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 House and Senate Committee Chairs Call for Reconsideration of IANA Transition On September 8, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), House Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate Commerce Committee) Chairman John Thune (R-SD), and Senate Committee on the Judiciary … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate to Vote on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Conference Report Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced the Senate is expected to vote on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (S. 524) conference report this week. The bipartisan legislation authorizes grant programs; creates a task force on pain management; expands … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Republicans to Release ACA Alternative House Republicans announced they will release their long-awaited Affordable Care Act (ACA) Alternative this week. The Speaker’s Task Force on Health Care Reform was announced in January and is one of six committee-led task forces charged with developing “a bold, pro-growth agenda.” Members of the Health Care … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity H.R. 5273, Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016, scheduled for House Floor Vote House Majority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, announced H.R. 5273, Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016 (HIP-C), introduced by House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Chairman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Ranking Member Jim McDermott (D-WA), … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Gyrocopter Lands on Capitol Lawn, Sparks Security Concerns On Wednesday afternoon, Doug Hughes, a Florida postal worker, flew a small gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace and landed on the west lawn of the Capitol. Hughes reportedly planned to deliver letters on campaign finance reform addressed to each of the 535 Members of Congress. … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Narrowly Averts DHS Shut-Down, Passes Stop-Gap Measure Late Friday night, Congress passed a stopgap measure extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) one week, clearing the bill for the President’s signature less than two hours before the previous Continuing Resolution (CR) was set to expire. The 11th hour agreement came … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Satellite Communications As a follow up to its hearing in mid-February, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a second hearing related to the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA), which expires in 2014 (see This Week’s Hearings below). The witness list has not yet been finalized, … Continue Reading