Government Spending

Congress Finally Funds the Government

The controversial funding package could put Speaker Mike Johnson’s gavel at risk.

We Don’t Have a Wealth Problem. We Have a Math Problem.

The U.S. has enough money to do what it wants to do. But x is always less than 1.5x.

U.S. Oversight of Ukraine Aid, Explained

Where does it come from and where does it go?

The (Very Recent) Past is Prologue

House Republicans find themselves in familiar territory.

Republicans’ New Shutdown Gambit

Plus: Is Gavin Newsom Democrats’ future hope?

Shutdown Incoming

Breaking down lawmakers’ options for breaking the stalemate.

The Impending Government Shutdown Is Nothing but Theater

The loudest Republicans have failed to produce any coherent strategy to rein in deficits.

Squeezing the Speaker

Why a small minority has such power over Kevin McCarthy.

Kevin McCarthy’s Historically Bad Week

Plus: Washington welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Sort of.

House Republicans Saddle Up for More Chaos

Even their own colleagues aren’t sure of what the GOP holdouts want from the spending impasse.

Will Kevin McCarthy Fight Back?

It’s unclear whether the speaker has the votes to push a stopgap spending measure, but the endgame for House hardliners is even foggier.

Strolling Toward a Shutdown

Plus: So much for the hopes for a room-temperature superconductor.

What’s At Stake in the Farm Bill?

A bastion of bipartisanship or big government run amok?

Approaching the Appropriations Fight

The tight deadline to pass a series of spending bills will again test Kevin McCarthy’s leadership.

Interest Payments Are a Ticking Time Bomb

Massive federal borrowing means gambling America’s economic future on interest rates never rising.

Powerball Politics

Too many in Washington want to ignore the price of risk or wrangle with costs and trade-offs.