Weekly Update


MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2008
ENSIGN/CANTWELL ENERGY AMENDMENT SUCCESSFULLY PASSES SENATE Last week, Senators Ensign (R-NV) and Cantwell (D-WA) passed an amendment to extend renewable energy tax credits. The amendment was successfully added to the Senate’s housing market-foreclosure relief bill (HR 3221) by an 88-8 vote. The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Baucus (D-MT), is also forming legislation to extend tax credits. Both sets of tax credits face an uphill battle in the House because of its strict adherence to pay-go rules; both versions of the credit language lack the necessary offsets. FARM BILL NEGOTIATIONS NEARING COMPLETION After weeks of negotiations, the Farm Bill is now officially in conference committee and nearing its completion. House Republicans and Democrats agreed to hold the farm bill spending to only $5.5 billion above the baseline. The $5.5 billion additional spending is fully offset; however, the offsets do not rely on tax increases. The House voted last Wednesday overwhelmingly (400-11) to oppose higher taxes that could offset the spending in the farm bill. The Farm Bill will expire this Friday, April 18^th. RUMOR: A SECOND ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE? There is much discussion on Capitol Hill about the possibility of a second economic stimulus package this spring. Many officials debate its need and whether or not to pay for it with offsets that are often difficult to come by. The package could possibly be its own independent measure or as part of the war supplemental bill. IMMIGRATION PETITIONS IN HOUSE GAINING GROUND Two discharge petitions currently circulating in the House would force action on bills not yet scheduled for a floor vote. The first petition supports the enforcement-only immigration bill (H.R. 4088) sponsored by Representative Heath Shuler; the petition currently has 185 signatures of 218 signatures needed. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this measure would cost the federal government at least $23 billion over the next ten years. The second petition demands action for a bill (H.R. 1843) that would increase the number of H-2B visas needed for seasonal workers. This petition also needs 218 signatures but currently has only 24 signatures. Due to the pending petitions, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has permitted hearings on H.R. 4088 and H.R. 1843 to proceed. SENATE MULLS TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO SAFETEA-LU The Senate began debate today on a bill that would make technical corrections to the 2005 surface transportation law, including providing additional funding for an earmarked rail project. The measure would also increase the minimum state share of total highway safety formula grants from 0.5 percent to 0.75 percent; reduce the minimum penalties that states would have to impose on repeat drunk drivers in order to avoid a loss of federal highway funding; and would allow states to impose a 45-day suspension of all driving privileges followed by a period during which an offender could drive only to work, school or alcohol treatment programs. The corrections bill passed the House in August.	THE WEEK AHEAD: The HOUSE convenes on Monday to consider 7 measures under suspension. On Tuesday, April 15 and for the remainder of the week, the House will take up 7 measures under suspension, and four bills subject to a rule. The House is not in session on Friday. The House will consider several measures under suspension of the rules, including bills on language in government contracts and child abuse prevention. On April 16, the House is expected to consider a measure to give students increased access to federal student loans and the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act that would remove the authority of the IRS to use private companies to collect debt and also includes an offset provision that requires a substantiation to make withdrawals from health savings accounts. The SENATE convenes at 2:00 p.m. to consider technical corrections to the 2005 Highway bill (H.R. 1195) KEY HEARINGS AND MARKUPS AGRICULTURE: House and Senate conferees will meet to consider H.R. 2419, which would reauthorize federal farm programs: Monday, April 14 at 3:30 p.m., 325 Russell Building. BANKING: The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the U.S. credit markets, focusing on the impact on the cost and availability of student loans: Tuesday, April 15 at 10:00 a.m., 538 Dirksen Building. The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Turmoil in U.S. Credit Markets: Examining Proposals to Mitigate Foreclosures and Restore Liquidity to the Mortgage Markets”: Wednesday, April 16 at 10:00 a.m., 538 Dirksen Building. COMMUNICATIONS: The Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold an oversight hearing on the Federal Communications Commission and its recent auction of the 700 Mhz airwaves: Tuesday, April 15 at 9:30 a.m., 2322 Rayburn Building. ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES: The Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the House Science and Technology Committee will hold a hearing on the Energy Department’s FutureGen Program, which is an initiative to equip multiple new clean coal power plants with advanced carbon capture and storage technology: Tuesday, April 15 at 10:00 a.m., 2318 Rayburn Building. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on pending Clean Water Restoration Act legislation (H.R. 2421): Wednesday, April 16 at 11:00 a.m., 2167 Rayburn Building. The Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on issues associated with aging water resource infrastructure that is operated and maintained or owned by the Bureau of Reclamation: Thursday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m., 366 Dirksen Building. FINANCIAL SERVICES: The Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on pending foreclosure prevention legislation (H.R. 5679): Wednesday, April 16 at 10:00 a.m., 2128 Rayburn Building. HOMELAND SECURITY: The State, Local and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on fusion centers, focusing on a progress report: Thursday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m., 342 Dirksen Building. TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE: The Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing titled: “Surface Transportation and the Global Economy”: Wednesday, April 16 at 10:00 a.m., 406 Dirksen Building.
The Nevada Weekly is published on Mondays when Congress is in session. Recent and archived Federal Grants Notifications are 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.
	Powered by