House Cloakroom: February 6 – February 10 Analysis:  This week the House the will consider legislation to sell off civilian property it owns, institute a line-item veto and ban congressional insider trading.  The week will begin with the Civilian Property Realignment Act, which would create a BRAC-like process to determine the usefulness of government owned property and which of those properties can be sold off.  The Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Recessions Act would allow the President to propose specific recessions and have those voted on by Congress in an … More

House Cloakroom: January 30 – February 3 Analysis: This week will be a busy week on the House floor.  They will begin today by voting to send the FAA reauthorization to conference.  The houses are still working to resolve dispute over a pro-labor ruling recently made by the National Mediation Board.  The most significant bill on the floor this week will be a repeal of the CLASS Act.  The CLASS Act is a long term care entitlement program that was included in Obamacare.  Recently the Department of Health and Human … More

Analysis: Over the weekend the Senate passed a two month extension of the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance and SGR (the doc fix) along with a provision to expedite the decision making process for the Keystone XL pipeline.  The House will return today to vote on this Senate compromise and a likely to vote it down over objections to the extension lasting for only two months.  At this time Senator Reid (D-NV) does not have plans to bring the Senate back into session should the House vote down the Senate … More

House Cloakroom: December 12 – December 16 Analysis: This week the House will take up two large year end packages.  The first will be the extension of the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance, TANF and the “doc fix.”  The cost of the bill is offset through a federal pay freeze, means testing of Medicare, flood insurance reform and increases in fees for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  The bill also includes a provision to speed approval of the Keystone XL pipeline and stop the EPA’s Boiler MACT regulations. The House … More

House Cloakroom: December 5 – December 9 Analysis: This week the House of Representatives will take up two major bills relating to regulations.  The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act would require that major regulations from executive agencies be approved by Congress.  The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act would block a new EPA rule that imposes regulations on the dust kicked up by farming activities.  The House could also take up legislation related to expiring programs including payroll taxes, unemployment insurance and the Sustainable Growth Rate … More

This week the House will take up several regulatory reform bills. The Regulatory Accountability Act would increase the requirements an executive agency has to meet in the rule making process as well as expand judicial review of legislation. The House will also take up the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act that would prevent micro-unions. When the Senate returns from the Thanksgiving holiday this week they are expected to vote on an extension of the payroll tax cut. More

House Cloakroom: October 24 – October 28 Analysis: This week the House will take up two important changes to the tax code.  The first would change the way income is calculated when with respect to eligibility requirements for certain healthcare tax benefits.  The second would end the 3% withholding on payments to businesses by the government.  This second bill has already failed in a cloture vote in the Senate, but is expected to fair better in the House. Major Floor Action: HR 2576:  – To amend the Internal Revenue Code … More

Senate Cloakroom: October 17 – October 21 Analysis: This week the Senate will move to a large appropriations bill which will wrap several individual appropriations together into one legislative package.  Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) will offer an amendment to the House passed Agriculture Appropriations bill which will add the Commerce, Justice and Science as well as the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development appropriations bills.  It will be important to watch what the top line budget number for this so called “minibus” will be and whether they remain at the … More

House Cloakroom: October 10 – October 14 ‘ Analysis: The major issues facing the House this week will be three free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).  These free trade agreements had been held by the Obama Administration since they came into office in 2009 and were finally sent to Congress after the Senate passed TAA.  All four of these bills are expected to pass this week. Major Floor Action: HR 3078 – United States – Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act HR 3079 … More