Weekly Update


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2007
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS REACH DEAL ON CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM Congressional leaders reached an agreement last week on the framework for a bill to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), with some details yet to be finalized. The compromise bill largely resembles the Senate-passed version, but would adopt the funding formula in the House-passed version, which raises the amount from $35 billion over five years to $60 billion during the same time period. The additional increase is expected to be generated by a 61 cent federal tax increase on all tobacco products. Under the House-passed version, the total allocation would be capped at $60 billion over five years. The compromise also is expected to include $300 million for dental coverage. Senate leaders believe the compromise will garner the 60 votes needed to proceed in that chamber, and is expected to gain more support in the House than the previous bill - although still not enough to override the President’s anticipated veto. If vetoed, Congress would need to approve a temporary extension to keep the program running, possibly as part of a continuing resolution (CR). Several timeframes for an extension have been proposed, including a short-term extension until mid-November. Wednesday, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), along with House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-TX) and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Nathan Deal (R-GA), introduced legislation that would provide about $8 billion to extend SCHIP for 18 months. Nevada’s SCHIP program is called Nevada Check-Up and currently has approximately 30,000 eligible children enrolled. To be eligible for Nevada Check-Up a child must be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). According to the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS, 100,000 eligible Nevada children are not currently enrolled in Nevada Check-Up. SENATE CONTINUES DoD AUTHORIZATION; PRO-GUARD PROVISIONS INCLUDED This week, the Senate is expected to continue debating its version of the $648.8 billion Department of Defense (DoD) authorization bill. The measure includes a provision that would repeal changes made to the "Insurrection Act" in last year's DoD authorization bill, expanding the President's authority to call the National Guard in domestic emergencies without consulting Governors. Several provisions of the National Guard Empowerment Act are also included in the underlying bill; however additional provisions are expected to be offered, including one that would elevate the chief of the National Guard Bureau to a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The House passed its authorization bill (H.R. 1585) on May 17. SENATE FHA REFORM PASSES COMMITTEE Last Wednesday, the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee approved legislation to reform the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) by a vote of 20 to 1. The measure is similar to the recently passed House bill (H.R. 1852) but it does not include the funding provision for an affordable housing trust fund or the additional House provisions to boost the size of mortgages that the FHA could insure. The Senate draft would increase the size of mortgages that FHA could insure to $417,000; reduce the down payment homebuyers must pay; and, increase civil and criminal penalties for fraud. These changes have been enacted to help remediate the decline in the housing market and the sharp increase in forecloses through the country. Nevada current is listed per capita has having the highest amount of foreclosures at 5,000 since June of 2007. Committee Chairman Christopher S. Dodd (D-CT) has indicated that he would like to move the bill quickly to the Senate floor and then to conference with the House. INTERNET TAX MORATORIUM BILLS MOVING FORWARD IN BOTH HOUSES Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) set Thursday, September 27, as the date on which the committee would address legislation to extend the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA). The ITFA imposes a moratorium on the imposition of taxes by state and local governments on Internet access services. The committee will take-up the ITFA Extension Act of 2007, introduced by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mike Enzi (R-WY) and George V. Voinovich (R-OH). The bill would extend the moratorium for four years, modernize the definition of Internet access to close existing tax loopholes, and maintain grandfather protections for certain states. The National Governors Association, along with several other state and local government organizations, supported the bill as a reasonable extension of the moratorium. HOUSE PASSES FAA REAUTHORIZATION Last Thursday, the House passed the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2007 by a vote of 267 to 151. The bill authorizes $37.2 billion for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations, $13 billion for FAA Facilities and Equipment, $15.8 billion for the Airport Improvement Program, and $1.82 billion for Research and Engineering. The legislation extends the ticket taxes that support the Aviation and Airways Trust Fund through fiscal year 2011, and includes an increase in the passenger facility charge ceiling to $7.00, an issue that is critically important to commercial airports. Other highlights of the bill include: establishment of an Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection at the U.S. Department of Transportation; several provisions to address mounting concerns about delays, cancellations, and overbooking; repeal of the local participation match of the Essential Air Service program; and the creation of an Office of Rural Aviation to monitor the status of air service to small communities and develop proposals to improve service. The Senate Finance Committee was scheduled to consider an aviation financing package late yesterday afternoon but that markup was rescheduled for this morning. The Senate Commerce Committee reported its FAA reauthorization bill in August, and floor consideration of the bill and the finance title is expected soon. However, FAA programs and ticket taxes will expire on September 30, so it is likely that a short-term extension will be necessary. NEVADA RECEIVES GRANT FUNDING The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has awarded Nevada’s hospitals a $3,663,636 million grant which will allow them to prepare for any public health crisis. The grant will fund Nevada’s Hospital Preparedness Program, a program designed to prepare for and respond to possible public health emergencies, such as bioterrorism attacks and flu outbreaks. Additionally, The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) has awarded Nevada more then $2.2 million money to prevent domestic violence, make criminal investigations more efficient and fight juvenile crime. The funds are to be split between the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department ($467,500), The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges at the University of Nevada, Reno ($449,976), Douglas County ($500,000) for prevention of violence against women, Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe ($399,984) for the prevention of violence against women through improved services, and Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California ($400,000), for the Prevention of violence against women through a strengthened tribal criminal justice system.	THE WEEK AHEAD: Among other issues, Congress this week will focus on a continuing resolution to extend federal funding for all programs past the end of the federal fiscal year, the Water Resources Development Act, the State Children's Health Insurance Program. BOTH CHAMBERS will work to address a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded after the current fiscal year (FY) ends on Sunday, September 30. To date, none of the FY08 appropriations bills have been finalized; the House has completed all twelve but the Senate has finished only four, and no conference reports have been completed. It is anticipated that the duration of the CR will be longer than originally planned, possibly through Friday, November 16. The proposed CR also may include short-term extensions of the Farm Bill, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and Federal Aviation Administration. The SENATE today will consider the conference report to the Water Resources Development Act. Tomorrow, the Senate continues its consideration of the Defense authorization bill (H.R. 1585). The State Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 and a CR also are scheduled for floor consideration later in the week. The conference report for the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which authorizes $21 billion for more than 900 Army Corps of Engineers projects, was passed by the House on August 1. If passed by the Senate and signed by the President, the measure would be the first reauthorization in seven years; however, the White House has issued a veto threat against the measure. In addition, the Senate will need to address H.J. Res. 43, which would increase the statutory debt ceiling by $850 billion to $9.815 trillion. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. has notified Congress that the current debt limit is projected to be reached on Monday, October 1. As a result, the Treasury Department said that it will suspend issuance of special debt securities to state and local governments starting this week. The House automatically approved a debt ceiling increase (under the Gephardt Rule) when it adopted the conference report to the budget resolution in May. The HOUSE convenes today to consider nineteen measures under suspension, including the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2007 and a bill to reauthorize the Drug Endangered Children Act. Tomorrow, the House is scheduled to consider twelve additional measures under suspension, including legislation that would extend trade adjustment assistance programs, including Trade Adjustment for Workers, Trade Adjustment for Firms, and Trade Adjustment for Farmers, for three months, beginning October 1, 2007. Also tomorrow (and for the remainder of the week), the chamber is scheduled to consider the State Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, a CR, the Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act, the Small Business Investment Expansion Act of 2007, and the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007. HEARINGS TO NOTE AGRICULTURE: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies has scheduled a Tuesday, September 25, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 2362-A Rayburn House Office Building on food safety. BORDER SECURITY: The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a Thursday, September 27, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building on border security. CRIMINAL JUSTICE: The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a markup of legislation (S. 980) to amend the Controlled Substance Act to address online pharmacies on Thursday, September 27, at 10:00 a.m. in 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has scheduled a markup of the Protecting Children in the 21^st Century Act of 2007 (S. 1965) on Thursday, September 27, at 2:30 p.m. in 253 Russell Senate Office Building. ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a Monday, September 24, hearing at 3:00 p.m. in 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building on climate change and wildfires. The House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education has scheduled a Tuesday, September 25, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 2318 Rayburn House Office Building on social sciences and energy policy. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a Wednesday, September 26, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building on legislation (S. 1543) to establish a national geothermal initiative. HEALTH: The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a Tuesday, September 25, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in G-50 Dirksen Senate Office Building on long-term care options. The House Science and Technology Committee has scheduled a Wednesday, September 26, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 2318 Rayburn House Office Building on health information technology. HOMELAND SECURITY: The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology has scheduled a Wednesday, September 26, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 311 Cannon House Office Building on pandemic preparedness. The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security has scheduled a Friday, September 28, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building on pandemic preparedness. HOUSING and FINANCIAL SERVICES: The House Financial Services Committee has scheduled a Tuesday, September 25, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 2128 Rayburn House Office Building on housing and consumer protection bills. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law has scheduled a Tuesday, September 25, hearing at 3:00 p.m. in 2237 Rayburn House Office Building on mortgage issues. The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee has scheduled a Wednesday, September 26, hearing at 9:30 a.m. in 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building on the impact of credit-rating agencies on the subprime credit markets. The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises has scheduled a Thursday, September 27, hearing at 2:00 p.m. in 2128 Rayburn House Office Building on credit rating agencies and financial markets. INTERNET ACCESS: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has scheduled a markup of the ITFA Extension Act (S. 1453) on Thursday, September 27, at 2:30 p.m. in 253 Russell Senate Office Building. The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee has scheduled a Wednesday, September 26, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 428A Russell Senate Office Building on Internet access for small business. RURAL SCHOOLS: The House Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a markup of the Public Land Communities Transition Assistance Act of 2007 (H.R. 3058) on Wednesday, September 26, at 11:00 a.m. in 1324 Longworth House Office Building. TRADE: The House Ways and Means Committee has scheduled a markup of the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday, September 25, at 10:00 a.m. in 1100 Longworth House Office Building. TRANSPORTATION: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit has scheduled a Wednesday, September 26, hearing at 10:00 a.m. in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building on the New Starts and Smart Starts Programs.
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