In recent years tribalism has become a phenomenon deeply ingrained in U.S. politics. Members of one party feel the constant urge to slam the other party, regardless of the facts or substantive public policy issues at stake. But fortunately, taxpayers and consumers have a friend in Congress who isn’t afraid to forge his own path and call out members of both parties for pushing disastrous policies. Rep. Justin Amash (L-Mich.) is not long for the halls of Congress, but has taken a principled stand for good governance, even-handedness, and transparency in his near-decade as a lawmaker. And for that, Rep. Amash is absolutely a Profile in Courage.

Since the start of the pandemic, gig-economy workers have delivered groceries and meals to millions of Americans – including the elderly and immunocompromised – while they remain cooped up at home. Gig-economy workers also continue to provide rides to those who need them most, including our healthcare workers, firefighters, and grocery clerks. In return, these contractors have both asked for and received temporary health benefits and personal protective equipment (PPE) from companies including Instacart and Uber.

After months of anticipation, bitter partisan infighting, and contentious press interviews, the Senate has finally released their $1 trillion blueprint for the next phase of coronavirus relief called the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act. The legislation includes everything from liability protections to tax credit expansions to forgivable loans to direct appropriations. Encouragingly, lawmakers decided to forgo blank checks to states and localities, instead tying relief to specific items and issue areas. But, there’s plenty of wasteful spending in the bill, and the price-tag could easily wind up expanding. To help taxpayers make sense of confusing programs and dense legislative text, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) gives the thumbs up and down on key provisions below:

Nearly four months after the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law, policymakers are on the cusp of proposing yet another round of COVID-19 relief. Struggling Americans across the country are hoping for targeted relief that will help them pay their bills on time and defray COVID-19-related medical expenses. But, if the past is prologue, they’ll likely be forced to foot the bill for unrelated expenses (e.g. Postal bailouts and corporate welfare). In order to ensure that policymakers stay focused on coronavirus relief and reject wildly unrelated measures, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has prepared a preliminary “Do’s and Don’ts” compilation for members of Congress.