Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced late last Thursday night that the Senate will not vote on a stimulus package until this upcoming week. Senator Reid filed for cloture on the motion to proceed to the House bill (H.R. 5140). That motion will become due on Monday, February 4.
The Senate is expected to take up a series of amendments including the Senate Finance Committee plan; an alternative proposal that includes funding for unemployment benefits, mortgage revenue bonds and food stamps; an amendment to expand heating and cooling assistance; and a vote on extending rebates to low-income seniors and disabled veterans. Other amendments are also possibly. If the amendments fail, the Senate would then vote on the House stimulus package which passed that chamber.
PRESIDENT'S FY09 BUDGET RELEASED TODAY
The President unveiled his proposed federal budget for federal Fiscal Year 2009 today, Monday, February 4. For the first time in history the budget reached the $3 trillion mark. The budget includes $12 billion to combat illegal immigration by enforcing border security. The budget also contains $27 million to fight methamphetamine distribution among American Indians.
The various authorizing and appropriations committees in Congress will follow up with hearings organized by department. Those hearings that have been announced are detailed in the right-hand column of this update, toward the bottom.
TAX REBATES AND DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
The Senate Finance Committee's version of the economic stimulus package provides tax credits and deductions to promote energy efficient projects. This amendment would add $5.6 billion to the economic stimulus package.
The Department of Energy announced last week it will no longer support the FutureGen project. The proposed project was expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired generators. The DOE will instead pursue clean coal technology for research and development projects by a $150 million fund increase from FY 08. The increased funding would support projects that reduce greenhouse gas emission and/or improve ways to capture carbon dioxide.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the effects of the Renewable Fuel Standard on February 7 at 9:30a.m.
WHITE PAPER RELEASED ON GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
This past week House Representatives Dingell and Boucher released a white paper outlining the various international hurdles U.S.-passed legislation must address. The white paper explores possible WTO challenges in persuading developing nations to limit their emissions. The paper also examines tariffs on trade partners in order to balance the restrictions that would be placed on U.S. businesses.
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality will hold a hearing on February 28. The subcommittee panel is chaired by Representative Boucher.
BYRNE/JAG GRANTS RECEIVE SAY FROM SENATE
Thursday, a bipartisan group of senators said they would seek $660 million to fund the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG Grants). The Byrne/JAG grant program was cut in the FY 2008 omnibus appropriations bill by 67 percent, from $520 million in FY 2007 to $170 million in FY 2008.
Under the current reduction, Nevada will lose approximately $2.5 million, which will have a dramatic impact for local law enforcement. The loss of these funds will result in the loss of important tools for preventing crime. Additionally, complex crime and drug cases will be put on hold and informants will be lost, community-based prisoner re-entry programs will lose their funding, and programs for victims of crime and nonviolent offenders will be cut back.
The Senate has indicated that they may try
to attach funding to an emergency war spending bill for fiscal year (FY)
2008, which is expected in March.
