The Latest on the Government Shutdown

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Last week, in a lengthy post on LinkedIn, investor Ray Dalio put forth his ideas on “Why and How Capitalism needs to be reformed.”  Refraining from questioning how certain Republican Congressmen would quantify Mr. Dalio’s position, his essay raises significant questions about whether or current structure of government is able to take on the very serious […]

Both chambers of Congress have wrapped up their legislative work for this week and will reconvene next Monday. 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 […]

Yesterday evening, Senators failed to advance (51-48) a change to the Senate rules that would speed up the presidential nominee confirmation process due to opposition from Senate Democrats. The resolution (S.Res. 50) — approved by the Senate Rules Committee in February — would limit the post-cloture debate time from 30 hours to two for executive […]

Both chambers of Congress are set to begin another legislative work week this afternoon. In the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has queued up a change to the Senate rules that would speed up the presidential nominee confirmation process. The resolution — approved by the Senate Rules Committee in February — would limit the post-cloture debate time from 30 hours to two for executive branch […]

The major action this week in the Senate will be the completion of the supplemental disaster aid bill (text; summary) while in the House, House, lawmakers are scheduled to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), as well as vote on another rebuke of the Trump Administration's recent decision to argue against the legality of the […]

The Week in Review Last week, House Democrats failed in their attempt to override President Donald Trump's veto of a measure that would prevent him from circumventing Congressional appropriation authority to allocate funding for border security. Despite the Democratic resolution of disapproval’s passage in both chambers last month, the effort to overturn the President's veto did not earn the required two-thirds majority […]

Senators are set to resume consideration of a supplemental disaster aid bill (text; summary), although its prospects for passage appear to be fading over disagreements on aid to Puerto Rico. Congressional Democrats are strongly pushing for additional assistance to the island — with numerous Senate Democrats stating that they will vote no if additional aid is […]

Senators have officially begun consideration of a sweeping supplemental disaster aid bill (text; summary) that would provide emergency funding to states and territories that have been impacted by various natural disasters in recent months. The $13.5 billion measure includes funding for Army Corps of Engineers projects aimed at improving flood and storm damage mitigation, as well […]