Month: May 2020

— HOUSE TO VOTE ON PPP REFORM BILLS. The lower chamber will consider bills seeking to promote flexibility for PPP loan recipients, as well as more transparency for those who have received the funds.

— SENATE NOT LIKELY TO TAKE UP PPP LEGISLATION THIS WEEK. While Congressional leadership has expressed optimism about reaching a deal that would provide PPP recipients with additional time and flexibility, next steps in the Senate are unclear.

— SENIOR HOUSE LAWMAKERS PUSH TO SPEED UP BROADBAND FUNDING. Two House lawmakers are pushing the Federal Communications Commission to speed up broadband infrastructure funding to rural parts of the U.S.

— HOUSE CANCELS VOTE ON FISA REAUTHORIZATION. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is cancelling a vote on a bill to reauthorize three intelligence programs, marking the second day in a row that the legislation has been punted. 

— WHITE HOUSE TO PUSH FOR SURPRISE BILLING ACTION IN ‘CARES 2.0’ TALKS. Reports out of the Trump administration suggest that the White House will push for action on surprise medical bills ahead of the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation.

— HHS UPDATES PROVIDER RELIEF FUNDING WEBSITE. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has updated its webpage outlining details on provider relief and related health funding. 

Continue reading “TRP Tip Sheet: House to Vote on PPP Reform Bills”

— HOUSE GOP MOUNTS LEGAL CHALLENGE TO NEW REMOTE VOTING RULES. House Republicans are expected to file a lawsuit aimed at blocking implementation of the lower chamber’s new remote voting resolution.

— CONGRESS CLOSING IN ON DEAL FOR PPP FLEXIBILITY. Congressional leadership is expressing optimism about reaching a deal that would provide PPP loan recipients with more time and flexibility in using these funds.

— DOW CONTINUES RALLY. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed just shy of 25,000 for the first time since March 10.

 — DOJ DROPS SENATE TRADING INVESTIGATIONS. The Justice Department has dropped investigations into stock trades made by three Senators early in the COID-19 pandemic.

— MCCONNELL: ANOTHER ROUND OF COVID-19 LEGISLATION ‘PROBABLY’ NEEDED. In a pivot from his most recent stance, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stated yesterday that Congress will “probably” need to pass another round of COVID-19 relief legislation in the coming weeks.

Continue reading “TRP Tip Sheet: House Mounts Legal Challenge to New Remote Voting Rules”

— HOUSE SET TO LEVERAGE NEW REMOTE VOTING FLEXIBILITIES. House lawmakers are set to utilize their new remote voting resolution to convene virtual hearings, markups, and vote by proxy.

— CONGRESS MULLS OPTIONS FOR PPP FLEXIBILITY. House and Senate lawmakers have introduced dueling proposals that seek to ease restrictions and promote flexibility on PPP funding.

— SENATE EYES NDAA, PUBLIC LANDS PACKAGE IN JUNE SESSION. Leader McConnell outlined the upper chamber’s work schedule for next month prior to adjourning for the Memorial Day district work period.

— TAX CREDIT FOR KEEPING WORKERS ON PAYROLL DRAWS BIPARTISAN INTEREST. Lawmakers are looking to expand an existing wage subsidy to keep workers on payrolls and help businesses stay afloat.

— SBA ISSUES NEW RULES ON PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS. The SBA and Treasury Department published two new rules pertaining to loan forgiveness for the PPP (see here and here).

Continue reading “The TRP Tipsheet: May 26, 2020”

Capitol Hill Update

Congress is gaining traction on a deal that would provide businesses who received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding with more time and flexibility on spending these loans. Prior to adjourning yesterday, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced a bill that would double the loan forgiveness period to 16 weeks, allow businesses to use the loan funds for investments to reopen safely, and extend the program through December. Meanwhile, The House plans to vote on a similar bill from Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Chip Roy (R-TX) next week that would: (1) provide flexibilities on how small businesses use PPP loan funding; (2) give businesses 24 weeks to spend the funds instead of eight; and (3) eliminate a non-statutory requirement preventing non-payroll costs from accounting for more than 25 percent of loan forgiveness. If the two chambers are able to strike an agreement next week, it’s possible that the bill could land on President Donald Trump’s desk for signature prior to the end of the month.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Special COVID-19 Edition (5/22)”

Capitol Hill Update

Senators will close out their legislative work week today and depart for their Memorial Day district work period. When the upper chamber returns, it’s likely to focus on clearing pending presidential nominations as House Democrats and Senate Republicans remain far apart on the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation. While Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has emphasized the need for more time to analyze implementation of the CARES Act, some GOP Senators — including Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Susan Collins (R-ME), Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) — have begun to express a sense of urgency on addressing various COVID-19 related issues. Despite this intraparty pressure, it remains to be seen whether Leader McConnell will begin to mobilize on the next round of relief efforts when the Senate returns in June.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Special COVID-19 Edition (5/21)”

Capitol Hill Update

House lawmakers are poised to take up a measure that would reform the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) when they return to Washington next week. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) plans to call up a bipartisan bill from Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Chip Roy (R-TX) that would: (1) provide flexibilities on how small businesses use PPP loan funding; (2) give businesses 24 weeks to spend the funds instead of eight; and (3) eliminate a non-statutory requirement preventing non-payroll costs from accounting for more than 25 percent of loan forgiveness. Despite widespread support for additional PPP flexibility from stakeholders and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, it remains to be seen whether the Senate takes up this measure should it clear the House next week.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Special COVID-19 Edition (5/20)”

Capitol Hill Update

Senators will resume legislative business today to continue consideration of pending presidential nominations. With House Democrats and Senate Republicans still far apart on the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation, Senate leadership does not currently have plans to take up legislation pertaining to the outbreak. For today, the Senate will hold a final confirmation vote on Scott Rash’s nomination to be a District Judge for the District of Arizona, as well as James Trainor’s nomination to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission. 

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Special COVID-19 Edition (5/19)”

Capitol Hill Update

House lawmakers have left Washington following passage of the HEROES Act and a resolution to facilitate temporary remote voting and virtual hearings. The rule change will allow Members to submit votes for up to ten absent lawmakers by proxy and permit committees to convene hearings, markups, and depositions through a chief administrative officer-approved software platform. These changes will only last 45 days before needing renewal and will not extend beyond the 116th Congress. In the coming days and weeks ahead, House leadership expects to utilize these remote work flexibilities to convene virtual hearings, markups, and consideration of key 2020 legislative priorities including fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and reauthorization of expiring Surface Transportation and Water Resources Development programs.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Special COVID-19 Edition (5/18)”