Legislative Activity Government Shutdown Looms as Current CR Expires Friday; White House Expresses Interest in Bipartisan Negotiations Congress faces a short time frame to pass a spending package for the remainder of the current fiscal year and prevent a government shutdown as the current FY 2017 Continuing Resolution (CR/P.L. 114-254) expires Friday at midnight. House … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Appropriations Path Forward Unclear Congress will return this week for a “lame duck” session without a clear path forward for Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations. Several possibilities are under discussion, including extending the current Continuing Resolution (CR); an Omnibus; a series of “minibus” bills; or a combination thereof. A consensus on a plan is … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Continuing Resolution Likely, with Potential Trucking Rider The current fiscal year ends on September 30, and Congress will need to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to continue funding the federal government. The Senate is expected to pass a CR this week that would fund the federal government through December 9. That approach would … Continue Reading
Congress to Continue Focus on Appropriations The current fiscal year ends on September 30, and Congress will need to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) in the next few weeks to continue funding the federal government. Last week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) proposed advancing a CR that would extend funding for the federal government … Continue Reading
Congress approved an Omnibus spending measure and tax extenders package last Friday, its final major hurdle before adjourning for the year. The House is expected to return for the new congressional session on Tuesday, 5 January 2016, with the Senate to follow on Monday, 11 January. President Barack Obama departed Washington late Friday for his … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Set to Finalize Major Cybersecurity Information-Sharing Legislation Before adjourning for the holidays, lawmakers could move on compromise cybersecurity legislation after weeks of informal negotiations to secure final language. The measure is expected to merge three separate bills aimed at increasing information sharing between the government and businesses. Ongoing debate over several privacy … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Omnibus Negotiations Continue, Funding Runs Out This Friday Despite having a budget deal, negotiations over policy riders in the forthcoming $1.1 trillion omnibus bill continue this week. Last week, Congressional Republicans proposed an omnibus bill that included several contentious policy riders, which the Democrats were quick to reject and make a counter-offer. The … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Appropriations Process All But Over, CR Likely The appropriations process is almost certainly over and when Congress returns from the August recess there will be just ten legislative days before federal funding runs out, hardly enough time to negotiate a budget deal or an omnibus spending bill. As anticipated, Congress will likely pass … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Shuffles Closer to a Budget Deal, as Appropriations Process Stops The appropriations process is all but over, after a Confederate flag flap during floor debate of the House Interior-Environment bill brought the process to a standstill. While the appropriations committees in both the House and Senate may mark-up their final appropriations bills … Continue Reading
