CONFERENCES FOCUS ON EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL, BUDGET RESOLUTION
Negotiators on the FY 2007 emergency supplemental appropriations bill will begin work to reconcile the House and Senate versions this week, bringing together the Senate-passed $123.2 billion bill with the House approved $124.3 billion measure.
Senate conferees have been named, and the House plans to identify negotiators early this week. Both measures provide funding for military operations in Iraq/Afghanistan and hurricane recovery, as well as additional funding for several domestic programs. The White House has issued a veto threat against the measure over the extra domestic spending and troop withdrawal language (the House bill includes language requiring troops be withdrawn by the end of August 2008 at the latest; the Senate bill sets a non-binding "goal" of March 31, 2008).
In addition, conferees plan to meet this week on the FY08 budget resolution. The House adopted its version on March 29, while the Senate approved its version on March 23. The House and Senate non-binding budget resolutions both impose pay-as-you-go budget rules and increase discretionary spending, but the House plans calls for about $25 billion more than the President's plan and about $7 billion more than the Senate's version.
Key issues to be resolved in conference negotiations include whether to use the projected surplus in 2012 to extend expiring tax provisions and add new spending for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) as assumed in the Senate version, or to identify other offsets for the S-CHIP costs as called for in the House version. Differences also include the Senate's two-year alternative minimum tax "patch" vs. the House plan's one-year extension; and the House plan's $20 billion increase in farm programs vs. the Senate's $15 billion (both with offsets). In addition, the House version contains an education reconciliation provision.
NGA ADOPTS NEW POLICY ON STATE CHILDREN'S
HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM
The nation's governors adopted a
new policy to re-emphasize the importance of Congressional
reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program
(SCHIP).
In the policy, governors call on Congress to provide adequate,
predictable funding and enhanced flexibilities for states that
will allow improvements in health care and coverage for
children. This critical, state-based program provides health
insurance to more than six million children across the country.
DEMOCRATS PLAN CONSIDERATION OF ENERGY BILL BY MEMORIAL DAY
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has indicated he plans to bring energy legislation to the Senate floor before Memorial Day. The energy measure likely to emerge is one that would combine ethanol, renewable portfolio standards, and provisions to improve the energy efficiency in federal buildings. It is not clear at this point if a tax incentives package will be part of the energy bill, but hearings on the subject are scheduled.
This push on energy legislation is similar to the goal that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has set for that chamber; an energy and climate change measure is expected in early summer.
Of concern to many states is the adoption of a federal renewable portfolio standard (RPS), which requires electricity providers to obtain a minimum percentage of their power from renewable energy resources by a certain date. Nevada's RPS, enacted in 1997, already sets a higher goal of 20% by 2015; therefore, the state would likely not be affected by the federal RPS levels proposed in the legislation.
The legislative push will materialize at the committee level first, with numerous hearings scheduled in both House and Senate Committees. (See "Key Hearings and Markups," right.)
NEVADA LEADERS PUSH FOR STUDY AND ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Progress on the issue of climate change has also been a stated priority for Senator Reid (D-NV), but no deadlines have been set for floor action on legislation. However, there are numerous hearings on global climate change scheduled for this week and thereafter in both chambers. (See "Key Hearings and Markups," right.)
Last
week, Governor Jim Gibbons signed an
executive order creating the Nevada Climate Change
Advisory Committee and named its 13 members. The
Committee is tasked with making recommendations to the
Governor on reducing Nevada’s greenhouse gas emissions.
MEDICARE DRUG PRICE NEGOTIATION BILL PASSES SENATE COMMITTEE
The Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007 passed out of committee last Thursday by a vote of 13-8. The new legislation will strike the non-interference clause from Medicare prescription drug law, clearing the way for the government to negotiate Part D drug prices.
The House passed a similar bill, which is far more reaching then the Senate version. The Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007 is intended to include language that would allow the government to share certain drug pricing data-including information on rebates and discounts-with congressional research agencies, for the purpose of studying the drug benefit program and providing oversight.
The Finance Committee approved two amendments brought to the panel members, one from Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) and the second from Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV). Grassley’s amendment would call for expressing the sense of the Senate on the need to revisit the low-income subsidy asset test and the need to address Part D pharmacy issues. Rockefeller’s amendment would allow the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to share Part D drug benefits claims data with states.
The full Senate is scheduled to take up the measure the week of April 16. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) expects the White House to veto the bill later this month.
ENSIGN BILL TO PREVENT TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS FOR FIGHTING PASSES SENATE
The Senate passed on April 11 the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, lead-sponsored by Senator John Ensign (R-NV). The legislation makes it a felony to transport animals across state lines for the purpose of fighting.
Federal
anti-animal fighting laws are currently in place to prohibit
the fighting of animals for sport. However, none of the
federal or state laws prevent the transportation of animals
to and from fighting events. This new legislation is
believed to give law enforcement more effective tools to
help end the practice of fighting animals and make it a
felony if a person is caught transporting animals across
state lines for fighting.
