Tag Archives: Bob Goodlatte

Many Tax Policy Priorities Remain as Retirement and Pension in Focus for Finance; Treasury Full Steam Ahead on Section 385

Legislative Activity Many Tax Policy Priorities Outstanding as Congress Looks to Home Stretch With Congress back in Washington for several weeks of work before adjourning in advance of the November Election, tax-writers have much work in store – though the lack of legislative days, coupled with the complex and divisive nature of some of the … Continue Reading

Senate Takes on Business Tax Reform; Treasury to Have “Intense Comment Period” for Inversion Regulations

Legislative Activity Senate to Consider Business Tax Reform Proposals Following multiple hearings on tax reform thus far this year in the House Ways and Means Committee, this week the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on business tax reform. During the hearing, the difference between Republican and Democrat approaches to taxing corporate income, including … Continue Reading

BEPS and International Tax Reform, Highway Funding in Focus for Tax-Writers

Legislative Activity Congress Concerned with BEPS, International Tax Reform Moves Forward Last week, G-7 leaders (i.e., finance ministers and central bank governors from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) met in Germany to renew their commitment to coming together on a “feasible” proposal to address base erosion and profit … Continue Reading

House Commerce Committee Announces Process For Communications Act Update

Legislative Activity House Commerce Committee Announces Process For Communications Act Update Last Tuesday, December 3, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s top two leaders on communications and technology issues announced the committee will begin a comprehensive process to update the Communications Act of 1934 between 2014 and 2015. Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Subcommittee on … Continue Reading

Rep. Johnson Urges White House To Codify Consumer Privacy Bill Of Rights

Legislative Activity Rep. Goodlatte Introduces Patent Litigation Reform Bill Last Wednesday, October 23, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) introduced the Innovation Act (H.R. 3309), intended to curtail abusive patent litigation while fostering U.S. competitiveness. The bill has received bipartisan support from cosponsors including Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and is scheduled for a hearing … Continue Reading

John Boehner And Nancy Pelosi Name Farm Bill Conferees

LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY Farm Bill Conferees On Saturday, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) named farm bill conferees. The Republicans appointed 17 members, including 12 Agriculture Committee members, two Foreign Affairs Committee members, two Ways and Means Committee members, and one member to represent the Republican leadership. Republican conferees … Continue Reading

House Has Yet To Name Farm Bill Conferees

Legislative Activity Farm Bill As expected, early last week the Senate reappointed its farm bill conferees. The House, however, has yet to name its conferees. In late September, staff had indicated that the House would appoint conferees shortly after October 1. With the government shutdown, the appointment of conferees will likely be postponed until Congress … Continue Reading

Chairman Goodlatte Circulates Second Patent Reform Discussion Draft

Legislative Activity Privacy Working Group Holds Closed Door Meeting The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Privacy Working Group held a closed-door roundtable meeting last Thursday, September 26. The working group is co-chaired by Committee Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), and provides a forum to evaluate privacy policy issues so committee members … Continue Reading

Chairman Goodlatte Releases Remote Sales Tax Statement of Principles

Legislative Activity Senate Commerce Committee Evaluates FCC and FTC Nominees The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a hearing on Wednesday, September 18 to consider the nominations of Michael O’Rielly to serve as a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Terrell McSweeny to serve as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). … Continue Reading

Retransmission Consent and Television Blackouts

Legislative Activity Retransmission Consent and Television Blackouts Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) circulated draft legislation entitled the Video CHOICE (Consumers Have Options in Choosing Entertainment) Act, which intends “to eliminate television blackouts caused by retransmission consent disputes,” among other policy goals. Permanent Extension of Internet Tax Freedom Act Introduced House Judiciary Committee Chairman Goodlatte (R-VA) introduced … Continue Reading

FCC Process Reform Legislation; Incentive Auction Hearing

Legislative and Regulatory Activity FCC Process Reform Legislation In less than 10 minutes, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology favorably reported the committee prints for the “FCC Process Reform Act of 2013” and “FCC Consolidated Reporting Act of 2013,” each by voice vote. Perhaps more noteworthy, however, Chairman Greg Walden … Continue Reading

House Approves Homeland Security Appropriations; Senate Debating Various Immigration and Border Security Bills; Power Grid Protection Gets Backers

Legislative Activity Budget and Appropriations The House approved its version of FY 2014 Homeland Security appropriations on June 6, but the Senate is just beginning the appropriations process. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) has announced that the Homeland Security Subcommittee 302(b) allocation for FY 2014 will be $39.1 billion (plus $227 billion for … Continue Reading

Senate Initiates Debate on Immigration Reform Act; House Gang of Seven Continues to Draft Bipartisan Immigration Reform Bill

Legislative Activity Senate The Senate initiated its debate on S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act last week. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) invoked cloture on a motion to proceed and began accepting amendments to the bill on Tuesday, June 11. Last Wednesday, June 12 the process got bogged down with … Continue Reading

Senator Reid Filed Cloture on Immigration Reform Bill; House Bipartisan Gang of Eight is Now Gang of Seven – Final Drafting of Bill Underway

Legislative Activity Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) filed cloture on the motion to proceed to debate on the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) last Thursday, and the Senate will vote on the motion on Tuesday, June 11.  Majority Leader Reid plans to allow an open amendment process and up … Continue Reading

House Approves FY 2014 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill; Immigration Reform Approved in Committee; Disaster Relief Fund Could End Year with Surplus

Legislative Activity Budget and Appropriations Last Thursday, June 6 the House approved the FY 2014 Homeland Security appropriations bill by a vote of 245-182, which provides $38.9 billion in discretionary funding to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  Both Republican and Democrat amendments successfully transferred funds from the Office of the Undersecretary for Management … Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Votes Immigration Reform Bill Out of Committee; House Gang of Eight Agrees in Principle to Bipartisan Bill but no Bill is Introduced

Legislative Activity Senate The Senate Judiciary Committee voted the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) out of committee on May 22 by a vote of 13-5. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) expects to open Senate floor debate the week of Monday, June 10, and plans to hold a vote three … Continue Reading

House Appropriations Committee Approved Homeland Security Appropriations Bill; Senate Judiciary Committee Approved Immigration Reform Bill

Legislative Activity Budget and Appropriations On May 22, the House Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2014 Homeland Security appropriations bill, which provides $38.9 billion in discretionary funding to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) overall: $35 million below the president’s request, $618 million below the fiscal 2013 enacted amount and $981 million above the … Continue Reading
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