SENATE

The Senate convened today, April 16, and is expected to continue its consideration of the FY 2005 emergency supplemental appropriations bill throughout the week. 

HOUSE

The House convenes on Tuesday, April 19 to consider six measures under suspension. On Wednesday, April 20, it will consider six additional measures under suspension.  Consideration on the comprehensive comprehensive energy bill (H.R. 6) is also scheduled for floor action. The House is not in session on Friday, April 22

THIS WEEK ON THE HILL

House conferees on the FY 2006 budget resolution have still not been named, but informal negotiations have been ongoing.  Last week, Senate Budget Committee Chairman, Judd Gregg (R-N.H) indicated to House Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle (R-Iowa,)  that Senate negotiators may meet their House counterparts halfway and consider cuts in mandatory programs of up to $43 billion over five years.  A key concern for states remains what number the negotiators will agree to on proposed cuts in Medicaid spending as part of the overall figure.  The House passed version of the budget resolution contains reconciliation instructions to the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut $20 billion over five years from programs under its jurisdiction, with Medicaid the likely target for about $15 billion.  The Senate, however, struck reconciliation instructions to the Senate Finance Committee to cut $15 billion from programs under it's jurisdiction in their version of the budget ($14 billion of which would likely have come from the Medicaid program).  Senator Gordon Smith (R-Ore) has indicated his push for a Medicaid cut in the conference report of less than one-half of the $14 billion original number.  Chairman Gregg has conveyed that the limit on Medicaid cuts would be $12 billion over five years.

ENERGY

The House is scheduled to debate the energy bill (H.R. 6) this week.  The Rules Committee will likely grant a limited rule when it meets to consider the bill sometime tomorrow, April 19, with floor action likely to occur on Wednesday, April 20.  The bill would authorize $8 billion in tax credits and incentives and fund the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), weatherization, and the State Energy Grants program.  Key features of the bill include a product liability waiver for methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) producers, federal preemption of state authority to site interstate transmission lines, streamlining of hydroelectric dam relicensing procedures and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility siting, designating the Department of Energy the coordinator for all environmental reviews of refinery start-ups in certain areas, and imposing a 5-billion gallon per year mandate for using renewable fuels. The natural resources portion of the bill includes authority to develop oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the narrowing of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews on renewable energy project on federal lands.

EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Debate on the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill (H.R. 1268) to fund the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and other foreign policy priorities resumed today, April 18.  Cloture motions were filed on Friday, April 15 on three immigration related amendments as well as on the underlying bill to limit debate and move to vote on the amendments.  Votes on the cloture motions are expected to occur tomorrow, April 19. 

TRANSPORTATION

The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a markup of the tax title of the surface transportation reauthorization bill for Tuesday, April 18.  The draft measure is currently funded  from gas tax revenue and drawing down the Highway Trust Fund. It would extend expenditure authority for the Highway Trust Fund and the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund through September 30, 2009. It also would extend motor fuel taxes and all three non-fuel excise taxes at their current rates through September 30, 2011.

Other relevant committees have recently acted as well, including the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, who approved the safety title on Thursday, April 14; the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the highway title on March 16; and the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee approved the transit title on March 17. Once the Finance Committee acts, the comprehensive measure (with the highway title serving as the vehicle) would move to the Senate floor for consideration - possibly next week.

HOUSE PASSES BANKRUPTCY OVERHAUL BILL

The House passed (by a vote of 302 to 126) the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (S. 256) last week, after approving (by a vote of 227-196) a closed rule that limited debate on the measure to one hour. S. 256 would create a means test tied to the median incomes of individual states to determine whether personal bankruptcy filers could repay some or all of their debts over time. Those with insufficient assets would be allowed to file under Chapter 7 of the code, which erases debts following the liquidation of certain assets. Those deemed able to pay would fall under Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which results in a court-ordered repayment plan. The Senate passed S. 256 on March 10, and the measure is expected to be signed by the President.

TAX EXEMPTION FOR FEMA GRANTS LEGISLATION PASSES HOUSE

The House approved by voice vote Senate changes to a measure (H.R. 1134) that would exempt from taxation any payment received by individuals from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) qualified disaster mitigation projects for protection from floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters. Currently taxpayers are subject to taxation on funds received through the mitigation projects. The House had originally passed the measure on March 14, but the Senate amended and passed it on Wednesday, April 13, with language to ensure that it applies to taxpayers who received grants in 2004. The President is expected to sign the bill.

SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES FIRST RESPONDER GRANTS LEGISLATION

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs marked-up and approved the Homeland Security Grant Enhancement Act of 2005 (S. 21), sponsored by committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ranking Member Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), S. 21 would give each state a minimum baseline of 0.55 percent of the total funds appropriated for first responder grants, instead of the current 0.75 percent. The remaining funds would be allocated based on the threat, risk, and vulnerability faced by the state from a terrorist attack. In addition, the measure provides funding for regions, which are defined as including the 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas. The bill authorizes $2.9 billion for grants in fiscal years 2006 and 2007, and such sums as necessary thereafter.

HOUSE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES TWO ANTI-CRIME MEASURES

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security approved two anti-crime measures last week.  The first bill, H.R. 1279, would authorize $50 million per year for fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2010 for street gang enforcement teams (comprised of state and federal law enforcement agencies), to investigate and prosecute criminal street gangs in "high-intensity interstate gang areas." It also would create a statute to prosecute criminal gangs similar to the method used against organized crime. In addition, H.R. 1279 would subject several categories of gang-related offenses to mandatory sentences of at least 30 years.

The subcommittee also approved a measure (H.R. 1528) that would require minimum mandatory sentences for drug traffickers who conspire to sell drugs to minors, especially in protected zones such as within 1,000 feet of schools and colleges. It also expands these zones to include child care facilities and public libraries.

HEARING HELD ON USF/E-RATE

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on a bill (S. 241), introduced by Senator Olympia Snowe that would permanently exempt the Universal Service Fund (USF)/E-Rate Program funds from the Antideficiency Act. Last October, government accounting rule interpretations by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) resulted in the suspension of the E-Rate and Rural Health Care programs, leaving more than 4,000 schools and library applicants, as well as 580 rural health care applicants, without discounts to Internet and telecommunications services. At the end of the last congressional session, legislation (H.R. 5419) was enacted that exempted USF/E-Rate funds from the Antideficiency Act for one year, which temporarily restored E-Rate funding to schools and libraries. That temporary exemption is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2005.

 Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) stated that extending the exemption for USF/E-Rate funds from the Antideficiency Act is one of the committee's top priorities this year, but suggested that a two- or three-year temporary fix may be the most likely solution.

For a list of this week's federal grants, please visit our website at www.nevadadc.org