This report provides a snapshot of the U.S. Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* 9:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing 10:20 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews… Continue Reading
The United States has experienced a sharp increase in the number of new reported cases of coronavirus over the past week, but Beltway media coverage and the policy debate in Washington this week are largely centered on the potential for action in both chambers of the US Congress on police reform legislation. Republicans, emboldened by … Continue Reading
The US Congress is moving urgently to formulate new legislation that goes to the heart of the current policy debate in America, and it has nothing to do with coronavirus. Instead, the focus of Congress’ current short-term agenda is police reform, calls for which have surged across the nation in the wake of the universally … Continue Reading
For the first time since early 2020, the dominant topic in the American policy debate is not the COVID-19 pandemic. With national attention consumed by protests, riots and the state of race relations in the United States, efforts continue in Washington to stabilize and stimulate an American economy that was brought to a screeching halt … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity The AHCA: On to Rules Committee and House Floor The American Health Care Act (AHCA) continues to make its way through the legislative process. After surviving markups in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the House Committee on the Budget, it is time for … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity The Repeal and Replace Effort Moves to the House Budget Committee After two marathon markups, the Republican repeal and replace effort is expected to continue on to the House Committee on the Budget. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Ways and Means endured partisan markups due to … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House To Consider Transportation Bill on Floor Both chambers passed a short-term extension last week, reauthorizing highway, highway safety, and transit programs through November 20. The House now turns to floor consideration of their six-year surface transportation bill on Wednesday. The House appears determined to make productive use of the 22-day extension. On … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Transportation Bill Marked-Up, But Short-Term Extension Needed Facing the October 29 expiration of surface transportation programs, the House will vote this week on a bill to extend these programs for three weeks, through November 20, buying time for the House to finish work on its six-year bill. The extension legislation also includes … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Releases Highway Bill, Markup Scheduled This Week On Friday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) released its long-awaited surface transportation reauthorization bill and scheduled the markup of the bill for this Thursday, October 22. The House provides six years of authorizations from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) … Continue Reading
SCOTUS Watch The Supreme Court is expected to issue its opinion in King v. Burwell by the end of the month, though it is unclear when the decision will be handed down. Currently, the Supreme Court has scheduled non-argument days for June 22 and 29, with a conference day scheduled for June 25. The issue … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Finance Committee Working Groups to Submit Tax Reform Proposals After having been provided additional time to finalize their proposals for consideration by the full Committee, the Senate Finance Committee Tax Reform Working Groups are due to submit their proposals by this Friday, June 26. The Working Group that appears to have made … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Avoids DHS Shut-Down, Passes Short-Term Funding Measure Funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will again be the top priority on the congressional agenda this week after both a “clean” full-year continuing resolution (CR) and a three-week CR failed to advance in the House, forcing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity DHS Funding Deadline Nears Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding expires on Friday, February 27, leaving only days for Congress to act to fund DHS. The Senate has not been able to overcome a Democratic filibuster of the House DHS funding legislation (H.R. 240), which includes policy riders blocking the President’s executive actions … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity President Submits Proposed FY 2016 Budget to Congress On Monday, February 2, the President submitted his proposed FY 2016 budget to Congress, kick-starting the annual budget and appropriations process. His $4.066 trillion proposal called for tens of billions of dollars in new spending, arguing that the Federal deficit has been cut and the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Previewing the President’s FY 2016 Budget The Administration will release the President’s FY 2016 budget later today, Monday, February 2. Federal agencies will host briefings to outline the President’s priorities and provide background on the proposed budget numbers. Congressional budget committees will then kick-off a series of hearings on these proposals starting Tuesday, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Early Outlook for Tax Activity in Congress As Congress returns to Washington, tax writers will prepare to move forward on several different fronts. As anticipated in our prior coverage, lawmakers were able to pass tax extenders legislation before the 113th Congress adjourned. The legislation, however, only provided a one-year retroactive extension of the … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Defense Authorization, Budget And the Sequester The Fiscal 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (S.1197) is expected to come to the Senate floor this week. Speculation is high the Senate debate will be truncated in order to conclude before the Thanksgiving congressional recess. There is growing consensus the second round … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Tax Writing Committee Meetings Continue The Senate Finance Committee has continued its series of closed-door committee meetings on tax reform, recently issuing their latest Option Paper on May 23 – this one on Economic Security. The closed-door meetings are intended to facilitate discussion among senators in an attempt to find where agreement on … Continue Reading
