including the

“Trump Wall” (a 33 ft high concrete barrier) along 700+ miles of the border.

● The Homeland Committee estimates $18 billion for 734 miles of new wall, $7.8

billion to replace legacy fencing/vehicle barriers, and another $10 billion for

additional secondary barriers.

● Leadership stated the need for Rio Grande River buoys but no specifics were

provided.

State Reimbursement for Border Security Initiatives

No score yet ($11-13 billion); deficit increase

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This option would focus on reimbursing Texas for Operation Lone Star and

Stonegarden. The provision would need to be written broadly so as to “affect

multiple entities” or it will trigger Byrd Rule.

Border Security Personnel Investments

No score yet; deficit increase

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Homeland would like to surge funding to hire 3,000 additional Border Patrol

Agents, 5,000 more Office of Field Operations Agents (CBP), and 200 more Air

and Marine Operations Agents. The estimate the cost of this surge to be $12.6

billion over 10 years.

● Homeland is also requesting $100 million for retention bonuses.

Technology Improvements at the Border

No score yet; deficit increase

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Homeland estimates around $2 billion is necessary to update technology at and

between ports of entry.

Destruction of Invasive Plant Species along the Southwest Border

No score yet; deficit increase

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Carrizo cane and salt cedar hinder detection of illicit activity along the Rio

Grande. Homeland estimates a cost of $250 million.

Extend TSA Security Passenger Fees

Up to $25 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

Option 1: Extend the deficit reduction portion through 2034 at the level currently

specified for 2027

● On a preliminary basis, enacting option 1 would reduce direct spending by about

$11.8 billion over the 2025-2034 period.

Option 2: (a) Extend the deficit reduction portion through 2034 at the level currently

specified for 2027 and (b) increase the passenger security fee by 25 percent, effective

upon enactment, and deposit those amounts in Treasury as receipts

● On a preliminary basis, enacting option 2 would reduce direct spending by about

$24.7 billion over the 2025-2034 period.

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

Modify Eligibility to Certain IIJA Programs

Unknown costs or savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Given that a rescission of IIJA advance appropriation funds would retain its

emergency designation and therefore be unable to offset new spending in a

reconciliation bill, this proposal would impose ‘restrictions’ or ‘limitations’ on

certain IIJA advanced appropriations of duplicative programs that are eligible for

several competitive grant programs (bike paths, EV charging stations, Amtrak,

etc.) which can crowd out more traditional infrastructure projects. A restriction or

limitation would be scored with regular outlay savings if it is significant enough to

create a budgetary effect, according to CBO.

Modify Treatment of Overflight Fees

$3 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This proposal would repeal mandatory subsidies/overflight fees for the Essential

Air Service (EAS) program, subjecting the funding to future appropriations.

Sell Federal Buildings

Unknown costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This proposal is designed to realize savings through consolidations and sales of

Federal real estate by directing the General Services Administration to identify

vacant Federal real estate and require GSA to move agencies out of

underutilized space into smaller, lower cost options and sell the vacated

buildings. *Savings would be booked as a mandatory saver, but depend heavily

on what/how specific properties would be sold, how clear incentives are for

agencies to sell properties, and how properties are exempt from federal laws that

impede/discourage sales.

Electric Vehicle Inclusion to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF)

Unknown savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Incorporate electric vehicles into the HTF’s revenue stream to contribute toward

constructing and improving the nation’s infrastructure.

H.R. 1152, Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act

No budgetary effects

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This legislation fixes the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) permitting provision to

promote infrastructure development by streamlining the permitting process under

section 401 of the CWA and clarifying section 401’s focus on CWA water quality.

CBO’s preliminary estimate projected no effect on direct spending or revenues,

T&I staff is assessing additional changes in the legislation that may affect direct

spending or revenues

H.R. 7023, Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act

No budgetary effects

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● The bill would provide regulatory and judicial certainty for regulated entities and

communities, increase transparency, and promote water quality, among other

provisions. CBO did not produce an estimate, but they continue to work with T&I

staff on an estimate of direct spending and revenues; however, they anticipate

either no budgetary effect or a relatively small score.

H.R. 5089, Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act

No budgetary effects

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This proposal would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency and states

authorized to issue permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination

System from requiring a permit for some discharges of pesticides. While CBO

estimated no effect on direct spending or revenues, T&I staff is looking at ways to

create some sort of scorable effect for this proposal to be appropriate for

reconciliation.

Appropriations for Polar Security Cutters

No score yet; deficit increase

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This proposal would provide mandatory appropriations for long lead materials for

polar security cutters number three and four. T&I anticipates any appropriations

would be significant and will need to work with CBO on a preliminary estimate to

ensure any spending does not fall beyond the ten-year budget window.

Increase Vessel Tonnage Duty

Up to $600 million in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● Vessel tonnage duties are imposed on the cargo-carrying capacity of vessels

which enter the United States from a foreign port or place or depart from and

return to a United States port or place on a ‘voyage to nowhere.’ In 1990, these

rates were raised to nine cents per ton, not to exceed 45 cents per ton in a single

year, and 27 cents per ton, not to exceed $1.35 cents per ton in a single year. In

1997, the higher duties were extended through 2002 but once they expired, they

returned to the 1990 levels. If these levels are increased, offsetting receipts

would go up; T&I staff is still exploring options in this space.

Redirect Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to deficit reduction

Up to $5 billion in 10-year savings

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This proposal would transfer a portion of the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund’s

balance for deficit reduction. T&I is contemplating $2 billion transfers in each of

the first two years and dropping the transfer to $1 billion in the subsequent three

years. T&I is working with CBO to determine a magnitude, but T&I believes that a

transfer could potentially achieve outlay savings.

Container Casualty Vessel Act

Unknown costs

VIABILITY: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

● This proposal establishes the responsibility of container vessels for response

costs and damages related to container vessel casualties. It would limit per

incident liability, except in the case of negligence. It also would establish a

Container Vessel Marine Casualty Liability Trust Fund (funded with a per

container fee) which pays for response and damages until reimbursement can be

received, for amounts above the liability limits, and for amounts where the

responsible cannot be found or is unable to pay. T&I will require feedback from

CBO on any such proposal.

Core Ethical Concerns Concerning the Majority of these Proposals

These proposals raise significant ethical questions:

1. Shifting Burdens: Many proposals aim to reduce government spending by shifting the burden onto vulnerable populations: Limiting healthcare access for non-citizens. Reducing Medicare benefits. Cutting social safety nets like TANF and SSI. Reducing school lunch programs. This raises questions about social responsibility and the ethical obligation to care for those in need.

2. Tax Policies and Fairness: The proposals include both tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, and tax increases for lower and middle-income individuals. This raises concerns about income inequality and the ethical implications of policies that exacerbate existing disparities. The repeal of the SALT deductions mostly benefits wealthy individuals.

3. Environmental Exploitation: Increased lumbering on federal lands and the prioritization of fossil fuel extraction raise concerns about environmental sustainability and the ethical responsibility to protect natural resources. The selling off of federal lands and buildings removes those resources from the public.

4. Prioritization of Corporate Interests: The document highlights preferential treatment for the electric vehicle industry, while simultaneously proposing cuts to programs that benefit ordinary citizens. This raises questions about the influence of corporate lobbying and the ethical implications of prioritizing corporate interests over the public good.

5. Transparency and Accountability: The reported "raids" of government offices to seize sensitive information raise serious concerns about transparency and the rule of law. The document itself is being circulated, and the desire to make those responsible for it known, shows that accountability is a concern.

6. Impact on Vulnerable Populations: The proposed cuts to healthcare, social programs, and education will disproportionately affect low-income individuals, children, and the elderly. This raises ethical questions about the responsibility to protect vulnerable populations and ensure their basic needs are met.

7. The concept of "Savings" Many of the savings listed, are done by removing assistance from the most vulnerable of populations. This is an ethical problem.

8. Contradictions within the document. The document contains contradictions, which brings up questions of integrity. An example is the removal of funds from an area, and then the re-addition of funds to that same area.

Examining the Ethical Frameworks Impacted -

• Examined with Utilitarianism: The proposals should be assessed based on their overall impact on society, weighing the benefits against the harms. Many of these proposals would cause harm to a large group of people while providing direct benefits to a small group of people.

• Examined with Deontology: Would focus on the inherent rightness or wrongness of the actions themselves, regardless of their consequences. The actions of removing healthcare from people, or selling off public land, could be seen as inherently wrong.

• Virtue Ethics: Would consider the character of the individuals proposing and implementing these policies, and whether their actions reflect virtues like compassion, justice, and fairness. Are they, indeed, fulfilling the duties of their office or are they operating for others and for goals we don't see?