Ben Cardin

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  Obama Social Security offer at odds with top Dems

  By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER  |  December 19, 2012

  President Barack Obama's offer to slow the growth of Social Security benefits would force fellow Democrats in Congress to abandon promises to shield the massive retirement and disability program from cuts as part of negotiations to avoid the year-end fiscal cliff.

• Small-bore proposals to help avert fiscal cliff

  By Andrew Taylor  |  December 3, 2012

  Small changes - such as federal workers contributing more toward their pensions - could start producing real changes to the potential $500 billion cliff.

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  HSA, FSA bills get their CBO reviews

  By Allison Bell  |  June 6, 2012

  House Republican leaders hope to pry Democratic senators away from the team defending the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) by sending over three personal health account bills that have won the votes of a significant number of Democrats in the House.

• Lawmakers debate pay cutoff for budget gridlock

  By Andrew Taylor  |  March 14, 2012

  It might be dismissed as an election year gimmick by the big shots who run Capitol Hill, but frustration over Congress' failure to pass a budget since 2009 has given surprising momentum to a bill that would cut off lawmakers' pay if they can't — or won't — pass a...

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  House speaker says payroll tax bill won't add jobs

  By Alan Fram  |  February 16, 2012

  A compromise bill extending a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed should be enacted, but it's not going to help the economy very much, House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday.

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  Top bargainers announce payroll tax cut deal

  By Alan Fram  |  February 16, 2012

  Democrats are mostly satisfied with a compromise bill extending payroll tax cuts and benefits for the long-term unemployed through 2012, and it should be pushed through Congress quickly, the party's House leader said Thursday.

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  Commuter benefit could be tied to payroll package

  By Jenny Ivy  |  January 31, 2012

  Pressure is mounting for Congress to reverse cuts to commuter benefits as part of a major tax package this year.

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  How lawmakers can help account-based plans

  By Jody Dietel  |  January 31, 2012

  As the New Year begins, it seems like as good a time as any for me to make a list of what I’d like Congress to do in order to help make account-based plans, such as health flexible spending accounts and transit benefits, more accessible and user friendly.

• Congress revisiting bruising payroll tax cut fight

  By Alan Fram  |  January 18, 2012

  With television lights glaring, 20 lawmakers will gather next week to revisit the fight that consumed Congress before Christmas over renewing a Social Security payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits.

• Senate bill supports 'S ESOP' structure

  By Jenny Ivy  |  September 7, 2011

  A measure to spur employee-ownership of private companies is getting bipartisan support in the Senate.