Back
to Business
Congress
returns from its August recess today, September 7, with plans to address a
handful of unresolved issues before its targeted adjournment of October 7.
Completion of the FY 2005 appropriations cycle, the surface transportation
reauthorization bill, the corporate/export tax bill and an extension of
three expiring tax cuts are a few of the issues that the House and Senate
will try and tackle before the 7th.
This
week, focus will be on the FY 2005 Homeland Security appropriations bill (S.
2537) although a final agreement has not been reached for floor
consideration. The measure provides $940 million for the State
Homeland Security Grant Program, the House passed version (H.R. 4567) would
give the program $1.2 billion. To date, the Senate has passed only the
FY 2005 Defense spending measure. In addition, the Senate
Appropriations Committee has approved the FY 2005 funding bills for the
legislative branch and for military construction. The committee is
operating without a budget
resolution, thereby slowing down Senate consideration of spending bills.
However, a provision that allows the Senate Appropriations Committee to
establish an overall FY 2005 302(b) spending allocation to match the
House-approved $821.9 billion level was included in the conference report
for the Defense spending bill. Meanwhile, the House has passed 10 of
its 13 annual appropriations bills - with the Labor/HHS/Education,
Transportation/Treasury and VA-HUD remaining. The chamber is scheduled
to debate the $492.3 billion Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill on
Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Floor
Schedules:
Senate:
The Senate reconvened at 12:00
noon today to begin consideration of several judicial nominations. For the
remainder of the week, the Senate is expected to consider the FY 2005
appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security.
House:
The House reconvened at 2:00 p.m. today
to consider five bills under suspension. On Wednesday, September 8,
and Thursday, September 9, the House will convene to consider two
additional measures under suspension, including a bill making emergency
supplemental appropriations to FEMA. In addition, the House is
expected to debate the FY 2005 appropriations bill for the Departments of
Labor/HHS and Education. No votes are scheduled in the House for
Friday, September 10.
TEA-21
Reauthorization
The
current short-term extension of funding for surface transportation programs
expires on September 24, for
federal highway programs and on September 30 for public transit and other
programs. In addition, a $400 million shortfall in highway funding for
the current fiscal year exists because of revised estimates for gas tax
revenues. It remains unclear whether conferees on the reauthorization
bill will be able to reach agreement on the funding level for negotiations
or whether lawmakers will simply pass a longer-term extension and deal with
the matter in the next Congress. The most recent proposal by House
conferees calls for $284 billion in guaranteed dollars and $299 billion in
contract authority (with a recession of $15 billion in existing, unused
contract authority, making both numbers $284 billion). The Senate has
two plans -- the original measure it passed , which calls for $301 billion
in guaranteed spending and $318 billion in contract authority, or
a second proposal, which would authorize $289 billion in guaranteed spending
and $301 billion in contract authority. The Administration has
proposed $256 billion for both guaranteed spending and contract authority.
Governor
Guinn Announces $10.8 million for Waterfall Fire
Governor
Guinn announced on August 27, that
President Bush approved his
request for $10,875,000 in federal disaster relief assistance for the July
14 Waterfall Fire. The Federal Presidential Disaster Declaration will be
provided through the Federal Management Agency (FEMA) that provides funding
for excessive recovery efforts and costs not generally covered under federal
fire suppression grant programs.
The
FEMA public assistance grant will be used for seed and the aerial
application of rice straw mulch on the steepest slope. More than 2,000
straw wattles will be placed on steep slopes to protect Carson City's
drinking water system and residential homes. In addition, basins,
streams channel treatments, and barriers will be built in Ash, Kings and
Combs Canyons. Storm drain and flood control structures will also be
built in the C-Hill Stream Channel. The grant will be used to purchase
and install an Early Warning System to notify Carson City Officials in the
event of a high water runoff event.
*source:
August 27, press release from Governor Guinn's office.
Please
also note that Mike Pieper and Ashley Carrigan's email addresses
have changed.