TRP Clean Energy Report

Last week, President Obama sent his fiscal 2016 budget request to Congress, and Cabinet officials spent the week explaining the details to relevant House and Senate committees. The Administration’s nearly $4 trillion budget called for a spending increase for both domestic programs and the military, including $74 billion in additional discretionary spending – about 7 […]

After nearly two months on the campaign trail, Congress returned last week for new member orientation, leadership elections and a smattering of legislative business. The leadership elections offered few surprises, as Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Harry Reid (D-NV), and Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) all received their caucus’s endorsement to lead their party in the 114th Congress. McConnell […]

The House and Senate are adjourned until after the November 4 elections. Following the midterms, lawmakers are expected to return for two weeks before breaking for the Thanksgiving holiday. Congress is likely to also be in session through December, when work will continue on appropriations, expired tax provisions and curbing corporate inversions. Other issues that […]

After just eight days in session following a five-week summer recess, the House and Senate have adjourned until after the midterm elections. Last Thursday, the Senate voted 78-22 to approve a continuing resolution (H.J. Res. 124) that funds the government through December 11, and gives the Obama Administration the authority to equip and train Syrian […]

Members of the House and Senate return to Washington this week following a 5-week recess. Lawmakers will have just a few weeks to handle a series of ‘must-pass’ legislative items before adjourning again until the November elections.  Key issues expected to be considered include a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown, reauthorization […]

The House and Senate have adjourned for a five-week summer recess. Before departing, the House on August 1 approved a border security bill (H.R. 5230) in 223-189 vote. House members also passed a second measure (H.R.5272) by 216-192 that would limit the President’s power to shield undocumented immigrants from deportations. Passage in the House came […]

On July 10, the House voted 253-70 to approve a fiscal 2015 Energy-Water appropriations bill (H.R.4923) after a marathon session that featured debate and votes on a series of amendments. Overall, the $34 billion Energy-Water appropriations bill would give the EPA $7.5 billion for fiscal 2015, 9 percent below current spending levels. It would also […]

On June 24, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) office said that the Senate Appropriations Committee is unlikely to consider a fiscal year 2015 Energy and Water Development bill after an amendment dispute ended a planned markup of the legislation. Further debate on the $34.2 billion draft legislation was cancelled after the White House said […]

Last week, a key Republican on the House Appropriations Committee said GOP lawmakers will seek to block the EPA’s proposed greenhouse-gas rule by denying the funding to implement it. According to Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), chairman of the House’s Energy-Water Appropriations subcommittee, said the funding ban will be included in the fiscal 2015 spending bill […]