Month: April 2019

House and Senate lawmakers will return from their two-week district work period this afternoon to begin four weeks of legislative business. For the month of May, House Democratic leadership plans to queue up votes on key policy priorities pertaining to drug pricing, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), climate change, and equal rights. Lawmakers are also expected to consider a host of financial services-related measures during this month, including: (1) legislation (H.R. 1994) intended to incentivize retirement savings; (2) a bill reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); and (3) a measure (H.R. 1500) that would reverse several actions taken by former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Mick Mulvaney.

Continue reading “This Week on the Hill: Congress Returns for Busy Four-Week Legislative Blitz”

Senators are set to wrap up their legislative work week today and leave town for a two-week district work period. On the floor, the Senate will hold a confirmation vote on Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s nomination to lead the department permanently. Bernhardt’s nomination is expected to pass despite concerns from lawmakers about possible conflicts of interest and the Interior Department’s plans for opening U.S. coasts to oil and gas drilling. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) stated that he plans to call Bernhardt to testify before his committee once confirmed as part of ongoing oversight investigations into policy decisions shepherded by former Secretary Ryan Zinke. 

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Senate to Confirm Bernhardt As Interior Secretary”

House Democrats have pulled their proposal to raise discretionary spending caps from the floor amid disagreements over non-defense spending levels. The legislation would provide for a $17 billion increase above FY 2019 budget caps for defense spending and a $34 billion bump above that level for non-defense. Members from the Congressional Progressive Caucus wouldn't support the underlying bill without an amendment from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) that would have added $33 billion to non-defense spending, while moderates from the Blue Dog Coalition were pushing for a balanced budget amendment. Despite the House’s inaction on the spending caps deal and a budget resolution, the rule setting up debate on the Democrats spending cap proposal will allow appropriators develop fiscal year (FY) 2020 spending bills with an overall limit of $1.3 trillion for defense and non-defense funding.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: House Democrats Cancel Spending Caps Vote Amid Intraparty Clash”

House Democrats are set to follow through key campaign promise to rebuke the Trump administration’s action on Net Neutrality. Lawmakers will begin consideration of a bill (H.R. 1644) that would undo the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) repeal of the 2015 Open Internet Order, as well as 12 amendments to the underlying text. The bill is expected to pass the lower chamber later today but is considered dead on arrival in the GOP-controlled Senate and White House, which issued its official veto threat to the legislation yesterday. 

Continue reading “Today in Congress: House Set to Pass Net Neutrality Bill”

Both chambers will reconvene for legislative business today prior to leaving for a two-week recess. In the House, Democratic leadership has teed up a bill (H.R. 1644) that would undo the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) repeal of the 2015 Open Internet Order. The bill — which cleared the Energy and Commerce Committee on a party-line vote following a contentious markup — is expected to pass the lower chamber but is considered dead on arrival in the GOP-controlled Senate.

Continue reading “This Week on the Hill: Democrats Move to Reignite Net Neutrality Debate”

The Week in Review

Last week, Senators failed to advance a sweeping supplemental disaster aid relief bill for states impacted by recent natural disasters amid a fight between Democrats and President Donald Trump over relief aid for Puerto Rico. Congressional Democrats have argued that the funding included for Puerto Rico's nutritional assistance program is inadequate in the Senate GOP’s measure, while the president has opposed sending any additional aid to the island, claiming, without evidence, that previous federal assistance to the island had been badly mismanaged. Negotiations on the disaster aid package will continue behind the scenes, however, it remains to be seen if lawmakers can reach a compromise.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report”