Spending & Budgeting Archives

Three pie charts. Two of the same size labeled Spending and Financing with third about one-seventh as large and labeled Tax Expenditures. The Spending pie is divided into discretionary spending of $1.9 trillion, on-budget direct spending of $3.2 trillion, off-budget direct spending of $1.6 trillion, and net interest of $1.1 trillion. The Financing pie is divided into borrowing of $1.9 trillion, individual income taxes of $2.9 trillion, off-budget payroll taxes of $1.4 trillion, on-budget payroll taxes of $500 billion, and another $1 trillion between corporate income taxes, customs duties, and other revenue.

Congress Cannot Govern Well Without a Real Budget

May 11, 2026

Budget breakdown is no longer episodic. It is systemic. Congress should do an annual budget where all members can contribute to managing all spending and revenue policies in their committees and on the floor.

Effective Budgeting #4: Targets to Guide and Focus Policymakers

Apr 23, 2026

Part of the “Effective Budgeting” series. A bipartisan, bicameral consensus is emerging on bringing deficits down to 3 percent of GDP, and then on toward balance thereafter. I was honored that Chairman Arrington invited me to testify on that goal at the House Budget Committee last month. After touching on the main themes of my […]

Effective Budgeting #3: A Blueprint for a Real Budget

Apr 9, 2026

This post is part of a series on “Imagining Effective Federal Budgeting”: House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington recently discussed plans to advance a budget resolution. It should be a blueprint meant to guide congressional action on spending, revenue, deficits, and debt for the year.

Testifying on a Governance Framework for Budget Targets

Apr 3, 2026

Last week, I testified at the House Budget Committee hearing on “The Best Metric to Reverse the Curse: A 3% Deficit-to-GDP Path to Fiscal Sustainability” along with Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Jonathan Burks, executive vice president for economic and health policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and Jared Bernstein, Ph.D., […]

Kurt Couchman Joins “The Lars Larson Show”

Mar 23, 2026

Kurt Couchman joins ‘The Lars Larson Show” to discuss the Balanced Budget Amendment. (48.42)

Lessons from the 2026 House BBA Vote

Mar 23, 2026

A balanced budget rule can be a normal, neutral tool of sound governance. To succeed, members of Congress must learn to think of it that way. Support comes from being engaged, from being at the table, and from having a say in the product. Timing matters too.

Kurt Couchman Joins “Hot Talk with the Ox”

Mar 20, 2026

Kurt joins Dan Ochsner to discuss the Balanced Budget Amendment. (41:29)

Kurt Couchman Joins “The Voice of Reason with Andy Hooser”

Mar 18, 2026

Kurt Couchman joins ‘The Voice of Reason with Andy Hooser’ to discuss the Balanced Budget Amendment.

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