The hottest Government funding Substack posts right now

The author had a conversation with Michael Shellenberger about social media content moderation.
Shellenberger made false claims and misrepresentations about the author and their work.
The author published their full WhatsApp chat and interview to show their actual opinions about moderation and free expression.

MAGA Republicans are struggling in negotiations to fund the government and pass the national security supplemental bill, with Biden trying to weaken them by highlighting their role in preventing new border security legislation.
House Republicans backed off expecting a shutdown and instead passed a short-term continuing resolution to extend funding deadlines, showing divisions within the party.
The struggle for control between Biden and Trump was evident in their contrasting views on immigration in Texas, with Trump blaming Biden for migrant-related issues while Biden emphasized the need for government action to address the situation.

Waiving vaccine patent rights is more symbolic than impactful in incentivizing R&D versus broader vaccine distribution.
Patents were not a significant factor in speeding up vaccine development during the pandemic.
The main focus should be on investing in manufacturing facilities and supply chain to produce and distribute vaccines efficiently.

Experimentation and evaluation are crucial in discovering effective social solutions; funding should consider reinvestment in programs with null results for improvements.
Interpreting null findings from programs is important; reasons for ineffectiveness could range from program inefficacy to delivery issues or changing environments.
Being cautious in prioritizing 'evidence-based' programs is necessary; it may hinder innovation and obstruct the quest for better solutions.

Congress members have a budget called the Member's Representational Allowance (MRA) to pay for staff, travel, and office expenses. This budget is determined by distance from Washington, cost of living, and the number of voters in their district.
Currently, each member has about $1.4 million to $1.5 million for these expenses, which is significantly less than the $20 million suggested for better staffing. Many representatives are hesitant to increase their budgets due to political pressures from voters.
Increasing staff budgets could help Congress function better, but it's hard to achieve because voters generally don't support higher spending for their representatives or their staff. Any change would likely need to be subtle and carefully managed.

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A small group of environmental nonprofits filed a large share of climate-related lawsuits against federal agencies, often using statutes like the ESA and NEPA and causing multi-year delays for projects.
Many of those nonprofits also receive millions in federal and state funds — including COVID relief, grants, and contracts — so taxpayer money can indirectly support litigation against the government.
NEPA reviews are lengthy and a major focus of reform: one administration expanded CEQ and sped up reviews while another loosened CEQ rules to accelerate projects, yet litigation still frequently delays work even though agencies win most challenges.