This is the second in our series of three hearings on welfare reform. In our first hearing, we learned that programs designed to help low-income families often don’t do enough to help recipients go to work and get ahead. Today, we will explore what we know about the effectiveness of such programs, how we can hold more programs accountable for their performance, and how we can ensure… Read more

Today we are examining the Treasury Department’s strangely-timed announcement that it is delaying the enforcement of ObamaCare’s employer mandate for one year. For the last several months we’ve heard the White House repeatedly pledge to Congress and the American people that the President’s Affordable Care Act will be ready on schedule.  Absolutely.  Take it to the… Read more

It has been six weeks since the IRS first revealed that they were purposefully targeting conservative-leaning organizations.   This week, additional IRS documents revealed that the term “progressive,” along with others, were also included on the “Be On the Lookout” list – or the BOLO.  I want to make one thing clear, no taxpayer, regardless of political affiliation,… Read more

We are meeting today to hear from the two public members of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds on their 2013 report’s analysis regarding the current dire status of the Medicare program.   It’s important to understand the financial health and viability of the Medicare program if we are to ensure that the… Read more

Good morning and welcome to our hearing on encouraging work in the Social Security disability insurance program.   The disability insurance program provides essential income security to people with disabilities and their families.  Over the past 40 years, changes in demographics, Federal policy, and the availability of jobs have driven a 300 percent increase in the number… Read more

Welcome to today’s hearing. Today is the first hearing in a series on what government does to help low-income families get ahead, whether that is effective, and how that can be made to work better. Today we will start with a review of our current system and how much we spend, but more importantly whether that spending is effective in encouraging work and higher earnings by… Read more

I want to welcome everyone to today’s hearing on bipartisan proposals, including those in the President’s budget, to reform how Medicare pays for care after patients are hospitalized. This is the fifth hearing for our subcommittee this Congress and the fourth hearing in a series focusing on bipartisan proposals to reform Medicare and Social Security.  I am proud to say that… Read more

On October 26, 2011, as part of its overall approach to comprehensive tax reform that lowers rates and broadens the base, this Committee released a discussion draft aimed at modernizing our outdated international tax rules.  The draft included a structure that would allow the U.S. to move from a worldwide taxation system to a participation exemption system similar to that used by… Read more

Welcome everyone, to our hearing on the U.S.-Brazil trade and investment relationship. The U.S. trade and investment relationship with Brazil deserves to be recognized as one of our most important. Brazil has been our eighth largest trading partner in recent years, accounting for nearly $60 billion in trade and a U.S. surplus of over $5 billion. Since 2000, Brazilian investment in… Read more

Good morning.  Today the Subcommittee will examine how Social Security protects the benefits of those who cannot protect themselves.   About 14 percent of those receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits need someone to manage their payments.  These are our most vulnerable, including children and those who are mentally or physically incapable of… Read more