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: Federal Vaccine Mandate Legal Challenges Update Consumer Price Index COVID-19 Updates Notable Labor Department Developments USMCA Deputies Meeting Readout Labor Department Nominations… Continue Reading
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: Biden Administration Labor Leadership Updates More Republican-Led States Curb Federal Pandemic-Related Unemployment Benefits House W&M Republicans Introduced Paid Family Leave Bill Two Workplace Bills Advance Out of Committee OSHA … Continue Reading
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: Biden Administration Labor Leadership Updates More Republican States Curb Federal Pandemic-Related Unemployment Benefits Republicans Introduce Legislation to Combat Unemployment Fraud Resolution to Overturn Workplace Bias Claim Rule Advances in … Continue Reading
This is a weekly post spotlighting labor topics in focus by the US legislative and executive branches. In this issue, we cover: Biden Administration labor leadership update Congressional COVID-19 relief package update Federal minimum wage update National Labor Review Board (NLRB) update PRO Act update Gig-worker rule delayed Department of Labor enforcement news Senate HELP … 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
The US Congress has returned to Washington, DC, and bipartisan negotiations to produce the next significant federal coronavirus response legislation have officially begun. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, representing President Donald Trump, are scheduled to meet this afternoon on Capitol Hill with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and … Continue Reading
Senate Republican leaders have begun to lift the veil on their plans for the next coronavirus response package, acknowledging in a news conference Tuesday that they will support opening the coffers next month to provide another round of aid. The timetable set by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and other Senate GOP leaders means … Continue Reading
Congress is facing renewed pressure to provide hundreds of billions of dollars in “stimulus” money to states, territories, counties and municipalities and to allow such entities the option of using the money to offset revenue lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives has begun floor consideration of a … Continue Reading
The Trump Administration appears divided on the question of what President Donald Trump’s priorities will be for the next significant federal COVID-19 response package. The Washington Post reports the president supports providing another round of “stimulus” payments to a broad range of US households to support growth by putting money directly into the hands of … Continue Reading
This weekly report captures developments from the US executive and legislative branches related to higher education policy, and also includes additional information such as relevant reports and upcoming events.… Continue Reading
This weekly report captures developments from the US executive and legislative branches related to higher education policy, and also includes relevant information such as reports and upcoming events.… Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House to Vote on Additional Health Care Legislation This week Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced that the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on two pieces of health care legislation. These bills are part of the third phase of Speaker Paul Ryan’s repeal and replace strategy. H.R. 2579, the Broader Options … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Secretary Price to Testify on HHS Budget Request This Thursday, June 8, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price will appear before the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Ways and Means to defend the President’s FY 2018 Budget titled “A New Foundation for American Greatness.” The … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity FDA User Fee Reauthorization Moves to Full Committee While passing health reform through Congress has been a struggle, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) user fee legislation has quickly moved through the regular order process in a bipartisan fashion. S. 934/H.R. 2430, Food and Drug Administration Reauthorization Act of 2017 (FDARA), renews FDA’s … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Next Stop: The Senate After an uphill battle and much compromise, H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), passed the House of Representatives on Thursday, May 4, by a vote of 217 ayes to 213 nays. At the beginning of the week a favorable outcome for the AHCA seemed unlikely. Speaker Ryan … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity AHCA Revival or Retreat Congress reconvenes this week after a two-week recess, with the possibility of a government shutdown looming at the end of the week. Speaker Ryan has made it clear to his colleagues that funding the government beyond April 28 will be his highest priority. With the American Health Care Act … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Gottlieb Confirmation Hearing Set for April 5 On Wednesday, April 5, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) will hold a confirmation hearing for Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump’s nominee for Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Gottlieb held a number of senior positions at the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Repeal and Replace or Repair and Rebrand? With reconciliation instructions in the FY 2017 spending bill that initiate the House and Senate committees with health care jurisdiction to reduce the deficit, Republicans in both chambers are eager to use the fast-track, fifty-vote process to repeal and replace as much of the Affordable Care … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Obamacare Replacement Activity Escalates Although the Republican retreat in Philadelphia resulted in no clear repeal and replace strategy, House and Senate Republicans will continue to move forward and hold the first committee hearings to discuss potential health care reform legislation this week. Following President Trump’s Executive Order on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Price Finance Confirmation Hearing Set for Tuesday Last week, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) visited the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) for the first of two Senate confirmation hearings that resulted in the longest HELP confirmation hearing in over twenty years. The HELP hearing was heated, partisan, and merely a … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Final 21st Century Cures Bill Released Over the weekend, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released the final version of the 21st Century Cures Act. The bipartisan innovation package is the result of over two … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Minor Changes to Congressional Education Committees In the Senate, Republicans maintained their control and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) will most likely remain chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) is expected to remain on as Ranking Member after easily winning her re-election. The … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Bipartisan Health Legislation to be Considered on House Floor House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy released a full legislative schedule for the week of September 19, which includes votes on various health priorities. The legislation being considered includes H.R. 670, Special Needs Trust Fairness and Medicaid Improvement Act; H.R. 5713, Sustaining Healthcare Integrity and … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, Moves to Full Committee H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, introduced by Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA), is being considered by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Wednesday, June 15. The bill … Continue Reading