News Staff

In a late-year flurry, Congress passed many bills last week. Among others, Congress passed an all-in-one spending bill. It combined eleven spending bills and additional spending for the Iraq war into one. H.R. 2764, now called the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, is the bill. Its cost per U.S. family is a little over $9,400, about $720 of which is for the additional military spending.

Most relevant to readers here is P.L. 110-140, The CLEAN Energy Act of 2007.

Costs $4.28 per family
What People Think: 51% For, 49% Against

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_PL_110-140.html

If you want to read the rest of the expenditures, here you go:

H.R. 2764 The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008

Costs $9,439.54 per family
What People Think: 28% For, 72% Against

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_2764.html

Congress also passed "AMT reform." The Alternative Minimum Tax
originally affected only the very rich, but it was beginning to threaten middle class taxpayers.

H.R. 3996, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2007, saves an average of a little over $90 per U.S. family. (As with many tax bills, not every family will get this benefit - this figure is an average.)

H.R. 3996 The Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2007
Saves $91.60 per family
What People Think: 53% For, 47% Against

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_3996.html

Displayed below are select new, updated, and passed items with their cost or savings per family.
New Items

H.R. 2608
The SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act
Saves $5.18 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_2608.html

S. 2300
The Small Business Contracting Revitalization Act of 2007
Costs $4.97 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_2300.html

H.R. 4137
The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007
Costs $860.47 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_4137.html

S. 2499
The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007
Costs $20.88 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_2499.html

P.L. 110-149
Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2008, and for other purposes
Costs $305.89 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_PL_110-149.html

Updated Items

H.R. 2764
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008
Costs $9,439.54 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_2764.html

H.R. 3866
The Small Business Programs Act of 2007
Costs $120.03 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_3866.html

Passed Items

P.L. 110-138
The United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
Saves $6.19 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_PL_110-138.html

P.L. 110-149
Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2008, and for other purposes
Costs $305.89 per family

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_PL_110-149.html