Senate Republicans are scrambling to craft their version of President Trump's massive budget reconciliation package before a self-imposed July 4th deadline – and they're making the House's already bloated bill even worse. The Senate Armed Services Committee wants to throw an additional $6 billion at Pentagon spending, bringing the total national security increase to $156 billion, including more money for the over-budget Sentinel ICBM program and the unfeasible "Golden Dome" missile defense system.

Meanwhile, other provisions would roll back hard-won oil and gas reforms, slashing royalty rates from 16.67% back to 12.5% and reinstating a non-competitive leasing loophole that lets companies grab federal land for just $75. With most Senate committees skipping markup hearings to meet the artificial deadline, this reconciliation package is shaping up to be one of the most expensive and least transparent in recent memory.

TCS Vice President Autumn Hanna, Policy Analyst Gabe Murphy, and Director of Research Josh Sewell break down the wasteful spending, parliamentary hurdles, and political realities facing this "one big beautiful bill.

The Congressional Budget Office just dropped a bombshell: Trump's tariff policies could reduce deficits by $2.8 trillion over 10 years. Sounds great for fiscal hawks, right? Wrong. Steve Ellis and Josh Sewell break down why this "deficit reduction" is actually a massive tax increase on American families disguised as trade policy. From 25% tariffs on cars to inflation hitting working families hardest, discover why the CBO's projections are both critically important and complete fiction. Plus: Why a $9.4 billion rescission package feels like arguing over the bar tab while your house is on fire.

In this episode of Budget Watchdog All Federal, host Steve Ellis sits down with TCS Policy Analyst Gabe Murphy to discuss their comprehensive new report, "Base Instincts: A Case for Base Realignment and Closures at Home and Abroad."

Nearly 20 years have passed since the last Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round in 2005, yet the Pentagon continues to operate with significant excess infrastructure capacity. Murphy reveals striking findings from recent Pentagon reports showing 19-22% excess capacity across military installations, while also uncovering troubling inconsistencies in how this excess is being reported and measured.

The conversation explores why BRAC - a unique congressional process that packages base closure recommendations into an up-or-down vote - has been such an effective tool for eliminating wasteful spending, saving taxpayers an estimated $13.8 billion annually from previous rounds. Murphy breaks down what went wrong with the costly 2005 round, including problematic "joint basing" initiatives and contractor-driven cost overruns that have made lawmakers hesitant to authorize new closures.

Challenging common assumptions about the economic impact of base closures, the hosts examine data showing that affected communities often see unemployment drop and income rise in the decade following closures, when proper redevelopment planning occurs. The episode also addresses the Pentagon's overseas footprint of 750 bases in 80 countries, costing $55 billion annually.

With deferred maintenance backlogs reaching $137 billion and ongoing fiscal pressures, Ellis and Murphy make the case that a new BRAC round could save an additional $2.7 billion per year while enhancing both fiscal responsibility and national security.