For Immediate ReleaseFebruary 20, 2020Contact: Grace Morgan(202-855-4380) WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised Rev. Al Sharpton for urging members of the Congressional Black Caucus to oppose attempts…
Parents of adolescents regularly find themselves in a familiar school-night scenario where they goad their kids to get their homework done, only to be met with pleas for continued procrastination. Of course, the chore only becomes more tedious as the hour grows later and teens only become more stubborn in their procrastination. This situation should also be familiar to any observer of the United States Postal Service (USPS), which has procrastinated dealing with its $140 billion debt for more than a decade. And, just like a pre-teen desperate to elude responsibility for their actions, the USPS wants Congress to make its debts someone else’s (aka taxpayers’) problem.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) criticized former President Barack Obama for taking credit for current economic growth. In a February 17th tweet, the 44th President claimed that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (commonly known as the “stimulus package”) was successful in “paving the way for more than a decade of economic growth and the longest streak of job creation in American history.” Taking to Twitter the same day to contrast former President Obama’s lackluster economic record with his own administration’s successes, President Trump chided his predecessor for making misleading comments.
For the 24 million American smokers who are desperately trying to kick their deadly habit, new and innovative products such as e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products offer compelling alternatives that feel like smoking, with a tiny fraction of the risk. Yet, the federal government and state governments across the country are looking to tax these products out of existence based on half-baked theories and a slew of misinformation. A recent study by Tax Foundation analyst Ulrik Boesen that examined tax policy surrounding tobacco and reduced-risk alternatives found that a heavy-handed tax regime undermines public health and encourages dangerous black markets. Lawmakers across the country must pay heed to these and other findings, and allow smokers to make informed, low-cost choices that could literally save their lives.
This Valentine’s Day, millions of Americans will buy fewer chocolates and sweets than they would like. The culprit behind buying fewer sugar-loaded sweets may seem to be that they believe their significant other could stand to lose a few. But, the real reason behind small Russell Stover boxes is out-of-control sugar prices, driven by the nonsensical, outdated U.S. sugar program. Thanks to Stalin-esque quotas and price controls, confectioners are leaving America, cutting back jobs, and jacking up prices on sweets. Congress should show sweet-toothed Americans some love this Valentine’s Day and unshackle sugar markets by eliminating the U.S. sugar program.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) and Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) for passing a pro-patient solution to solve the pressing issue of surprise medical billing. Released on February 7, the Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020 would use a market-oriented mediation process known as arbitration to solve billing disputes between physicians and insurers while holding patients harmless for runaway expenses. Shortly after the legislation’s release, Chairman Neal and Rep. Brady emphasized the need to “minimize the burden on patients and keep the dispute resolution process neutral.” According to the Congressional Budget Office, the burden on taxpayers would also be minimized. The budget watchdog projects taxpayer savings of $17.8 billion over the next ten years if the bill is enacted.
The fiscal year (FY) 2021 President’s Budget acknowledges rampant waste and abuse in federal spending and proposes a detailed plan to curb some of Washington, D.C.’s worst excesses. But, the President’s plan doesn’t actually cut spending, it slows down the growth of spending by $4.4 trillion over the course of the decade. The full list of cuts can be found here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) and the Coalition Against Rate-Setting (CARS) announced the start of a digital billboard and newspaper print ad campaign in Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. thanking lawmakers such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) for their stand against government price-fixing in the U.S. healthcare system. Ads urging Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Martha Mc Sally (R-Ariz.) and House Ways and Means Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-Texas) to follow their lead will also be running.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA), a non-partisan advocacy group representing taxpayers and consumers across the United States, released a comprehensive series of proposals to reform healthcare in the United States which would improve the quality of care while reducing costs. These issue briefs offer practical solutions to the scourge of surprise billing and include reforms to reduce the price of prescription pharmaceuticals and improve end-of-life care. TPA also uses evidence and analysis to rebut the idea that “Medicare for All” is an appropriate approach to healthcare reform.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai for moving forward with a public auction of “C-band” spectrum. This segment of taxpayer-owned mid-band spectrum is critical for the deployment of next-generation 5G internet due to its ability to carry sizable bits of data over relatively long distances. Incumbent satellite users of the band under the banner of the C-Band Alliance (CBA) fought for months to conduct a private sale of the spectrum with little oversight or guarantee of taxpayers being compensated. Despite Chairman Pai’s November announcement that the FCC intends to conduct a public auction with guaranteed taxpayer proceeds, the CBA continues to fight for an opaque “private sale.”
