Legislative Activity Information Sharing Legislation Moves to Conference Last week, the Senate passed the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA/S. 754) by a 74-21 vote. Before voting on final passage of the bill, the Senate approved an amendment that would sunset the bill ten years after its enactment. All other amendments that were voted on during … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity National Security Agency (NSA) On January 17, President Obama announced a series of changes to the NSA surveillance programs that have sparked controversy around the world since they were revealed by Edward Snowden’s leaks. Congress is expected to legislatively weigh-in on the NSA debate. It remains unclear what action Congress … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Information Sharing Legislation Last week, the chief executives of the American Bankers Association, Financial Services Roundtable and Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association sent a letter to Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) to urge the Senate to pass cybersecurity information sharing legislation. While … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: Wednesday, November 13: The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing at 10:00 am titled “Cyber Side-Effects: How Secure is the Personal Information Entered into the Flawed Healthcare.gov?” Thursday, November 14: At 10:00 am, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing regarding threats to … 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 floor on Wednesday, November 13. The Military Justice Improvement Act (S. 967) – a bill to address military sexual assaults that has 46 Senators supporting it – is expected … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Iran Secretary of State John Kerry joined the P5+1 Talks last Friday in Geneva, Switzerland. The Talks failed to reach an agreement this past weekend and are expected to resume at a lower level on November 20. At the conclusion of the Talks, Secretary Kerry said: “There’s no question in my … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Defense Authorization, Budget and the Sequester The Senate is in session this week, while the House is in recess. The Fiscal 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (S.1197) is expected to be debated on the Senate floor the week of November 18. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chair Carl Levin … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Iran The Senate is in session this week, while the House is in recess. The Obama Administration continues to urge the Senate to delay acting on new sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program. This week, the P5+1 Talks with Iran resume in Geneva, Switzerland (November 7-8). Syria The Organization for the … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Budget and the Sequester Last week in congressional hearings, defense officials described the negative impact the second round of sequestration will have on the Pentagon. The Defense Department, like all government agencies, is currently operating under a continuing resolution (P.L. 113-46). Unlike other federal agencies, the Pentagon has never operated … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity National Security Agency The Senate Intelligence Committee will hold a closed door meeting this week on competing National Security Agency (NSA)-related bills that might be considered in that panel. Senate Judiciary Committee leaders are expected to unveil their bipartisan measure, which will also address NSA initiatives. Reports emerged last week … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Budget Last week’s successful eleventh-hour Senate-led bipartisan proposal (H.R. 2775) to raise the debt ceiling (until February 7) and end the government shutdown, by essentially funding the federal government at FY 2013 numbers (through January 15), also included a provision to establish a budget conference committee to reconcile the differing … Continue Reading
EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCH ACTIVITY Budget and Debt Ceiling With a government shutdown imminent, the Senate passed its modified version of the continuing resolution (CR) on Friday, September 27. The Senate version changed the expiration date from December 15 to November 15 and removed the House Republican language that defunded the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The … Continue Reading
Legislative Branch Activity National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Over the course of two days last week, the House debated over 150 amendments to its FY 2014 NDAA bill (H.R. 1960). Notably, the House approved by 305-121 an amendment to transfer all combat operations to Afghans by the end of this year and withdraw all U.S. … Continue Reading
