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CQ Budget

CQ Roll Call

CQ Roll Call’s budget tracker David Lerman explains how lawmakers in Congress spend the nation’s money.

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  • 20 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 25 min
  • English
  • Yesterday · 20 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. CQ Roll Call's Paul M. Krawzak and Aris Folley join host David Lerman to discuss the funding at stake, the programs affected, and the likely court battle to come over whether the move is legal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 21 · 24 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 latest cost estimates, projections of future costs, and prospects for funding the war by year's end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 15 · 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 fight. CQ Roll Call's Peter Cohn, Savannah Behrmann and Aidan Quigley assess the fall agenda and the prospects for a final fiscal 2027 spending deal during the lame-duck session. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 4 · 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 Call Budget Editor David Lerman outline the major fights looming in November in a very special Political Theater and CQ Budget podcast collaboration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 10 · 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 host David Lerman to assess what the pile-up of work means for September and a lame-duck session following the midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 3 · 22 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 host David Lerman to assess the obstacles to passage that lie ahead and what else could cross the finish line before the Senate adjourns for its August recess. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 27 · 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 join host David Lerman to discuss the prospects for a funding extension and why work on reconciliation 3.0 is being put on the back burner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 20 · 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 Folley and Jacob Fulton join guest host Aidan Quigley to discuss the prospects of the continuing resolution and the budget resolution in the House’s final week before August recess. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 13 · 22 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 Call's Paul M. Krawzak and Aidan Quigley join host David Lerman to assess the impact of Graham's death and prospects for a new reconciliation bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 29 · 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 assessing the leadership test facing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and what it means for spending bills and a third reconciliation package. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 23 · 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 and amendments. CQ Roll Call's Aris Folley and Aidan Quigley discuss the status of appropriations in both chambers, as well as the prospects for reconciliation progress and an Iran war supplemental funding bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 15 · 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 Quigley and Paul M. Krawzak join host David Lerman to assess the bill's prospects and all the complications that lie ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 8 · 26 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 Folley and Paul M. Krawzak join host David Lerman to discuss the final chapter of the reconciliation battle and how a controversial Justice Department "anti-weaponization" fund continues to complicate the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 2 · 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 Macagnone and Aidan Quigley join host David Lerman to discuss what the apparent retreat might mean for a GOP reconciliation bill on immigration enforcement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • May 26 · 28 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 enforcement before the Memorial Day recess. CQ Roll Call's Aris Folley and Jacob Fulton join host David Lerman in assessing the blow-up and the challenge ahead for getting the reconciliation bill back on track. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • May 18 · 19 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 funding connected to the White House ballroom project. CQ's Paul M. Krawzak and Aidan Quigley discuss the parliamentarian's advice and the prospects of passage before the upcoming Memorial Day recess. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • May 11 · 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 David Lerman for a look at the procedural challenges facing the security money and how it could complicate passage of a bill designed to provide immigration enforcement funding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • May 4 · 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 Quigley and Aris Folley join host David Lerman to discuss what it took to end the shutdown, the source of simmering friction between the two chambers, and what it could mean as Republicans attempt to pass a reconciliation bill for immigration enforcement funding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • April 27 · 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 Quigley and David Lerman discuss the challenge for House leaders and the road ahead for the budget reconciliation process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • April 13 · 23 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's Aidan Quigley and Aris Folley describe the prospects of the bill and the next steps for the fiscal 2027 spending process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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