This is a weekly post spotlighting labor topics in focus by the US legislative and executive branches during the previous week. In this issue, we cover: Reconciliation Package Updates COVID-19 Vaccine Employer Mandate Updates COVID-19 Updates New Job Quality Initiative Announced U.S.-EU Trade and Tech Council Meeting Recapped Worst Forms of Child Labor Annual Report … Continue Reading
The Biden campaign outlined numerous core objectives of a future President Biden for both pre-kindergarten, K-12, and higher education. Those objectives include:… Continue Reading
Pressure is mounting on Republican and Democratic negotiators in the US Capitol to reach an agreement on a COVID-19 response package that can pass both chambers of a divided Congress and be signed into law by President Donald Trump in the coming days. But evidence persists that the March 27 enactment of the massive CARES … Continue Reading
After months on hold responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 US elections are heating up, as Democrats seek to take control of the White House from President Donald Trump. On Thursday, July 9, former Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden released a broad economic plan during a speech in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* *The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change, as is the White House press briefing schedule. 2:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT participates in the arrival of … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* *The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change. THE PRESIDENT has no public events scheduled for Saturday or Sunday. VPOTUS’ Schedule* On Sunday, June 28, Vice President … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* *The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change, as is the White House press briefing schedule. 11:45 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives his intelligence briefing | … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* 2:15 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT participates in the arrival of the President of the Republic of Poland | West Wing Lobby 2:20 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT participates in a bilateral meeting … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* 9:20 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs Washington, D.C., en route to Yuma, AZ 10:55 a.m. MST – THE PRESIDENT arrives at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma | Yuma, AZ 11:15 a.m. MST … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* 12:30 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT has lunch with the Vice President | Private Dining Room 2:30 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT participates in a roundtable on Fighting for America’s Seniors | Cabinet … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* THE PRESIDENT has no public events scheduled. VPOTUS’ Schedule* 9:30 a.m. EDT – THE VICE PRESIDENT departs Washington, D.C., en route Pittsburgh, PA, on Air Force Two 10:30 a.m. EDT – THE VICE … 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
Executive Branch Activity Trump Releases FY 2018 Budget Blueprint Last week, President Donald Trump released his FY 2018 “skinny budget,” intended to serve as the blueprint for his full budget request expected in May. As anticipated, the $1.1 trillion budget request adheres to the topline discretionary spending cap of $1.1 trillion mandated by the Budget … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congressional Republicans Place DOL’s Fiduciary Rule in Crosshairs Last week, on April 19, just one day after Senate Republicans introduced a resolution to disapprove and nullify the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Fiduciary Rule, House Republicans introduced a companion resolution also targeting the rulemaking. Two days later, on April 21, the House Education and … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Still Divided on Labor’s Fiduciary Rule With the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Fiduciary Rule now with the Office of Management and Budget and being prepared for release in final form later this spring, last week Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) emphasized his opposition to the proposal, noting that he is … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Committees Mark-Up Fiduciary Rule Legislation as Senators Introduce Companion Bills With the Department of Labor (DOL) having recently submitted its Fiduciary Rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – officially beginning the countdown before DOL’s proposal is released in final form – last week, the House Ways and Means and … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Health Bills Scheduled For House Floor Action House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced that on Monday, November 16, the House will consider two health bills under suspension of the rules: S. 599, the Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act, which extends and expands the Medicaid emergency psychiatric demonstration project; and … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Republicans Postpone Reconciliation Actions Until After August Recess With the August District Work Period only weeks away, House Committee on the Budget Chairman Tom Price (R-GA) announced this past week that the House Committee on the Budget would not act on reconciliation until after the lawmakers reconvene in September. The three House committees … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House to Vote on Medical Device Excise Tax and IPAB Repeals In the House of Representatives, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced that several health care bills will be considered on the floor this week. Two of these bills dismantle portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). H.R. 160, the Protect Medical … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate HELP Committee Forms Higher Education Act Reauthorization Working Groups In a joint statement released on May 21, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) announced the formation of bipartisan working groups tasked with addressing four key areas within the Higher Education … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity ESEA Reauthorization Passes Out of Committee After three days of marking up its ESEA reauthorization bill, the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee unanimously passed the measure last Thursday afternoon. While nearly 60 amendments were considered, many of the most controversial amendments were withdrawn – … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate to Vote on Child Care and Development Block Grant Reauthorization Last week, the Senate voted 96-1 to move to consideration of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) reauthorization legislation (S. 1086). The Senate previously passed S. 1086 in March; the House then amended the bill and passed it in September. … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Education Priorities for the 114th Congress After the Republicans took the Senate in last week’s mid-term elections, former Education Secretary Lamar Alexander (R-TN) will now be leading the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and we expect his education policies to align closely with House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Online Skills Academy Last week, the Department of Education announced its collaboration with the Department of Labor to develop a $25 million grant competition for an Online Skills Academy. This platform would enable high-quality, free or low-cost pathways to degrees, certificates, or other employer-recognized credentials. In coordination with this effort, the Department will … Continue Reading
