Thorn Run Partners, one of the top lobbying firms in Washington D.C., is seeking a Legislative Assistant with an interest in federal politics and financial services policy to aid our executive-level advocacy team on a variety of writing, research, and administrative projects. The Legislative Assistant will spearhead a variety of legislative and regulatory projects, such as drafting a widely distributed weekly financial services report, facilitating advocacy campaigns, summarizing congressional hearings, analyzing federal regulations, tracking financial services policy issues, and more. A strong pedigree in writing or legislative analysis is imperative.
Continue reading “TRP is Hiring: Financial Services Legislative Assistant”Author: Thornrun
TRP Tip Sheet: Senate to Take Up House-Passed PPP Bill
— MCCONNELL: SENATE TO TAKE UP HOUSE-PASSED PPP BILL. The upper chamber will “soon” take up a House-passed measure that seeks to reform the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
— HOUSE LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR BUDGET REFORMS IN ‘CARES 2.0.’ A bipartisan group of Members are calling for provisions that address the federal debt and trust funds for Medicare and Social Security to be included in the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation.
— STATES LOSE SOME CLEAN WATER ACT AUTHORITY UNDER NEW EPA RULE. States have less say in issuing Clean Water Act permits under an EPA rule finalized Monday as the Trump administration and conservative lawmakers seek to speed energy projects.
— LAWMAKERS BEGIN BIPARTISAN PUSH TO CUT OFF POLICE ACCESS TO MILITARY-STYLE GEAR. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have begun a new push to shut down a Pentagon program that transfers military weaponry to local law enforcement departments.
— OCC LETTER TO MAYORS: EXTENDED SHUTDOWNS WILL HURT LENDERS. OCC Acting Comptroller Brian Brooks penned a letter to the U.S. Conference of Mayors yesterday saying that extended COVID-19 shutdowns could hurt banks’ ability to lend.
— CMS ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE FOR STATES ON COVID-19. The guidance to states covers COVID-19 survey activities, CARES Act funding, enhanced enforcement for infection control deficiencies, and quality improvement activities in nursing homes.
Continue reading “TRP Tip Sheet: Senate to Take Up House-Passed PPP Bill”COVID-19 and the Threat to Clinical Trials
TRP partners Beau Schuyler and Andrew Rosenberg have identified a little-discussed downstream consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic – the impact on clinical trials and the potential for disruption or cancellation of important drug discovery programs absent federal action.
Continue reading “COVID-19 and the Threat to Clinical Trials”
TRP Health Policy Report (6/1)
Capitol Hill Update
Senators will return from their Memorial Day district work period this week to a jam-packed agenda for the month of June. In addition to a consideration of presidential nominations, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stated that the upper chamber will work on the fiscal year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), as a well as a bill that would permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund while also addressing billions of dollars in national park backlogs. The Senate is also likely to take up Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) reform legislation at some point in the near future, but whether it takes action on additional COVID-19 relief this month remains to be seen.
Continue reading “TRP Health Policy Report (6/1)”TRP Tip Sheet: Senate Returns to Busy Agenda
— SENATE RETURNS TO BUSY JUNE AGENDA. Senators will return from their Memorial Day district work period this afternoon to a jam-packed agenda for the month of June.
— HOUSE RELEASES UPDATED LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR. Democratic leadership has issued an updated legislative calendar for the balance of the 116th Congress.
— CONGRESS LOOKS TO CLINCH PPP REFORM. Following House passage of a bill that seeks to provide recipients of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) with more time and flexibility in using these loans, the Senate is pushing to follow suit this week.
— EPA TO CHANGE SOME CLEAN WATER ACT RULES. The Environmental Protection Agency is setting new rules aimed at speeding up Clean Water Act permit approvals.
— EXPANDING TAX CREDIT FOR BUSINESSES RETAINING WORKERS GAINS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are expressing interest in expanding a tax credit designed to help keep workers connected to their jobs.
— TREASURY PUBLISHES UPDATED FAQS ON CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND. The Treasury Department updated its list of frequently asked questions that provide examples of eligible and ineligible expenditures of the state, local, and tribal Coronavirus Relief Fund.
Continue reading “TRP Tip Sheet: Senate Returns to Busy Agenda”TRP Tip Sheet: House to Vote on PPP Reform Bills
— 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”Health Policy Report (5/26)
Capitol Hill Update
Following the long Memorial Day Weekend, the House will return to Washington tomorrow as leadership looks to utilize the lower chamber’s new remote work flexibilities to return to some resemblance of regular order. 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 “Health Policy Report (5/26)”TRP Tip Sheet: House Mounts Legal Challenge to New Remote Voting Rules
— 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”The TRP Tipsheet: May 26, 2020
— 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”Today on the Hill: Special COVID-19 Edition (5/22)
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)”