David Sherfinski
Articles by David Sherfinski
House passes temporary funding bill to avert shutdown
President Trump and Republican leaders in Congress tamped down a conservative rebellion and pushed a stopgap spending bill through the House on Thursday evening, setting up a shutdown showdown in the Senate just hours before the Friday deadline. Published January 18, 2018
House votes to start debate on short-term spending bill
The House on Thursday voted to officially start debate on a temporary spending bill that would avert a partial government shutdown, though significant hurdles to final passage remained at both ends of the Capitol. Published January 18, 2018
Republicans aim to avert rebellion, shutdown
Republicans were trying to tamp down a conservative rebellion Wednesday and keep a stopgap spending bill on track ahead of a major vote Thursday, hoping to prove their party could govern and in the process trap Democrats in a shutdown showdown. Published January 17, 2018
Paul Ryan: ‘Wrong’ to block military funding over unrelated issues
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Wednesday it would be "wrong" to hold up a short-term spending deal over "unrelated issues," as congressional leaders face the prospect of a partial government shutdown without action by the end of the week. Published January 17, 2018
Graham-Durbin DACA deal hits GOP roadblock in Congress
Congressional leaders have ruled out allowing a vote on the bipartisan Gang of Six immigration deal, backing President Trump but leaving Congress with no clear pathway to a deal on illegal immigrant Dreamers and putting the government closer to a partial shutdown. Published January 16, 2018
Peter Szijjarto, top Hungarian official, ties tax cuts to increased marriage, fertility rates
Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Tuesday said that in addition to associated economic benefits from his own country's recent tax reforms, Hungary's marriage and fertility rates have also increased since the initial changes were approved. Published January 16, 2018
Tax law early blue-state boom
Some of the biggest critics of President Trump's tax cut package are turning out to be among its biggest beneficiaries, at least in the short term, as blue state taxpayers raced to make preemptive payments to beat the 2018 tax season. Published January 15, 2018
Democrats, Republicans closer to spending cap deal
Republicans and Democrats are supposedly close to a deal that would lift universally derided spending caps, but the negotiations have been hamstrung by the fact that the two sides can't even agree on what constitutes "parity" between defense and non-defense funding. Published January 14, 2018
Treasury issues new tax-withholding guide for cuts
The Treasury Department on Thursday released new guidelines on how much money companies should withhold from paychecks, saying the vast majority of workers will see more money rolling in as early as next month. Published January 11, 2018
Walmart raises minimum hourly wage to $11, offers bonuses and new benefits in wake of tax law
Walmart on Thursday announced that it will increase the starting wage rate for hourly employees to $11 and provide additional benefits to other workers in the wake of the $1.5 trillion tax-cut package Congress passed last month. Published January 11, 2018
Democrats look for tax loopholes, gimmicks to cut federal burden
Democrats in high-tax blue states are already plotting ways to avoid the new tax law, hoping to seize on gimmicks that will allow their residents to cut their federal tax burden without costing the states themselves any money. Published January 10, 2018
Tax law implementation to cost IRS nearly $500 million: Report
The IRS is going to need some $500 million over the next two years to implement the recently passed $1.5 trillion tax-cut bill, according to an agency report released Wednesday. Published January 10, 2018
U.S. Chamber pledges to be active in 2018 primary contests
Looking to avoid a repeat of the Alabama Senate race, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday it will get involved in Republican primaries, using its considerable influence and war chest to try to stop the surge of right-wing, anti-Washington candidates. Published January 10, 2018
Tom Donohue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO: Tax bill will usher in ‘new era of growth’
Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, on Wednesday said the GOP's recently passed $1.5 trillion tax-cut plan is poised to usher in a "new era of growth" for the U.S. economy, which he said is already feeling the effects. Published January 10, 2018
Top Democrats accuse Trump of politicizing tax cuts
Top congressional Democrats on Monday accused the Trump administration of politicizing the new tax cuts, saying they fear the IRS will skew the tax tables so Americans see more cash in their wallets this year — only to face a bigger bill when they file their returns next year. Published January 8, 2018
Gun purchase background checks drop in 2017
Background checks for gun purchases fell last year after a record-breaking 2016, in what analysts are calling the official end of the Obama-era gun boom. Published January 7, 2018
Congressional Leadership Fund prepares to battle Democrats in midterm election
House Republicans' main super political action committee said Thursday it's expanding its efforts to include several districts that the GOP easily carried in 2016, signaling the party is increasingly concerned about the prospect of an anti-Trump wave gathering for November's midterm election. Published January 4, 2018
Gregg Harper, House Administration Committee chairman, to retire
Rep. Gregg Harper, chairman of the House Administration Committee, on Thursday announced he will not seek re-election to his Mississippi congressional seat, joining a handful of other GOP chairmen who will not be back in Congress next year. Published January 4, 2018
Most illegal attempts to buy guns online fail
Most attempts to illegally buy guns online fail, according to a study by federal investigators who found the internet serves as a small loophole for firearms purchases. Published January 3, 2018
GOP still has work to do on tax reform bill
Republicans' work on taxes isn't done yet, with lawmakers saying last month's once-in-a-generation tax overhaul still needs more tweaks -- and left open the door for another round of tax cuts. Published January 2, 2018
