Videos

The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee held a hearing on the National Flood Insurance Program, which was scheduled to expire September 30, 2021. Lawmakers questioned the wit…

Taxpayers for Common Sense President Stephen Ellis and Congressional Institute President Mark Strand talked about the potential return of earmarks.

Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense talked about the recently-passed $900 billion coronavirus pandemic economic relief bill and the $1.4 trillion government spending bill, which includ…

Taxpayers for Common Sense President Stephen Ellis talked about what’s in the $2 trillion coronavirus aid bill recently passed by Congress.

Stephen Ellis talked about what was included in the recently passed $1.3 billion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2018.

The House Rules Committee conducted a second day of hearings to examine the issue of earmarks, or congressional spending that directs funds for a specific project to a member’s district or s…

Stephen Ellis talked about the cost and effectiveness of federally funded disaster relief programs. The discussion happened amid the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Stephen Ellis talked about the effort to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program before the end of September 2017. The program, which is $25 billion in debt, was created by Congress…

Stephen Ellis analyzed the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill to fund the government beyond December 11. Topics included the taxes and spending provisions in the bill, how programs and agen…

Taxpayers for Common Sense Vice President Stephen Ellis discusses the National Flood Insurance Program and how a new law is causing rates to rise. He also responded to telephone calls and el…

Stephen Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, discussed a recent investigation by the Treasury Department inspector general for tax administration that the Internal Revenue Se…

Stephen Ellis talked about the billed passed by Congress providing disaster relief for flood victims of Hurricane Sandy, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Th…

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and think tank members detailed their proposals for the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Plans consisted of a combination of options to include spendin…

The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity held a hearing on the National Flood Insurance Program. The program insures more than 5.5 million ho…

Stephen Ellis talked about the tax cuts and unemployment benefits legislation signed by President Obama the previous week. Topics included provisions that are favorable to various industries…

Representatives from government watchdog groups spoke to reporters and answered questions about the federal budget and appropriations process, the use of earmarks to designate spending of pr…

Stephen Ellis talked about the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) program and how the funds are being allocated, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic mail. The Treasury Depar…

Steve Ellis talked about the earmarks in the defense spending bill. On Sunday morning the House passed the $459.6 billion defense bill, which allocated billions for earmarks by members of Co…

The Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on legisla…

Mr. Ellis talked about the cost of hurricane relief in the supplemental spending bill (HR 4939) before the Senate. He spoke about appropriations levels for hurricane recovery efforts since h…