MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2006 

SENATE PASSES SUPPLEMENTAL CONFERENCE REPORT

Last week, the Senate adopted the conference report to the $94.5 billion FY 2006 emergency supplemental appropriations bill by a vote of 98-1.   The House passed it on Tuesday by a vote of 351-67.  H.R. 4939 provides $65.8 billion in war-related funding, as well as $4.3 billion in foreign assistance to Iraq, Sudan and other nations, $19.8 billion for hurricane recovery efforts (including $285 million for hurricane related education programs), $2.3 billion for avian flu preparedness, and $1.9 billion for border security, which includes funds to deploy National Guard troops to the Southern border.   The measure also sets an $873 billion discretionary spending cap for FY 2007.

The President has signed the measure.

 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

The Senate continues its debate on the FY 2007 defense authorization bill, S. 2766.  The bill would authorize $517.7 billion in FY 2007 spending on national security programs in the Defense and Energy departments.  An amendment will be offered this week by Democratic Senators John Kerry and Russ Feingold that calls for pulling most U.S. forces from Iraq to begin this year, but sets no deadline for completing it.  Other Iraq-related amendments not affecting troop levels are also on tap this week, including proposals on everything from treatment of suspected terrorists in prisons abroad to whether the Pentagon or State Department should run a program training and quipping foreign militaries. 

The chamber is also expected to debate an amendment by Senators Christopher Bond (R-MO) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to enhance the National Guard by giving the Chief of the National Guard Bureau a fourth star; making the deputy of NORTHCOM a National Guard Member; improving lines of communication within the Department of Defense for contingency operations, disasters, and military operations other than war; and providing authority to identify gaps between federal and state capabilities in response to emergencies and to validate requirements of the state with respect to military assistance to civil authorities.

HOUSE PASSES FY 2007 TRANSPORTATION-TREASURY-HUD SPENDING BILL
 
Last week, the House passed the FY 2007 Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) appropriations bill by a vote of 406-22.  The bill provides close to $139.7 billion in mandatory and discretionary spending and also provides $35.3 billion for HUD, reflecting $1.2 billion more than the Administration's request and $1.7 billion more than last year. Key funding levels include:
  • $4.2 billion for the Community Development Fund ($22 million more than FY 2006 and $1.2 billion more than the Administration's request). This includes $3.9 billion for the Community Development Block Grant and $270 million for Economic Development Initiative (EDI) projects ($60 million less than last year). The committee created a new requirement that all grantees under the EDI program must provide 40 percent in matching funds to receive any funds.
  • $1.9 billion for the HOME Investments Partnership ($159 million more than the FY 2006 enacted level).
  • $747 million for the Housing for the Elderly program and $240 million for the Housing for Persons with Disabilities program ($189 million and $118 million respectively more than the Administration's request).
  • $5.5 billion for Project-Based Rental Assistance ($438 million more than last year and $200 million less than the Administration's request). Along with recaptures from expiring contracts, this fully funds all contracts.
  • $15.9 billion for Section 8 vouchers ($458 million more than FY 2006 and $44 million less than the Administration's request).

Transportation Funding. The bill funds the federal-aid highways program at $39.1 billion, as set by the recently enacted surface transportation authorization legislation, SAFETEA-LU. This amount is equal to the President's request and $3.5 billion more than the FY 2006 enacted level, excluding emergency supplemental.

Representatives Jim Gibbons, Shelley Berkley and Jon Porter helped to secure a handful of transportation projects for Nevada including:

  • $500,000 for the Pyramid Highway Corridor in Reno/Sparks;
  • $500,000 for the Reno/Sparks Intermodal Transportation Terminals and Related Development
  • $500,000 for U.S. Highway 50A to assist in the completion of the project to widen the highway between Fernley and Fallon;
  • $55 million for the Air Traffic Control Facilities at McCarran Airport;
  • $500,000 for Southern Nevada Beltway Interchanges;
  • $350,000 for the Las Vegas Transit Terminal (site TBD);
  • $100,000 for the North Las Vegas Transit Terminal;
  • $350,000 for the Central City Intermodal Transportation Terminal;
  • $500,000 for the Opportunity Village Southwest Campus;
  • $500,000 for interim improvements on US 93;
  • $500,000 for State Route 160 expansion;
  • $1,000,000 for the Lake Mead Parkway improvements;
  • $1,000,000 for the Boulder City Bypass;
  • $500,000 for the Cactus Avenue/I-15 Interchange and;
  • $500,000 for the Southern Nevada Beltway Interchanges
For further information on the projects, please visit the web sites of Nevada's House members: http://wwwc.house.gov/gibbons/
http://berkley.house.gov/ and http://porter.house.gov/.
 

HOUSE PANEL APPROVES LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION SPENDING BILL; NATIONAL GUARD FUNDING

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES SPENDING FOR JUSTICE PROGRAMS

 

Last week, the House Appropriations Committee approved (by voice vote) the FY 2007 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education appropriations bill

which provides $141.9 billion in discretionary funding. The bill contains only a few changes from the version approved by the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee on Wednesday, June 7. The committee approved an amendment by Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) that would raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour by January 1, 2009. It also approved an amendment by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) that would postpone HHS administrative action on Medicaid, thereby delaying reductions or phase-downs in provider taxes from 6 percent to 3 percent. The Administration had proposed that these reductions in provider taxes, included in the budget request for FY 2007, be enacted through regulations.

 

The Committee, during its consideration of the FY 2007 appropriations bill for the Department of Defense, also approved (by voice vote) $500 million for National Guard equipment and $471 million to restore the Army National Guard to an end-strength of 350,000.  The Administration in their FY 2007 budget had recommended a 17,000 reduction end-strength.

 

Last week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee approved $558 million for the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program in FY 2007 (minus $75 for Boys/Girls Clubs and $115.2 for Byrne Discretionary).  The actual formula portion would be approximately $367 million, with 60 percent for the Byrne formula, and 40 percent for the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant program.  JAG received $416 million in FY 2006, with $95 million for Boys/Girls Clubs, and $321.5 million for the formula program.  Other justice programs funded for FY 2007 include:

 

  • SCAAP $405 million (same as last year);

  • Southwest border prosecutors $30 million (same as last year);

  • Victims of Trafficking $21.5 million (FY06 $10 million);

  • RSAT $5 million (FY06 $10 million);

  • Drug Courts $40 million (FY06 $10 million);

  • Prescription Drug Monitoring  $10 million (FY06 $7.5 million);

  • Prison Rape Prevention & Prosecution $22 million (FY06 $18 million);

  • Capital Litigation  $2 million (FY06 $1 million);

  • Intelligence State & Local Training FY07 $2 million (FY06 $10 million);

  • Mentally Ill Offender Act Program  $5 million (same as last year); and

  • Sex Offender Registry $1.98 million (FY06 $0).

COPS Programs

 

  • Training and Technical Assistance $3.99 million  (same as last year);

  • Tribal Law Enforcement $31 million (FY06 $15 million);

  • Meth Hot Spots $99 million (FY06 $63.5 million);

  • Law Enforcement Interoperable Communications/Technology $100 million (FY06 $139 million);

  • Bullet Proof Vests $20 million  (FY06 $30 million);

  • Criminal Records Upgrade $4.8 million (FY06 $10 million);

  • DNA Initiative $175.5 million (FY06 $108 million);

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science $0 (FY06 $18.5 million);

  • Crime Identification Technology Act $0 (FY06 $28.5 million);

  • Project Safe Neighborhoods $54.8 million (FY06 $15 million);

  • Weed and Seed $49.3 million (same as last year); and

  • Offender Reentry $4.9 million (same as last year).

Juvenile Justice Programs

 

  • Part B-State formula $75 million (FY06 $80 million);

  • Part E-Demonstration Projects $59.8 million (FY06 $106 million);

  • Part G-Juvenile Mentoring  $0 (FY06 $10 million);

  • Title V-Incentive Grants $65 million (same as last year);

  • Secure our Schools $14.8 million (same as last year);

  • Victims of Child Abuse $15 million (same as last year);

  • Juvenile Accountability Bock Grant $49.361 million (same as last year); and  

  • Project Childsafe $0.992 million (FY06 $1 million).

The full House Appropriations Committee has scheduled markup of Justice Appropriations for Tuesday, June 20. 

The Senate is scheduled to continue debate on the Defense authorization bill, S. 2766.  In addition, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) announced his intention to have the chamber consider several measures before the July 4th recess, including estate tax legislation, a proposed constitutional amendment banning desecration of the American flag, and possibly an agreement on the pension reform bill, H.R 2830. 
 
The House is scheduled to consider the Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006, H.R. 4890, which was recently approved by the House Budget Committee and the House Rules Committee (Please see story for further explanation).
 
On a related note, the Senate Budget Committee is scheduled to mark-up a budget process reform package, which includes a proposal calling for line-item rescission authority for the President. 

Senate Floor

The Senate will resume consideration of the Defense authorization bill with debate on the measure expected to last all week. The chamber is scheduled to vote this evening on the nomination of Sandra Segal Ikuta to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Ninth Circuit.

House Floor

The House convenes to consider four measures under suspension. Tomorrow, the chamber will consider seven additional measures under suspension as well as the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007.  On Wednesday and Thursday, the House is scheduled to consider six more measures under suspension. The chamber will then turn to the Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006 (H.R. 4890) and the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 (H.R. 9). No votes are scheduled for Friday.

HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE APPROVES REVISED LINE-ITEM RESCISSION AUTHORITY LEGISLATION

 

The House Budget Committee approved, by a vote of 24-9, a revised version of its line-item rescission authority legislation (Legislative Line-Item Veto Act/H.R. 4890). The bill  includes provisions that:

  • Give the President 45 days to propose rescissions of line items in bills he signs into law;
  • Prohibit duplicative requests;
  • Limit the number of rescission packages per bill to five (or 10 in an omnibus spending bill). The Senate bill calls for four, but allows the President to propose a rescission up to one year after a bill's enactment;
  • Limit the amount of time that the President may delay spending to no more than 90 days unless Congress endorses a rescission. (The Senate bill calls for a 45-day limit and would prevent the President from withholding the funding until he sent the rescission request to Congress.);
  • Allow the Chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee to determine whether bills contain targeted tax provisions that can be proposed for rescission, and define them as applying to only one beneficiary. (The Senate bill authorizes the JCT to identify what qualifies as a targeted tax break.);
  • Sets a sunset date of 2012. (The Senate bill would sunset in 2010.).

HOUSE PASSES THE "SCHOOL SAFETY ACQUIRING FACULTY EXCELLENCE ACT"

Last week, the House passed legislation introduced by Nevada Congressman Jon Porter, that would provide all public and private education agencies within a state access to national criminal databases (including state and federal crimes) to obtain criminal information when hiring teachers.  H.R. 4895 passed overwhelmingly by  415-1. 

Rep. Porter's bill will allow for fingerprint-based checks for national crime information databases, pursuant to a request submitted by a local education agency (LEA) or state educational agency (SEA) on individuals under consideration for employment when working around children.  The bill also stipulates that when possible, the check shall include a fingerprint-based check of state criminal history databases.

Information taken from 06/13 press release. For more information on the bill, please visit the Congressman's website: http://porter.house.gov/

BUDGET PROCESS REFORM PACKAGE INTRODUCED

Last week, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) introduced a budget process reform package, the "Stop Over-Spending Act," that defines goals for deficit reduction and includes enforcement mechanisms to slow the growth of both entitlement and discretionary spending. The Budget Committee is expected to mark-up the measure sometime this week. The package, which will be attached to the line-item veto rescission bill (S. 2381), includes provisions that will place statutory caps on discretionary spending, to be enforced through sequestration, as well as authority for a federal entitlements sequestration if budget goals are not met (enforcement would begin in 2012); biennial budgeting; and creating commissions to study ways to slow the growth of entitlement programs and to identify unnecessary federal programs for elimination.

Senator Gregg has been joined by Senators Frist, Ensign, Allard, Sessions, Crapo, Cornyn, Alexander, Brownback, Craig, Isakson, Thomas, and Graham. 

 

HOUSE COMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING ON NATIONAL GUARD  

 

Last week, the House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on the status of the National Guard and Reserve, with Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Cody testifying. Both urged the committee to be cautious in moving forward with the National Defense Enhancement and National Guard Empowerment Act of 2006 (H.R. 5200), noting that they do not support efforts to include a representative of the National Guard on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Further, they encouraged the committee to wait until next year, when the Commission on the National Guard and Reserve delivers its final report, before moving forward with H.R. 5200.

 

General Richard Cody testified that the Department of Defense (DoD) is working well with governors, in citing more equipment for Guard members, increased capabilities for governors to carry out state missions when necessary, and the inclusion of 10 Adjutant Generals to a steering committee working on enhancing state plans.

 

The committee's ranking member, Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) questioned the Deputy Secretary of Defense about whether DoD had intended to cut funding to the National Guard. The Deputy Secretary refuted those claims, arguing that DoD was only reacting to reports that the Guard may not make the 350,000 troop level.

 

HOUSE COMMITTEES APPROVE HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BILLS

 
The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a bill last week designed to encourage adoption of information technology by health care providers.  The legislation, H.R. 4157, encourages the creation of national standards for data storage and sharing, and codifies the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  The House Ways and Means Committee, which shares jurisdiction on the issue, adopted its version of the legislation last week as well.  There are some key differences within the two versions.  The Energy and Commerce bill would not allow federal privacy standards to preempt state laws, and would give insurers until 2012 to transition to a new version of billing and transaction codes.  The Ways and Means version meanwhile, would require transition by 2009. 
 
If the two committees are able to resolve differences between the versions, the bill could end up on the floor sometime this week.  House representatives will then have to go to conference with the Senate, which produced a bill last November.  The primary difference between the House legislation and S.1418, is that the Senate bill provides grants for providers and states to spur the development of health IT.

Recent and archived Federal Grants Notifications are also available on our website. www.NevadaDC.org
The State of Nevada Washington Office is reachable by phone at (202) 624-5405.  Additional contact information is available on our website.  To be added to our mailing list, please contact update@nevadadc.org.