This week, the Senate moves on to debate a combined Transportation-HUD and Military Construction-VA spending bill that will include debate over provisions for battling the Zika virus, while the House plans for extensive floor debate on the fiscal 2017 edition of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Continue reading “This Week on the Hill: Transportation-MilCon Approps, Zika, NDAA”
The Week in Review
Both chambers returned from a brief recess and enjoyed a productive week, as the Senate worked through an impasse over Iran to advance the Energy-Water Development appropriations bill, while the House put together its legislative package designed to combat opioid abuse.
Prior to the one-week recess earlier this month, the Energy-Water Development spending measure (H.R. 2028) appeared to be in danger of falling victim to partisan conflict over a proposed amendment submitted by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) that would bar the U.S. from completing a deal to purchase heavy water – a key component of certain nuclear reactors – from Iran. Democrats fiercely opposed the measure, and the amendment fell short of the 60 vote threshold it needed to be included in the bill on a 57-42 vote. The amendment’s failure allowed for senators to quickly approve the underlying bill 90-8 and send the first appropriations bill of the year to conference with the House.
Looking Ahead
Near Term
Both chambers return from their brief recesses this week, with the Senate set to continue its work on the Energy-Water Development spending measure, and the House aiming to tackle a legislative package aimed at combating the emerging opioid-addiction epidemic.
Continue reading “This Week on the Hill: House Tackles Opioids as Senate Continues Approps Work”
The Week in Review
With Congress out, last week was a hugely significant period in the race for the White House as Donald Trump’s resounding win in Indiana’s primary election on Tuesday forced his two remaining competitors for the Republican presidential nomination to suspend their campaigns. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ohio Governor John Kasich both officially dropped their bids for the presidency, making Trump the presumptive Republican nominee for this November’s general election. However, even though the celebrity-turned-politician has effectively sealed the nomination, he has yet to consolidate support within his own party. Last week, former presidents George H.W. Bush and his son George W. Bush, 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, and current Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) all disavowed Trump to a varying degree, but it remains to be seen how much that will affect the candidate looking forward to July’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
This morning Roll Call featured an article on the implications of the election and lame duck session for government affairs, featuring insight from Thorn Run's Chris Lamond and Andy Rosenberg. Lamond highlighted a top concern for industry should real estate mogul Donald Trump win the presidency: free trade. "Trade seems to be one of Trump's top issues and could be something he leads with should he become elected," said Lamond. "We're trying to think through how that might impact agreements that our clients care about." Meanwhile, Andy Rosenberg noted the possibility of regulation, even as Congress experiences an extended recess this summer. "There's a real push to get guidance and rules out while they can," said Rosenberg. "Then there's a push on our part to anticipate those and to support or thrwart those efforts."
Continue reading “TRP’s Lamond and Rosenberg Outline the Year Ahead for Roll Call”
In this morning's edition of Politico "Morning Money," Thorn Run's Jason Rosenstock provided an in-depth analysis of the effect Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regulations intended for small-dollar lenders could have on the emerging financial technology, or FinTech, sector. As Rosenstock explains, given increasing attention from Congress and a pending request-for-information from the Department of the Treasury, "the industry is right to think dramatic changes are on the horizon."
Continue reading “Rosenstock Analyzes ‘FinTech’ Regulation for Politico’s Morning Money”
The Week in Review
Ahead of their brief recess this week, last week lawmakers in the Senate tried to complete the first appropriations measure of the year, while the House considered a set of financial services bills and a resolution disapproving of a recently finalized Department of Labor (DOL) rule.
