Tag Archives: This Week in Washington

April 21, 2016

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington — April 22, 2016

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

Senate passes watered down FAA reauthorization

This week, by a vote of 95 to 3, the Senate voted to send a watered down Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill to the House. The bipartisan bill would increase airport security, speed up drone regulations, and require airlines to refund baggage fees when luggage is delayed, among other provisions. The reauthorization, however, does not deal with the potential corporatization of the nation’s Air Traffic Control system, nor does it provide for modernization of the funding tool mechanism for airport infrastructure needs.

A House version of FAA reauthorization, which was approved in committee but has not yet passed the floor, would spin off 14,000 air traffic controllers and 24,000 other FAA employees into a federally chartered, private nonprofit corporation.

Posted in North America
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April 14, 2016

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington — April 15, 2016

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

Puerto Rico bankruptcy bill unveiled

On Tuesday, new draft legislation was released by the House Committee on Natural Resources to respond to the Puerto Rico debt crisis. This comes as Puerto Rico’s governor has warned that the island does not currently have enough money to pay for fuel for school buses or police cars among other things.

This new Puerto Rico bankruptcy bill includes a provision – designed to overcome opposition from conservatives – that would require a vote by two-thirds of creditors on any debt restructuring.

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April 7, 2016

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington – April 8, 2016

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

Democrats in the Senate are considering an unusual procedural tactic to force the Republican-controlled upper chamber to vote on President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court.

In particular, Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is considering using a discharge petition to force the vote. The discharge resolution has not been tried in recent history. If employed, a Democratic Senator would need to offer a motion to proceed to a resolution to discharge Garland’s nomination from the Judiciary Committee.

Posted in Legal Updates | North America
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March 31, 2016

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington — April 1, 2016

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

House looks unlikely to pass budget

When Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) took the gavel last fall, there was optimism among all ideological stripes of Republicans that some of the battles of the past could be left behind and that the Republican caucus would be able to return to getting at least the basics done.

Now it appears that House Republicans won’t even be able to pass a budget. That’s quite a turn of events in such a short period of time.

 

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February 4, 2016

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington — February 5, 2016

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins
Top Issues From This Week — February 5, 2016

Last ditch effort on criminal justice reform

With the odds of criminal justice reform passing in this Congress dimming, supporters are making a last ditch effort to regain momentum in an increasingly difficult and partisan political environment.

On Tuesday, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Mike Lee (R-UT) held a forum on the Hill with former Attorney General Mike Mukasey and other law enforcement officials to promote their bipartisan legislation that would overhaul sentencing and prison policies.

The bill would reduce mandatory-minimum sentences for certain nonviolent drug offenders and allow reduced prison sentences for inmates who take part in programs to cut recidivism.

Posted in Legal Updates | North America
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January 28, 2016

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington — January 29, 2016

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

The future of criminal justice reform

Bipartisan criminal justice reform, which once seemed likely, is facing longer and longer odds. This week, Senate Majority Leader John Cornyn (R-TX), a key sponsor of the effort, admitted that the measure may not move at all this year.

“I am hopeful, but I don’t think it’s critical we do it this year,” Cornyn told the Associated Press. “I have been involved in a lot of fights around here that have taken us years to get things done.”

Posted in Legal Updates | North America
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January 21, 2016

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington — January 22, 2016

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

Republican floats tax plan

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) said this week that his American Business Competitiveness plan (HR 4377) could move separately from international tax overhaul – something that is a top priority for House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX).

Nunes, who is a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, is proposing to replace the 35 percent corporate tax rate with a 25 percent levy on cash flow, a measure of funds typically available after expenses, financing, and investment.

In an interview, Nunes said his bill would be “revolutionary.”

Posted in News | North America
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January 14, 2016

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington — January 15, 2016

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

Senate Democrats plan to force vote on Trump Muslim ban

There has been a lot of “happy talk” from leadership in both chambers and in both parties about how much Congress can get done this year. This week, however, the reality of life in a presidential election year reminded many in DC of just how difficult it is for Congress to get anything done in a hyper-partisan, hyper-political environment.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said this week that Democrats would likely try to force the Senate to vote on some of the more controversial plans by Donald Trump (R-NY) – including Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from coming to the United States.

Posted in North America
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December 10, 2015

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington — December 11, 2015

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

Today, the House will pass a short-term funding bill to keep the government open through Dec. 16 of this year after failing to reach agreement on an omnibus spending bill. The Senate passed the same short-term CR yesterday.

The short-term CR not only allows Congress more time; it also avoids forcing members to stay in D.C. over the weekend.

Congress has struggled to come to a bipartisan deal over an omnibus spending bill largely because of partisan fighting over possible policy riders that Republicans are seeking to have included in the measure.

Posted in News | North America
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December 3, 2015

McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies Advisory: This Week in Washington – December 4, 2015

By McDonald Hopkins News of McDonald Hopkins

Congress has until December 11 to either pass an omnibus appropriations spending bill or pass a continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown. After this week, neither side seems particularly optimistic that an omnibus deal will be reached in time.

House Republicans sent over their initial offer to House Democrats on Tuesday night of this week. House Democrats responded by saying the GOP hadn’t sent over a “real offer” – decrying policy riders in the Republican proposal relating to Wall Street, EPA, and Syrian refugees. Democrats are said to be working on a spending bill of their own.

Posted in News | North America
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