Month: October 2017

The Week in Review

House lawmakers approved their version of a budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 71) for the 2018 fiscal year, taking the first legislative step towards creating a comprehensive tax reform package through the budget reconciliation process. The next step will be for the Senate to do the same, which should happen in short order since the Senate Budget Committee approved their budget resolution (text) in a markup last week. Assuming the full Senate approves the resolution — which only requires a simple majority — the two chambers will then reconcile their respective versions in conference. In order for Republicans to meet their ambitious goal of getting tax reform legislation to the president’s desk before the end of the year, GOP lawmakers are hoping the conferencing and re-approval process will be done at a breakneck pace.

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The Week in Review

While the Graham-Cassidy ‘repeal and replace’ bill was once expected to headline the week on Capitol Hill, the bill’s swift demise ultimately set the stage for other legislative business —  as well as the resignation of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price. The embattled cabinet official had already lost favor with President Donald Trump over his failed leadership on health care reform, and ultimately succumb to a wave of criticism over his decision to travel via expensive private flights. Meanwhile, Republicans' latest failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) all but ensures that congressional Republicans — who for seven years have vowed to repeal Obamacare — will fail to make good on their promise to voters during President Donald Trump's first year in office.

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