THE WEEK AHEAD
Congress will focus this
week on legislation to raise the debt ceiling, continued efforts to
complete health care legislation and earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.
The SENATE
convenes at 11:00 a.m. today for a pro forma session. Wednesday,
and for the remainder of the week, the Senate is scheduled to take up a
judicial nomination and debt limit legislation.
On December 24, the
Senate voted to boost the limit by $290 billion, to nearly $12.4
trillion. An agreement was reached late last year to start debate
on Wednesday, and to allow for consideration of up to 11 amendments.
Each amendment will require 60 votes for adoption. The Senate is
also expected to continue discussions on health care legislation this
week.
The HOUSE also returns today for legislative business, and is set to convene at 2:00 p.m. today to take up 10 measures under suspension of the rules. Wednesday, and for the balance of the week, the House is scheduled to consider 15 measures under suspension of the rules.
Later in the week, the House is expected to take up a Haiti earthquake relief bill that would allow taxpayers to claim earthquake-related charitable deductions on their 2009 tax returns for contributions made prior to March 1.
STATE OF THE UNION: It was announced today that President Obama's first State of the Union address will take place on Wednesday, January 27th. He is expected to release his FY2011 federal budget on Monday, February 1.
KEY HEARINGS AND MARKUPS
APPROPRIATIONS: The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on how to save and create jobs.
Thursday, January 21 at 9:30 a.m., 192 Dirksen Building
FINANCE/FINANCIAL SERVICES: The Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on pending legislation that would aim to reduce housing discrimination and reauthorize funds for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program.
Wednesday, January 20 at 10:00 a.m., 2128 Rayburn Building
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: The House Science and Technology Committee will hold a hearing titled “America COMPETES: Big Picture Perspectives on the Need for Innovation, Investment in R&D and a Commitment to STEM Education”
Wednesday, January 20 at 10:00 a.m., 2318 Rayburn Building
AFTER HEATLH CARE, CONGRESS EXPECTED TO MOVE TO JOBS CREATION BILL
Once President Obama and Congressional Democrats complete or fail to complete work on health reform, the focus is expected to turn immediately to the economy and jobs.
Predictions on when the Senate will unveil and move their version of a jobs bill remains wide-open; it could be as early as next week or later in the spring when the financial regulations are done. Senate Democrats are reportedly mulling the inclusion of “card check" legislation, which would loosen the rules for organizing a union, in their jobs package.
The House passed their $154B jobs bill in December before recessing for Christmas. The measure (H.R. 2847) includes provisions on infrastructure spending (highways and clean water), funding support for public sector jobs (law enforcement and education), safety net provisions (extensions of unemployment benefits and COBRA subsidies) and an extension of highway and transit law through September 2010.
A 4-page summary of the Jobs for Main Street Act is available at http://appropriations.house.gov/
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS SPAR ON EPA PROPOSED RULES, CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION
Alaska R
Senator Murkowski may offer amendment to the pending debt limit
legislation (
While Murkowski's amendment is likely to fail, it is expected to act as an early "test vote" of Democratic leadership's ability to move forward with climate or energy legislation - bills that already face an uncertain fate. If several moderate Democrats join Republicans in the vote, it may codify a feeling already prevalent in Washington - that climate change legislation is a non-starter in this election year.
SECOND ROUND COMPETITION OF ARRA BROADBAND GRANTS ANNOUNCED
On January 15, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced a second round of funding for ARRA grants and loans to expand broadband access and adoption across the United States. NTIA and RUS plan to accept applications from February 16, 2010, to March 15, 2010, to compete for $2.6 billion in grants under the Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program (BTOP) and $2.2 billion under the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP).
Congress appropriated $7.2 billion in the ARRA for broadband deployment and adoption and required all funds to be awarded by September 30, 2010. Based on feedback from the first round of funding that concluded last fall, NTIA and RUS have revised the BTOP/BIP application and review process, and new notices of funding availability (NOFAs) will be published in the Federal Register this week.
The agencies also announced a
series of public workshops nationwide, one of which will be held
in Reno, to review and answer questions regarding the revised
application process. To view the joint press release and workshop
locations, go to
www.ntia.doc.gov/press/2010/BTOP_BIP_NOFAII_100115.html. The BTOP
NOFA can be viewed at
www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2010/FR_BTOPNOFA_100115.pdf.
The Nevada Weekly is published when Congress is in session.
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