This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* 5:00 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, en route Wilmington, Delaware 6:50 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive in Wilmington, Delaware… Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Returns to Potential Showdown over Refugee Resettlement, Debate of Changes to Visa Waiver Program Congress returns to Washington this week, but the brewing battle over plans to resettle Syrian refugees threatens to complicate the few days remaining before the end of the legislative session. Just before the Thanksgiving break, the House passed legislation … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Transportation-Housing and Defense Appropriations Bills on the House Floor The House will continue consideration of the Transportation-Housing (T-HUD) Appropriations Bill this week. The House was expected to vote on the $55.3 billion measure last Thursday, but leadership said a large number of amendments required pushing the vote to this week. Rail safety was … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Joins House in Appropriations Effort Senate Appropriators begin work on their FY 2016 spending bills this week, with subcommittee markups scheduled Tuesday for the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Energy-Water appropriations bills. Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) has not publicly revealed how he apportions the mandated topline discretionary funding level of $1.07 trillion … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Democrats Continue to Push for a Budget Deal The President and Democrats in the House and Senate continue to pressure Republicans for a budget deal to replace the sequester’s strict spending limits. Most House Democrats voted against the two sequester-level appropriations bills that were recently considered on the House floor, President Obama has … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Reid, Paul Working on Repatriation Bill to Fund Transportation Infrastructure On June 10, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) indicated that they are working on legislation that would allow corporations to repatriate foreign earnings at lower rates, suggesting that this revenue could be used to fund improvements to … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Confirms Three CFTC Commissioners, House To Take Up CFTC Reauthorization Bill On June 3, the Senate confirmed Timothy Massad as Chairman and Sharon Bowen and J. Christopher Giancarlo as Commissioners at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Chairman Massad was sworn in to his new office on June 5. It is expected … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Shaheen/Portman Energy Cloture Vote Fails On Monday, May 12 the Senate voted against a motion to invoke cloture and end debate on S. 2262, the “Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2014,” after Senate leaders were unable to reach a deal to consider a group of energy-related amendments. While Senate Majority Leader … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Banking Committee Favorably Reports GSE Reform Bill to Senate Floor On May 15, the Senate Banking Committee voted 13-9 to favorably report the Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2013 (S. 1217), to the Senate floor. However, as mentioned in previous coverage, despite being reported out of Committee, it remains uncertain … Continue Reading
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
