Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Taxpayer's Tab -- the weekly newsletter for up-to-the-minute research from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation's BillTally Project.

Since 1991, NTUF has computed the legislative spending agendas of Members of Congress by analyzing the costs -- and savings -- of the bills that they sponsor and cosponsor. Our goal is to provide you with objective information about what Congress wants to do with your tax dollars in an open and transparent manner.

Each week, NTUF will bring you updates on the week's most and least expensive bills, the ones with the most cosponsors ("the most friended"), and a few bills we've termed Wildcards -- bills that we think you might find interesting.

For more information on the National Taxpayers Union Foundation or the BillTally Project, check out our website and methodology.

Most Expensive Bill of the Week

The bill: H.R. 5476/S. 3079, Building Star Energy Efficiency Act

The cost: $3 billion in new spending over 2 years

The bill establishes the Building Star Program, which would issue rebates for qualified energy services in existing commercial buildings and multifamily residential buildings. H.R. 5476 would help oversee and facilitate the retrofitting of buildings ranging from factories to apartment high-rises for better environmental efficiency. The bill includes a mix of loans and tax incentives through both state and federally based programs.

Some groups such as the Air Conditioning Contractors of America cite a wage provision as a "non-starter" because it expands the commercial and environmental legislation known as Davis-Bacon into labor practices. Other groups, such as the National Electrical Contractors Association, support H.R. 5476 claiming that it would create 187,000 jobs and save $3.3 billion annually in energy bills. NECA says the recession is having a detrimental effect on their industry with 1.7 million electricians out of work.

Least Expensive Bill of the Week

The bill: H.R. 4960, To eliminate sweetheart deals under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care (PPAC) Act

Savings: Saves $2.9 billion over the next 2 fiscal years

When the PPAC Act was enacted in March of this year, certain provisions were included which directed taxpayer dollars to several state-specific projects and situations. The $2.9 billion in savings would come from repealing seven different parts of the PPAC, including the building of a hospital in Connecticut, providing Hawaii, Louisiana, and Tennessee with Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funds, and increased Medicare reimbursements to Frontier States.

Congressman Vern Buchanan (FL-13), who sponsored the legislation, says the "bill will not affect the content of the overall health care bill" but will eliminate "taxpayer boondoggles" made in the deal-making process.

Similar legislation was attached as amendments to the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (H.R. 4872) by Senators Charles Grassley (IA) and John McCain (AZ), though the provisions were ultimately not included in the final bill.

Most Friended

The bill: H.R. 5462/S. 4379, Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act

Number of cosponsors: 33 Congressmen and 7 Senators

Promoting increased awareness in the health care community and at-risk populations about pregnancy and breastfeeding services, H.R. 5462 would authorize $35 million over the next five years for a nationwide media campaign and research grants that would examine the factors that may influence the risk of birth defects, premature births, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

House cosponsors include a broad range of Representatives from both parties and different geographical areas.