CQ Roll Call’s budget tracker David Lerman explains how lawmakers in Congress spend the nation’s money.
Latest episodes
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21 min
Power of the purse challenged
The Trump administration announced plans to cancel $810 million, mostly for health and education programs,that Congress had already appropriated, in a so-called pocket rescission.…
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25 min
Iran war funding dilemma
The price tag of the Iran war is $43 billion and counting, but Congress has yet to agree on a funding plan. CQ Roll Call's John M. Donnelly joins host David Lerman to discuss the l…
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29 min
Winter funding fight brewing
While Congress’ fall priorities — cryptocurrency, college sports and permitting — are not budget-related, a new December spending deadline is setting the stage for another funding…
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34 min
Congress punts on big issues
Congress avoided a shutdown fight until December, but passed on several sticky problems it will need to address after Election Day. CQ Roll Editor in Chief Jason Dick and CQ Roll C…
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32 min
Unfinished business
The Senate left town for its August recess with much of its agenda put on ice, including a third budget reconciliation package. CQ Roll Call's Paul M. Krawzak and Aris Folley join…
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23 min
Senate funding patch secured
With a bipartisan deal in hand to avoid a partial government shutdown, Senate leaders hope to pass the stopgap measure this week. CQ Roll Call's Aidan Quigley and Aris Folley join…
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27 min
Funding patch expands
The Senate wants to pass an expanded version of a House-passed stopgap funding bill before it leaves town for the August recess. CQ Roll Call's Aidan Quigley and Paul M. Krawzak jo…
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26 min
House spending push
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is trying this week to adopt a budget resolution and pass the annual defense authorization bill and stopgap spending measure. CQ Roll Call’s Aris Folle…
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23 min
New push on reconciliation 3.0
The death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., triggers a Senate Budget Committee shake-up as House Republicans make a new push this week for a third reconciliation package. CQ Roll Cal…
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25 min
Leadership test in House
A push for new voting restrictions has held up business in the House, including appropriations bills. CQ Roll Call's Aidan Quigley and Aris Folley join host David Lerman in assessi…
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26 min
Spending split
While House appropriators move forward with their fiscal 2027 spending bills, the usually bipartisan Senate process has run into major roadblocks with disputes over spending levels…
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19 min
Reconciliation 3.0 hurdles
House Republicans are scrambling to produce a third reconciliation bill focused on defense spending and combating fraud, but they face numerous obstacles. CQ Roll Call's Aidan Quig…
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27 min
At the finish line
Republicans appeared set to clear a Senate-passed reconcilation bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies through the rest of President Donald Trump's term. CQ Roll Call's Aris…
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27 min
'Anti-weaponization' fund retreat
The Trump administration began to back down from its push for a $1.8 billion Justice Department fund rewarding alleged victims of past administrations. CQ Roll Call's Michael Macag…
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29 min
Immigration funding bill derailed
The surprise creation of a Justice Department "anti-weapononization" fund outraged Senate Republicans and disrupted plans to pass their reconciliation bill for immigration enforcem…
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20 min
Reconciliation race
Republicans are scrambling to rewrite portions of the $72 billion budget reconciliation bill after the Senate parliamentarian advised against key parts, including Secret Service fu…
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22 min
Ballroom blitz
Democrats are taking aim at $1 billion in the GOP's reconciliation bill for security funds connected to plans for a White House ballroom. CQ Roll Call's Paul M. Krawzak joins host…
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23 min
GOP friction over shutdown finale
Passage of a bill to end the record-breaking shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security exposed widening tensions between House and Senate Republicans. CQ Roll Call's Aidan Qu…
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25 min
Critical test for immigration funding
House Republicans will try to adopt a budget resolution that emerged from the Senate in a first step toward funding immigration agencies. CQ Roll Call's Paul M. Krawzak, Aidan Quig…
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24 min
Reconciliation picks up, again
President Donald Trump has backed Senate Republicans' plan for two more reconciliation bills, the first of which would focus solely on immigration enforcement funding. CQ Roll Call…