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Senate Democrats Air Small Business Concerns to White House

News Staff — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:48:00 GMT

(POLITICO) - Several Senate Democrats voiced concerns about small business, part time workers and the health law at a meeting with two key administration officials on May 23. The senators said that they conveyed to Small Business Administrator Karen Mills and White House health policy adviser Jeanne Lambrew the worries they are hearing from small businesses, including restaurants, about the requirement that employees working a 30 hour week be considered full time and must be covered.

Student Loan Bill Clears House

News Staff — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:46:00 GMT

The House of Representatives on May 23 passed a bill to overhaul student-loan interest rates, flouting a veto threat from the White House and setting in motion a countdown to July 1 when rates for need-based loans are set to double. Both Democrats and Republicans on both sides of the aisle agree something needs to be done to keep interest rates from doubling; just how to go about doing it remains the sticking point.

Foxx Sails Through Confirmation Hearing

News Staff — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:59:00 GMT

Sen. Thune Wants Answers on Sequester

Transportation Secretary-designate Anthony Foxx came out of his confirmation hearing May 22 looking like a surefire bet to get through the Commerce Committee and onto the full Senate with few complaints.During the hearing, he committed to study a series of issues and to visit lawmakers' home states to work on region-specific projects. Senators on both sides of the aisle noted the good feelings in the hearing room.

House Approves Keystone Bill for 7th time

News Staff — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:52:00 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation authored by Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) on a 241-175 vote Wednesday, green-lighting the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Despite the numerous pro-Keystone House votes, it is unlikely that the legislation will gain traction in the Senate. And on Tuesday, the White House threatened to veto the bill.

House Immigration Bill Continues to Hit Snags

News Staff — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:48:00 GMT

Border security is emerging as the biggest challenge to passing immigration reform in the House after receiving the Senate-passed immigration bill on May 21. Republicans will demand strong enforcement measures as part of any immigration bill, and many on the House Judiciary Committee made clear Wednesday that they don’t feel the Senate bill does that right now.

U.S. House Questions Funds for Obamacare 'Assisters'

News Staff — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:30:00 GMT

Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee May 21 questioned where the Department of Health and Human Services is getting the authority to dole out tens of millions of dollars for "in-person assisters" to help people enroll in state-run health insurance exchanges.

U.S. Immigration Bill Advances to Senate, House Bill Faces Snags

News Staff — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-5 on May 21 to move sweeping immigration overhaul legislation to the Senate floor for what is certain to be a lengthy but potentially historic debate in June.

White House Threatens to Veto Keystone XL Approval Bill

News Staff — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:47:00 GMT

The White House on May 21 threatened to veto a House bill designed to approve building the Keystone pipeline, saying President Obama should have final say over the controversial project to bring oil from Canada to the U.S. “Because [the bill] seeks to circumvent longstanding and proven processes for determining whether cross-border pipelines are in the national interest by removing the presidential permitting requirement for the Keystone XL pipeline project, if presented to the president, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto this bill,” the White House budget office said in a statement of policy.

Fracking Rule Met With Criticism in U.S. Congress

News Staff — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:04:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of the Interior's revised proposal for regulating fracking on federal land provides industry with more of the flexibility it asked for, as well as provisions for states to remain in charge if their rules are strict enough.

Congress to Take Up Budget, Keystone, Student Loans

News Staff — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:04:00 GMT

Amid continued focus on the Internal Revenue Service and other controversies that have hit the Obama administration, lawmakers this week will take up items that sputtered in the last Congress, with the House set to address the Keystone XL pipeline and the Senate starting debate on its farm bill.

U.S. House Moves on Student Loan Legislation

News Staff — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:50:00 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives Education and the Workforce Committee passed legislation May 16, largely along party lines, that would revamp the system for setting student loan interest rates.

House Judiciary Panel Holds UAV Hearing

News Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:54:00 GMT

Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives focused on the Fourth Amendment implications of domestic UAV surveillance at a hearing May 17, but did not get a unified message from witnesses on how to tackle the issue.

House Republicans Prepare for Debt Ceiling Fight

News Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:32:00 GMT

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives held a meeting this week where they discussed what their objective should be in the upcoming debate over the debt ceiling, with plans to introduce a measure before the August recess.

House Group Nearing Immigration Deal

News Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:16:00 GMT

A bipartisan group of members of the U.S. House of Representatives that is working toward a comprehensive immigration reform proposal is nearing consensus.

Obamacare Repeal Bill Passed

News Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:39:00 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the 37th repeal of the Affordable Care Act up on May 17. The legislation passed 229-195, with Reps. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) and Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) breaking rank to vote with Republicans.

The IRS Scandal's Impact on Tax Reform

News Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:47:00 GMT

There is a new threat to tax reform: the IRS. The unfolding scandal over the agency improperly targeting conservative groups is forcing the chief tax writers in Congress to shift attention away from the comprehensive tax code overhaul they have been aggressively pursuing.

House Committee Approves Keystone XL Bill

News Staff — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted 33 to 24 on May 16 to send a bill that would approve the Keystone XL pipeline to the full House.

Administration Scandals Not Expected to Impact Immigration Reform

News Staff — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:51:00 GMT

As scandal captures much of Washington's attention, the chairmen of the House of Representatives and Senate Judiciary committees seem determined to move forward with immigration reform, despite the controversies that will inevitably demand much of their time.

Sequestration Causing a Reduction in Oil and Gas Revenue

News Staff — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:39:00 GMT

Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee have released a report arguing that sequestration will adversely impact federal oil-and-gas revenues.

Obamacare Repeal on Tap

News Staff — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:55:00 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives will be voting May 16 to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act, the third time the body has held such a full repeal vote since the law's passage in 2010.

Senate Republicans Meet with Potential New Transportation Leader

News Staff — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:06:00 GMT

Senate Commerce Committee Republicans meeting with Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Anthony Foxx regarding his nomination to lead the Department of Transportation indicate no issues.

Bill Introduced to Slash TSA Budget

News Staff — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:32:00 GMT

A Department of Homeland Security bill released May 15 by U.S. House of Representatives appropriators cuts the TSA's budget and caps the number of screening personnel at 46,000.

House Plans another Obamacare Repeal Vote

News Staff — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:16:00 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote this week for the 37th time to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The act still stands no chance of passing the Senate.

U.S. Senate to Continue Work on Immigration this Week

News Staff — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:20:00 GMT

The Senate Judiciary Committee will continue its markup of an immigration bill this week, preparing the legislation for a full-blown floor debate in June.

House to Tackle Student Loan Rates

News Staff — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:39:00 GMT

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are preparing to pass legislation that would remedy the looming problem of student loan interest rates. The fixed rate for need-based loans of 3.4 percent is set to double on July 1 unless Congress acts.

Contract Towers to Stay Open, for Now

News Staff — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Transportation has confirmed that a new FAA law will indeed keep money flowing to 149 contracted air traffic control towers previously targeted for cuts by the sequester.

Immigration Bill Begins Working through U.S. Congress

News Staff — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Divisions among Senate Republicans on the immigration reform bill have widened as lawmakers move toward the first votes on the issue.

Debit Limit and Budget Reform Fight Lay Ahead

News Staff — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:20:00 GMT

A clean debt-limit increase without any strings attached — essentially what President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) are asking for — does not stand a chance of passing the conservative House of Representatives as of now.

U.S. House Passes Comp Time Bill

News Staff — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:06:00 GMT

After last month's failed attempt, House of Representatives Republicans succeeded May 8 by passing legislation to give private businesses the ability to offer comp time to employees who work overtime.

Small Business to Break Into Trade

News Staff — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:13:00 GMT

House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.), along with Reps. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) and Scott Tipton (R-Colo.), chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade, will introduce three pieces of legislation May 9 to help small businesses break into trading.

House Commissions Report on Privatized Aviation Screeners

News Staff — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:25:00 GMT

Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul (R-Texas) has commissioned a Government Accountability Office report on privatized aviation screening operations.

Potential Changes for Bipartisan Immigration Plan

News Staff — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:03:00 GMT

There are potential changes on the horizon to the U.S. Senate's Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Backing for UAV Privacy Legislation

News Staff — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:10:00 GMT

Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) on May 8 renewed his pledge to introduce legislation that would set up a privacy framework for commercial UAV operations inside the United States. The key, he said, is to support the growth of the industry while protecting Americans and easing public skepticism.

UAV Battles Continue in the States

News Staff — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:09:00 GMT

State legislators in the United States are trying to limit UAVs in more than three-quarters of states "in the name of privacy rights, clashing with police and industry organizations that argue the efforts unfairly stigmatize a still-developing, widely misunderstood, and potentially useful technology that has an unfortunate link to the killing of terrorists in faraway deserts," POLITICO reports.

U.S. Senate Approves Internet Sales-Tax Bill

News Staff — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:15:00 GMT

The Marketplace Fairness Act, a bill allowing states to collect sales taxes on purchases made over the Internet, passed the Senate with nearly 70 votes and now faces an uncertain future in the House of Representatives.

Tax Committee Releases Report on Tax Code

News Staff — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:54:00 GMT

The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation released a roughly 560-page report on May 6 that offers a primer on the tax code, an overview of recent tax-reform proposals, and various tax-treatment ideas collected by the House Ways and Means Committee’s 11 working groups.

Debt-Ceiling Fight May Reignite this Week

News Staff — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:31:00 GMT

The brewing debt-ceiling showdown may begin flaring this week as House Republicans push action on a bill, signaling no retreat from their demand for spending cuts as a condition to any ceiling hike.

U.S. Congress Cannot Agree on Budget

News Staff — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:48:00 GMT

House and Senate lawmakers are disputing the best way to get to "yes" on a compromise spending blueprint, with the Republican-led House pushing for a broad framework for negotiations and the Democrat-led Senate looking to dive right into discussions.

U.S. House to Consider Optional Comp Time Bill

News Staff — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:26:00 GMT

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to consider the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013, H.R. 1406, according to the Small Business Legislative Council. The legislation would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

U.S. Senate to Take Up Minimum Wage Bill

News Staff — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

The Senate majority is expected to consider an effort to increase the minimum wage this summer. S. 460, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, will be the legislative vehicle.

Fate of Contract Towers Remains in Limbo

News Staff — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT

Contrary to reports May 2 by the Associated Press that were reported in HAI's RotorNews, the status of the FAA's contract towers remains unknown. Despite increasing pressure from dozens of municipal leaders and a diverse group of lawmakers asking directly for more information about the fate of the program, it remains in limbo.

Competing Fixes for Student Loans in Works

News Staff — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:49:00 GMT

With the rates on subsidized federal student loans set to double on July 1 from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) is sponsoring legislation to extend the lower rate for another two years. Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) has introduced a bill that he says would solve the greater problems facing student loans instead of punting yet again.

What Lies Ahead for Sequestration?

News Staff — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:12:00 GMT

After FAA furloughs were spared by Congress, advocates for other agencies and programs are looking for fixes to their own across-the-board budget cut woes. Key Democratic and Republican lawmakers have suggested law enforcement and homeland security are in a good position to get some help, especially post-Boston.

DOT Still Quiet on Towers

News Staff — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:41:00 GMT

Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) are applauding the FAA and DOT for "keeping all 149 federal air traffic control towers" open, including five in their home state.

President Signs Bill Ending Controller Furloughs

News Staff — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:58:00 GMT

POLITICO - President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed into law a bill that allows the FAA to shift money from the Airport Improvement Program to avoid furloughing air traffic controllers. At the same time, Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are gathering signatures for a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta that seeks to pin the administration down on whether it intends to keep funding flowing to the 149 contract towers currently slated for closure on June 15.

Immigration Talk Heats Up as Congress Heads Home

News Staff — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:30:00 GMT

As lawmakers head home for recess, many will be talking immigration reform with their constituents for the first time since the Gang of Eight released its immigration proposal. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) acknowledged Tuesday that the immigration reform bill in its current incarnation likely won't pass the Republican-led Housecalling it a starting point.

Senate Majority Leader Praises Selection of Foxx as Nominee

News Staff — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:48:00 GMT

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (R-Nev.) praised Transportation Secretary-designate Anthony Foxx in a statement on Tuesday, saying he hopes the confirmation will be speedy, given his impeccable credentials. "I am confident that Mayor Foxx will continue Secretary Ray LaHood's legacy of making smart investments that make our roads, rails and airways safer for all Americans and their families," Reid said.

Contract Air Traffic Control Towers Remain In Jeopardy

News Staff — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:42:00 GMT

Congress last week passed legislation that allows the Department of Transportation (DOT) to transfer $253 million to operations from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to cancel the controllers' furloughs. While contract tower supporters say there is $21 million left over, which is sufficient to keep towers operating, HAI and other aviation associations, lawmakers, and pilots say, "Not so fast — control towers could still be in jeopardy!"

Top House Tax Committee Considers Mortgage Deduction

News Staff — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:13:00 GMT

Top Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee made clear last week that they plan to proceed with caution when it comes to deciding the fate of the mortgage interest deduction. Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) pledged that the write-off would be subject to a "careful, thoughtful review" during tax reform discussions.

The Path Forward on Immigration

News Staff — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:05:00 GMT

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said last week that backers of the Senate legislation on immigration reform cannot afford passage barely above the filibuster proof margin of 60 senators if they want to force the hand of the GOP-led House. But at a news briefing, House Judiciary Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) said he does not favor a special path to citizenship, although he is open to some kind of legal status.