Executive and Legislative Branch Activity State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Update Last week, Senate Appropriations Committee members added a provision in the Senate FY 2014 State-Foreign Operations spending bill that seeks to sanction any nation that grants asylum to Edward Snowden, a former U.S. contractor facing felony charges in the U.S. for having leaked U.S. surveillance secrets. … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Confirmation Vote Last Monday, June 10, the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved the nomination of Mayor Anthony Foxx to be the next Secretary of Transportation. Following the Committee vote, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) stated that a floor vote on Mr. Foxx’s nomination could come before the Fourth of July recess, but … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Farm Bill Timeline Today at 2:00 pm is the deadline the House Rules Committee has set for members to file amendments to the Farm Bill (H.R. 1947). The House Rules Committee will then meet at 5:00 pm to consider rules for floor debate on the bill. The Farm Bill is scheduled for floor … Continue Reading
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