What Sets a Top Federal Lobbying Firm Apart?

Looking Ahead  The White House is expected to release its budget today.  According to reports, the President’s 2016 budget proposal will have $74 billion, or about 7%  more, above the levels permitted by sequestration.  The SEC is one of the agencies prioritized under the budget, with the Obama Administration asking Congress to fund the SEC […]

Last Thursday, the Senate voted 62-36 to build the Keystone XL pipeline, delivering Republicans the first legislative victory of their new majority. Nine Democrats joined with Republicans in voting to approve the $8 billion project, five votes short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a promised veto from President Obama. The […]

Last week President Obama delivered his State of the Union.  Depending on your political leanings it was either (a) the populist mantra you’ve been waiting for, or (b) the populist mantra you’ve been expecting.  While it was noted that the President chose not to acknowledge the new Republican majorities, he did indicate that one take […]

Last week, attention in Washington centered on President Obama’s State of the Union address. The President made economic growth a central theme of his remarks to Congress, highlighting proposals to make community colleges tuition-free, increase the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave. The President also proposed new tax breaks aimed at working families, which […]

The House adjourned last Wednesday for the annual Republican retreat. Before departing, lawmakers passed legislation to nullify President Obama’s recent immigration order, tying the contentious issue to a bill (H.R. 240) funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The vote was 235-191 for the appropriations bill after the House easily approved amendments to unravel the President’s […]

It seems clear that we are now clearly in the world of “Veto Politics” and despite Republican majorities in both Houses of Congress, the Democratic minority has real power to negotiate with Republicans if both sides want to get anything done.   With the respective flanks of both sides appearing willing to sacrifice the perfect for […]

Republicans took charge of both the House and Senate last week for the first time in eight years. Last November’s sweeping victories powered the GOP to full control, as the 114th Congress convened on Tuesday. Vice President Biden gaveled in a new Senate, with 54 Republicans to 44 Democrats, two independents and a new majority […]

Speaker John Boehner won reelection despite the defection of 25 conservative Republicans.  While initial attention focused on the Speaker’s retaliation and the removal of certain members from the Rules Committee, if he were to channel his true Frank Underwood, then he would have rescinded the waiver that allowed Rep. Garrett to keep his chairmanship of […]

Congress returned from one of its longest end of the year recess’ in recent memory – all of two and half weeks – to begin the 114th Congress yesterday.  This will also be the first time in eight years that Republicans had majorities in both chambers, and so much attention has been focused on the […]

This post, penned by Thorn Run's Billy Wynne, originally appeared on the Health Affairs Blog.   In a recent Health Affairs Blog post, I explored the types of changes that might be made to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) if and when Congress decides to revisit the law in a bipartisan manner. While that day is likely […]

The 114th Congress convenes tomorrow and GOP leaders are preparing their to-do list for 2015, when they will control both the House and Senate. Republicans will hold 247 of the 435 House seats, the biggest GOP bloc in 84 years. In the Senate, the party will have 54 of the chamber’s 100 seats. The new […]

Last Tuesday, the Senate adjourned for the year, approving an omnibus spending bill, dozens of judges, many executive branch nominees and a tax ‘extenders’ bill during the post-election lame duck session. Senators left town, however, without approving terrorism risk insurance legislation (S.2244), electing to put off a vote until 2015. The Senate also voted 76-16 […]