On Tuesday, the House Rules Committee advanced a structured rule for House floor consideration of 476 amendments to the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA provides annual authorization of appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) and defense-related activities at other federal agencies. Congressional appropriations committees are responsible for providing budget … Continue Reading
At two o’clock in the morning on Saturday December 2, 2017, the Senate took another major step towards accomplishing comprehensive tax reform – on a near party line vote, it passed its version of the most sweeping legislation to overhaul the US Tax Code in a generation. Although Republicans have made significant progress on tax … Continue Reading
The November 9 release of the Senate Finance Committee Chairman’s Mark has put into high gear the race to complete once-in-a-generation tax reform. A mere five hours after the House Ways and Means Committee completed a four-day markup and voted its legislation out of Committee along party lines (further discussed here), Senate Republicans released their … Continue Reading
It’s here! House Republicans have released the legislative text of the most serious effort to reform the US Tax Code since 1986. Republican tax-writers have come a long way from the “Blueprint” and the “Unified Framework” – they have offcially broken ground on sweeping tax reform legislation titled the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Bill). Although they have made … Continue Reading
Late last night, the US Senate voted 51 to 50 to repeal a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule prohibiting class action waivers in arbitration agreements. All but two Republicans (Senators Lindsey Graham (SC) and John Kennedy (LA)) voted to repeal the CFPB’s arbitration rule, while all Democrats voted against repeal. Vice President Mike Pence … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate will convene on Monday, June 12 at 4:00 pm. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 5:00 pm. At 5:00 pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Kenneth P. Rapuano, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Begins Evaluating FY 2018 Transportation Appropriations This week, the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies will hold hearings on FY 2018 appropriations for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao will testify on Tuesday at the Senate Subcommittee hearing and on … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate will next convene at 3:00 pm on Monday, June 5, 2017. On Monday, following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of Calendar #107, S.Res.176, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, with the time until 5:30 pm equally divided in the usual form. At … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity President to Highlight Infrastructure Initiative This Week President Trump will hold several events this week intended to increase support for his Infrastructure Initiative presumably by providing more details about the proposal. On Monday, the President will make an announcement at the White House with House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate stands adjourned until 3:00 pm today, May 22. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of Executive Calendar #55, the nomination of Terry Branstad, of Iowa, to be Ambassador to China, with the time until 5:30 pm equally divided. At 5:30 pm, the Senate will vote on confirmation … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity President’s Budget Expected this Week President Trump is expected to release his FY 2018 budget this week, and transportation stakeholders are eager to see whether the full budget includes cuts to transportation programs with bipartisan Congressional support that were included in the President’s “Skinny Budget” released in March. In particular, the Skinny Budget … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate will convene today, May 15, at 3:00 pm. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of Jeffrey Rosen, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation, with the time until 5:30 pm equally divided. At 5:30 pm, the pending cloture motions will ripen and the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week is Infrastructure Week May 15 – 19 is Infrastructure Week, with numerous events being held in Washington D.C. and around the country in an effort to increase support for investing in the country’s infrastructure. Infrastructure Week’s kickoff event will be held the morning of Monday, May 15, at the U.S. Chamber … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate will convene today, May 8 at 2:00 pm. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of Heather Wilson to be Secretary of the Air Force, with up to 4 hours of debate equally divided. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate stands adjourned until today at 3:00pm. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of Jay Clayton, of New York, to be Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission. At 5:30pm, the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Clayton nomination. House … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate will convene at 3:00pm today, April 24. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session for consideration of Calendar #31, the nomination of Sonny Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. The time until 5:30pm will be equally divided. At 5:30pm, the Senate will vote on confirmation of … Continue Reading
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 Mulvaney: Infrastructure Bill Might Include $200 Billion in Direct Spending Last week, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney said that the Administration’s proposed FY 2018 budget could include $200 billion for infrastructure with the understanding that it would be leveraged at a 5-to-1 ratio to spur more than $1 … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate stands adjourned until today, Monday, April 3 at 3:00 pm. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of Calendar #18, S.89, Delta Queen, with the time until 5:30 pm equally divided in the usual form. At 5:30 pm, the Senate will vote on passage of the bill. Upon … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Infrastructure Bill Could be Packaged with Tax Reform There has been considerable discussion on the Hill and in the Trump Administration about the prospects of combining a large-scale infrastructure bill with comprehensive tax reform. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin recently met with the Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of 20 Democrats and 20 Republicans … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate stands adjourned until 3:00 pm today, March 27. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and resume consideration of the Montenegro treaty. The filing deadline for first degree amendments to the treaty is 3:30pm. At 5:30 pm, the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Administration Indicates Turn to Tax Reform after Healthcare Fails, Potentially Moving Up Focus on Infrastructure The Trump Administration has indicated it will now turn to a comprehensive tax reform effort, as the House Republican’s healthcare reform proposal failed last week. The high-profile American Health Care Act (AHCA) failure showed starkly the divisions within … Continue Reading
Senate Legislative Activity The Senate will convene at 10:30 am on Tuesday, March 21. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for one hour, with Republicans controlling the first half and Democrats controlling the final half. After morning business, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session for the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity President Releases “Skinny Budget” On March 16, the Administration released the President’s “Skinny Budget.” As is typical with a budget outline provided by a new President, the request is very high level and does not include nearly the detail of a full budget proposal. The Administration has said it will release its full … Continue Reading
