THE WEEK AHEAD
The SENATE convened at 2:00 p.m. today to
consider several expiring tax provisions. Tuesday, and for the
balance of the week, the Senate is scheduled to take up a judicial
nomination and FAA reauthorization.
The Senate is expected to work on the Tax Extenders Act of 2009 (H.R. 4213), which would extend an estimated $31 billion in tax code provisions that expired at the end of last year, including individual tax relief and tax credits for alternative fuels and large hybrid vehicles. The bill also would extend through 2010 tax provisions related to disaster relief, charitable contributions, and community development.
The bill may also be a vehicle for extension of unemployment
benefits, COBRA health care subsidies for laid-off workers with an
increase in Medicaid reimbursements to states, dozens of lapsed tax
breaks for businesses, farm disaster aid and other provisions. The tax
legislation passed the House December 9 on a vote of 241-181. The
Senate also is scheduled to consider a U.S. circuit judge nomination for
the Fourth Circuit.
The HOUSE is not in session today, and is set
to convene at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday to take up 10 measures under suspension
of the rules. Wednesday and Thursday, the House is scheduled to consider
6 measures under suspension of the rules and one measure subject to a
rule. The House plans to meet Friday, but no votes are expected.
The House is scheduled to consider the Senate-passed Jobs for Main Street Act (H.R. 2847), which extends existing highway programs and expand the offering of “Build America Bonds” to fund state and local infrastructure projects. The bill also includes $16 billion in tax cuts aimed at encouraging businesses to hire new workers. The tax package includes an exemption from Social Security payroll taxes for every worker hired in 2010 that had been previously unemployed for at least 60 days. The Senate passed the bill February 24 on a vote of 70-28.
The House also plans to consider the Preventing Harmful
Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (H.R. 4247) which would prevent
elementary and secondary school personnel from using physical restraint
or seclusion against students.
KEY HEARINGS & MARKUPS
BANKING, HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Tuesday, March 2 at 9:30 a.m., 538 Dirksen Building
ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Thursday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m., 366 Dirksen Building
The Communication, Technology and the Internet Subcommittee of
the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold an oversight hearing
on broadband provisions in the economic stimulus law.
Thursday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Building
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
Wednesday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m., 406 Dirksen Building
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a
hearing on pending Clean Air Act legislation.
Thursday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m., 406 Dirksen Building
HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR
Thursday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m., 430 Dirksen Building
The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on
federal nutrition programs.
Tuesday, March 2 at 2:30 p.m., 2175 Rayburn Building
HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
Wednesday, March 3 at 9:30 a.m., 342 Dirksen Building
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
March 4 at 10a.m., 2318 Rayburn Building
SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Thursday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m., 485 Russell Building
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE: The
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will mark up pending
NTSB reauthorization legislation.
Wednesday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m., 2167 Rayburn Building
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold
an oversight hearing titled “The Water Resources Development Act of 2007
(PL 110-114): A Review of Implementation in Its Third Year.”
Wednesday, March 3 at 11:00 a.m., 2167 Rayburn Building
VETERANS’ AFFAIRS: The Senate Veterans’
Affairs Committee will hold an oversight hearing on mental health care
and suicide prevention for veterans.
March 3 at 9:30a.m., 418 Russell Building
SENATE "JOBS BILL" LOSES MOMENTUM IN HOUSE; FEDERAL HIGHWAY PROGRAM HALTS
Last week, the Senate moved forward
with pieces of its “jobs agenda”. The first was the adoption of a
$15 billion jobs bill offered by Senator Harry Reid. The
slimmed-down bill passed by a wide bipartisan margin of 70-28 and
contains four elements: a year-long extension of the Highway Trust Fund;
payroll tax relief to businesses that hire new workers; an extension of
the Build America Bonds program (a benefit to state and local
governments), and expense deductions for small businesses.
Many expected the House to swiftly adopt the Senate bill and clear it for the President’s signature, but opposition from several groups, including conservative Democrats, transportation leaders and the Congressional Black Caucus stopped the bill from being immediately considered late last week. As the week began, it was unclear how quickly the measure will move forward in the House.
The bill's extension of the federal highway program was one of two last minute efforts to keep the program operating beyond its slated expiration yesterday (Feburary 28, 2010). The Senate also tried to pass another bill (HR 4691) to extend (short-term) expiring safety net provisions, which included the highway program.
The measure would have also extended unemployment benefits through April 5 and COBRA insurance subsidies to March 31. However, the bill became bogged down when Senate Majority Leader Reid and Senator Bunning of Kentucky got locked into a disagreement over how to pay for the measure. Bunning wants to tap stimulus funds to pay for parts of the bill.
A long-term extension bill is also in the works. It would likely include: the research and development tax credit, a six-month extension of Medicaid assistance to the states (FMAP), the deductibility of state sales taxes, incentives for biofuels, and other provisions.
HOUSE PANEL HEARS GEOTHERMAL LEASING BILL
Last week, the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing
on HR 3709, which would expand access to geothermal leasing on federal
lands. The bipartisan measure is sponsored by Representatives Jay
Inslee (D-WA) and Mike Simpson (R-ID) and is intended to prevent
speculators from driving up land and leasing costs near geothermal
development sites. It would do so by allowing the BLM to offer
noncompetitive geothermal leases to companies that hold leasing rights
on adjacent federal lands.
EPA WILL DELAY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION CONTROLS; REID PRESSES FOR CLIMATE BILL
Administrator Jackson announced this week, in a letter to Senator Jay
Rockefeller (D-WV), that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would
delay until 2011 its greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations for large
emitters, and would phase-in regulations through 2016.
The delay was welcomed by Senators Rockefeller and Lisa
Murkowski (R-AK), both of whom have expressed serious concern over EPA's
move to regulate GHGs; however, neither backed away from plans to block
or further postpone the regulations. Senator Murkowski plans to
move forward with her disapproval resolution next month and Senator
Rockefeller is drafting a bill that is intended to delay the EPA from
moving ahead with the regulations (by six to twelve months) until
legislation is in effect.
Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) continue to work on their comprehensive energy and climate bill. Majority Leader Harry Reid is pressing the trio to have their bill ready for floor debate. Compressing the timeline is that the need for an analysis by EPA, which is expected to take several weeks.
This week, Senator Kerry indicated that a sticking point in the negotiations has been on a price mechanism for carbon emissions.
MONUMENT LIST FROM INTERIOR SPARKS TWO LEGISLATIVE FIXES
Three members of the Utah delegation are moving to introduce a bill that would prevent the White House from using the Antiquities Act to designate a national monument in the state. Senators Bennett, Hatch and Representative Bishop believe the legislation is necessary to prevent new monuments unless first authorized by Congress. The bill would be modeled on a similar law from 1950 affecting Wyoming.
Sixteen Western House Members have requested more documents from the Department of the Interior regarding the “brainstorming” list of potential new monuments, which was leaked last month. The list included to Nevada locations.
Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) sought to offer an amendment on the Senate floor last week, which he touted as an "alternative jobs bill for Nevada." The bill would have made a similar prohibition for Nevada, which DeMint believed would create jobs by prohibiting restrictions on mining, forestry and energy development.
Senator Harry Reid issued a statement indicating he had spoken with
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar about the leaked list, and had been given
assurances that Salazar would not act without the consent of the Nevada
Congressional delegation. The Nevada delegation has traditionally
worked collaboratively on lands bills.
GRANT NOTICES:
Grant notices published in last week's Federal Register are now available by visiting our website.
The Nevada Weekly is published when Congress is in session.
The State of Nevada Washington Office
is reachable by phone at (202) 624-5405.
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