Read more about the article Profiles in Courage: Dr. Li Wenliang

Profiles in Courage: Dr. Li Wenliang

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) analyzes the ins-and-outs of various public policies, and of course, makes terrible puns. But, at such a difficult time, we realize that it is not enough to simply highlight promising policies and suggest further reforms. It is also important to recognize the extraordinary achievements of officials, public health experts, and healthcare workers who are dedicating long hours and risking life and limb to helping struggling individuals, families, and businesses during the Coronavirus pandemic. For this inaugural “Profiles in Courage,” TPA would like to highlight and celebrate the life of noted Chinese doctor Li Wenliang, who risked and ultimately gave his life to help Coronavirus victims in China while being persecuted by his own government for doing so. The taxpayer-funded World Health Organization (WHO) dropped the ball early and should have listened to Dr. Li instead of starting a campaign defending the Chinese government’s inactions

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Read more about the article Watchdog Praises FCC for Opening 6 GHz Band for Unlicensed Use

Watchdog Praises FCC for Opening 6 GHz Band for Unlicensed Use

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai for proposing new rules allowing unlicensed devices to operate in the 6 GHz spectrum band. According to the agency, “The proposed rules would make 1,200 megahertz of spectrum available for unlicensed use. Unlicensed devices would share this spectrum with incumbent licensed services under rules that are crafted to protect those licensed services and to enable both unlicensed and licensed operations to thrive throughout the band.” The FCC will vote on these draft rules at the agency’s April 23 Open Meeting. TPA Director of Policy Ross Marchand will be speaking about 6 GHz band-related issues on the Open Technology Institute’s April 6 webinar, “Easing the Home Connectivity Crunch.”

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Read more about the article Watchdog Urges Congress to Keep Pet Projects Out of Fourth Relief Package

Watchdog Urges Congress to Keep Pet Projects Out of Fourth Relief Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) urged Congress to refrain from inserting unrelated spending provisions into any upcoming Coronavirus-related relief legislation. Recent reports indicate that both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and President Trump are eyeing significant short-term spending increases on legislative “priorities” that have little to do with containing the Coronavirus pandemic. Politico reports that Speaker Pelosi, “signaled to her caucus that infrastructure would likely be part of the ‘phase 4’ package, specifically ticking off priorities like water systems, broadband and the energy grid.” President Trump tweeted similar sentiments on March 31, arguing, “this is the time to do our decades long awaited Infrastructure Bill.”

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Read more about the article This National Doctors’ Day, Let’s Show our Appreciation
California is projected to need another 500,000 healthcare workers by 2024, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

This National Doctors’ Day, Let’s Show our Appreciation

Today is National Doctors’ Day, a day when patients can give thanks for the hard work and dedication of physicians and all those who support doctors such as nurses (who will formally recognized on National Nurses Day on May 6). People around the globe are more grateful than ever for their physicians this year. During the worst public health emergency in more than 100 years, doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers have risked their lives to treat millions of people infected with the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19). Doctors are logging longer hours than ever and hospitals are rushing to expand their capabilities. Policymakers can show their appreciation by keeping onerous rules and regulations to a minimum and empowering doctors to effectively treat as many patients as possible. It’s time to honor the more than 1 million doctors and 18 million healthcare workers across America who are at the front lines of fighting COVID-19.

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Read more about the article The Overlooked and Obscure in the CARES Act

The Overlooked and Obscure in the CARES Act

Well, we finally have the final FINAL final version of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which has been passed by the Senate and House. Policymakers and pundits have already poured over its 880 pages, mainly analyzing the major provisions illustrated by the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) here. But there’s far more to this $2.2 trillion bill than “recovery rebates” to individuals and families and small business loans. Here are some of the major and minor provisions you may have overlooked:

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Read more about the article 26 Groups Urge House to Reject “Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act”

26 Groups Urge House to Reject “Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act”

Today, 26 free-market organizations, both national and state-based, send a letter to the House of Representatives urging them to reject the "Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act." This bill uses the coronavirus pandemic as an avenue to pursue partisan pet policy projects instead of addressing the public health crisis affecting our nation.

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Read more about the article Watchdog Urges Congress to Keep Rate-Setting Out of Coronavirus Relief Package

Watchdog Urges Congress to Keep Rate-Setting Out of Coronavirus Relief Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) urged Congress to refrain from inserting healthcare rate-setting into the third Coronavirus relief package. Recent reports suggest that the White House and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) want to use coronavirus stimulus legislation to impose deeply discounted in-network prices on physicians across the country. Lawmakers such as Sen. Alexander and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) have repeatedly pushed for rate-setting as a “solution” to surprise medical billing, which occurs when patients discharged from an in-network hospital receive an out-of-network bill from an attending doctor.

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Read more about the article HOUSE ADDS UNRELATED PROVISIONS: TPA Update on Coronavirus Stimulus Negotiations

HOUSE ADDS UNRELATED PROVISIONS: TPA Update on Coronavirus Stimulus Negotiations

There’s no shortage of drama on Capitol Hill today after Democrats blocked the GOP-proposed coronavirus relief package from advancing on Sunday so they could push for personal pet projects and subsidies to special interest groups completely unrelated to the coronavirus response. Last night, the Senate held a procedural vote designed to advance a placeholder “shell” bill whose text could then be replaced by the actual relief package unveiled on Friday by the Senate GOP (and shaped by subsequent negotiations with Congressional Democrats). But Democratic leadership led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) balked at the $1.6 trillion relief package and made demands that would further increase the size of the spending bill. In addition to more spending for financial relief from the coronavirus, The Washington Times is reporting that the House is also requesting that solar tax credits be included in the legislation. Democratic Majority Whip Clyburn went so far as to admit these provisions were ideological, and had nothing to do with the Coronavirus response, saying, "this is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.”

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