U.S. Federal Government Information

September 19, 2026

The Future of Social Security: Understanding the 2026 Long Term Projections

Introduction

Social Security’s long term financial outlook has again moved to the forefront with the release of the Congressional Budget Office’s 2026 long term projections and the Social Security Trustees’ latest annual assessment. Although the reports differ in methodology and some of their estimates, they point to the same fundamental challenge: under current law, the gap between Social Security’s scheduled benefits and the revenues available to finance them is projected to persist and generally widen over the decades ahead. This article examines the findings of CBO and the Trustees, supplemented by analysis from J.P. Morgan Asset Management, with particular attention to the projected depletion of trust fund reserves, the distinction between scheduled and payable benefits, the demographic and economic forces contributing to the financing gap, and what these projections actually mean, and do not mean, for the future of Social Security.

CBO’s 2026 Long Term Projections for Social Security

September 12, 2026

The GPO Modernization Act of 2026: What it Could Mean for Libraries and Public Access to Information

by David Badertscher

Introduction

This proposed legislation is more consequential for libraries and government-information professionals than its title might initially suggest. It is not simply an internal GPO housekeeping bill; it would substantially rewrite the statutory framework governing the Federal Depository Library Program, digital preservation, permanent public access, cataloging, and the National Collection. In this post the strongest emphasis is on permanent public access, preservation of born digital government information, the modernization of the FDLP, and the implications for law librarians and researchers. Those features distinguish this bill from what might otherwise appear to readers to be a largely administrative modernization of GPO.

H.R. 9342, the GPO Modernization Act of 2026, was introduced on June 18, 2026, by Representative Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma. Its stated purpose is “[t]o revise certain authorities of the Government Publishing Office, and for other purposes.” The bill was referred to the House Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

August 29, 2026

Expired and Expiring Authorizations of Appropriations: 2026 Final Report

by David Badertscher

Congressional Budget Office (CBO) final report, August 28,2026.*

CBO reports annually on programs whose authorizations of appropriations have already expired or will expire. This report updates CBO’s preliminary report that was released on January 15, 2026.

SUMMARY:

August 11, 2026

H.R. 3087 Civil Rights Cold Case Archives Records Collection: From CBO

by David Badertscher

H.R. 3087, Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act of 2026

Cost Estimate from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), August 6, 2026.

Overview of Document:

July 27, 2026

CBO: S3733, A Bill to Authorize Certain Public Libraries to Collect and Retain a Fee for the execution of a Passport Application

by David Badertscher

From the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

S. 3733, a bill to amend the Passport Act of June 4, 1920, to authorize certain public libraries to collect and retain a fee for the execution of a passport application as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on June 17, 2026. This bill would authorize the Department of State to restore the ability of nongovernmental public libraries to accept passport applications. The bill also would require the department to report to the Congress within 30 days of enactment on whether it has done so.

COST ESTIMATE,

July 13, 2026

CBO’s Quarter in Review: July 2026

by David Badertscher

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) plays a central role in informing Congress by providing independent, nonpartisan analyses of federal budgetary and economic issues. Over the past three months, the agency has issued a wide range of budget and economic analyses, cost estimates, and other analytical products in support of Congress throughout the legislative process.

Over the past three months, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a wide range of budget and economic analyses, cost estimates, and other analytical products in support of Congress throughout the legislative process as discussed in

The CBO’s Quarter in Review: July 2006 linked to this post is a report that serves as a companion to CBO’s Recent Publications and Work in Progress (June 30, 2026), providing an overview of the agency’s recent publications as well as reports and studies scheduled for release in the coming months.

June 14, 2026

Understanding Budget Reconciliation: How Congress Fast Tracks Major Fiscal Legislation

by David Badertscher

Budget reconciliation is a special congressional procedure created by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that allows Congress to consider legislation affecting federal spending, revenues (taxes), and the debt limit under expedited procedures. Most notably, reconciliation bills can pass the Senate with a simple majority vote rather than the 60 votes normally needed to overcome a filibuster. As a result, reconciliation has become one of the most important tools for enacting major fiscal policy changes. The following is an overview of the congressional budget reconciliation process and a discussion of its importance to librarians, researchers, and the general public.

What Is Reconciliation?

Reconciliation is designed to align existing laws with the fiscal goals established in a congressional budget resolution. It can be used to:

May 25, 2026

When Leaders Become Saviors: The Rise of Messianic Leadership in Authoritarian Systems

by David Badertscher

Introduction

The purpose of this essay is not to criticize leadership itself. Every society requires leaders. Effective leadership can inspire, unify, and guide communities through difficult circumstances. Rather, the focus here is on a recurring historical phenomenon: the tendency of some societies to elevate leaders into figures of redemption and the tendency of some leaders to embrace that role.

Temptation of Political Salvation

May 2, 2026

Estimating the Economic Effects of Federal Investment in Research and Development

by David Badertscher

FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE (CBO), MAY 1, 2026.

Presentation about work by Sheila Campbell, Jaeger Nelson, Eli Schrag, Heidi Williams, and Caleb Wroblewski at the NBER Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy Conference

SUMMARY:

April 26, 2026

The Boundaries of Executive Clemency: Legal Limits on the Presidential Pardon Power

by David Badertscher

The President’s clemency authority is among the most expansive powers granted under the U.S. Constitution. Rooted directly in the constitutional text, the power to grant reprieves and pardons has long been understood as broad, flexible, and largely insulated from judicial or legislative interference. Yet, as both historical practice and Supreme Court precedent make clear, the pardon power is not without meaningful limits. For legal researchers, practitioners, and law librarians, understanding these boundaries is essential to placing executive clemency within its proper constitutional and institutional context.

At its core, the pardon power extends only to “offenses against the United States,” meaning federal crimes. This jurisdictional limitation is fundamental. A presidential pardon cannot reach state prosecutions or convictions, which remain within the authority of state governors or other state level clemency bodies. In an era where parallel federal and state investigations are increasingly common, this distinction has taken on renewed practical importance.

The Constitution also draws a clear textual boundary in cases of impeachment. While a president may pardon individuals for federal criminal offenses, that authority cannot be used to halt or undo impeachment proceedings initiated by the House of Representatives or judgments rendered by the Senate. This exception reflects the Framers’ intent to preserve Congress’s role as a check on executive misconduct, ensuring that the pardon power cannot be deployed as a shield against political accountability.