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What we’re reading this week, November 27 – December 1

Here are some of the articles we’re reading this week.

Death of the MBA – U.S. graduate business schools — once magnets for American and international students seeking a certain route to a high income — are in an existential crisis. They are losing droves of students who are balking at sky-high tuition and, in the case of international applicants, turned off by President Trump’s politics. Read more from Axios.

Who run the world? – As a college education becomes increasingly important in today’s economy, it’s girls, not boys, who are succeeding in school. For kids from poor families, that can make the difference between social mobility and a lifetime of poverty. Read more from The Atlantic.

Countdown to shutdown (maybe, probably not) – President Donald Trump raised the odds of a government shutdown next month, tweeting that his differences with Democratic leaders over immigration policy could prevent a deal on a year-end spending package. Read more from The Hill.

House GOP tax plan and grad students – Many Ph.D. students studying science, technology, engineering and math receive tuition waivers. That means their tuition is covered, and that money isn’t taxed as long as the student does research or teaches for the university. Read more on CNN.

Read between the tax bill’s lines – infrastructure! The tax code overhauls being pushed by congressional Republicans might not sound like infrastructure bills, but they contain many provisions that could have a big impact on the ability of states and localities to pay for public works improvements. The proposed plans include major changes to financing roads, ports and airports, as well as state programs related to electric vehicles and wind energy. Read more from Governing.

This week in Congress, November 27 – December 1

Here is a selection of committee meetings taking place this week.

 

U.S. House of Representatives

HOUSE OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM
Full Committee Field Hearing
Combating the Opioid Crisis
Nov. 28, 12:30 p.m., Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1800 Orleans St., First Floor, Chevy Chase Auditorium, Baltimore, Md.

HOUSE TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Subcommittee Hearing
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Nov. 29, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn Bldg.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM
Subcommittee Hearing
Voting Machines Cybersecurity
Nov. 29, 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn Bldg.

HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES
Full Committee Hearing
Modernizing the National Environmental Policy Act
Nov. 29, 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth Bldg.

HOUSE ENERGY & COMMERCE
Subcommittee Hearing
21st Century Cures Act
Nov. 30, 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg.

HOUSE JUDICIARY
Subcommittee Hearing
Impact of Nationwide Injunctions by District Courts
Nov. 30, 2 p.m., 2141 Rayburn Bldg.

U.S. Senate

SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR & PENSIONS
Full Committee Hearing
Higher Education Act Reauthorization
Nov. 28, 10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg

SENATE COMMERCE, SCIENCE & TRANSPORTATION
Full Committee Hearing
NOAA Nomination
Nov. 29, 10:30 a.m., 253 Russell Bldg.

SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR & PENSIONS
Full Committee Hearing
Opioid Crisis
Nov. 30, 10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.

What We’re Reading This Week, October 30 to November 3

Here’s a selection of articles we’ve read this week.

John Boehner Unchained – To outsiders, Boehner might just be the happiest man alive, a liberated retiree who spends his days swirling merlot and cackling at Speaker Paul Ryan’s misfortune. The truth is more complicated. At 67, Boehner is liberated—to say what he spent many years trying not to say; to smoke his two packs a day without undue stress; to chuckle at the latest crisis in Washington and whisper to himself those three magic words: “Not my problem.”  Read more from Politico.

House GOP Tax Plan Arrives – This week the House released its tax reform plan. Read all about it right here on our blog.

How the Russians Took Over Social Media – Wednesday, Congress released some of the 3,000 Facebook ads and Twitter accounts created by Russian operatives to sway American voters. You can explore them in an analysis the Post published here. These disturbing messages, seen by up to 126 million Americans, raise thorny questions about Silicon Valley’s responsibility for vetting the information it publishes. Read more from the Washington Post.

Anatomy of a Russian Facebook Ad –  Among the ads released by lawmakers, there’s a wide variety of content, tone and visual style. While some mimic Internet memes intended for easy consumption and sharing, others take the form of more-traditional campaign-style ads or promoted events.  Read more from the Washington Post.

In Conversation: Jimmy Kimmel – In the space of six weeks, this seemingly apolitical 49-year-old comedian, who, since his show debuted in 2003, has done exceptionally well by coming across as late-night’s unexceptional guy, had transformed himself into a riveting teller of truths — with the ratings bump to match. Read more on Vulture.

This Week in Congress, October 2-6

Here is a selection of committee hearings taking place on the Hill this week.

 

U.S. House of Representatives

HOUSE ENERGY & COMMERCE
Subcommittee Hearing
Equifax Data Breach
Oct. 3, 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg.

HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES
Subcommittee Hearing
Promoting Outdoor Recreation on Federal Land
Oct. 3, 10 a.m., 1334 Longworth Bldg.

HOUSE RULES
Full Committee Business Meeting
Budget Resolution
Oct. 3, 3 p.m., H-313, U.S. Capitol

JOINT ECONOMIC
Tax Reform and Entrepreneurship
Oct. 3, 10 a.m., 1100 Longworth Bldg.

HOUSE SCIENCE, SPACE & TECHNOLOGY
Subcommittee Hearing
Space Exploration/Radioisotope Production
Oct. 4, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn Bldg.

HOUSE ENERGY & COMMERCE
Subcommittee Hearing
Wildfire Air Quality Impacts
Oct. 4, 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg.

HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY
Full Committee Markup
Border Security
Oct. 4, 10 a.m., HVC-210, U.S. Capitol

HOUSE FINANCIAL SERVICES
Full Committee Hearing
Equifax Data Breach
Oct. 5, 9:15 a.m., 2128 Rayburn Bldg.

 

U.S. Senate

SENATE BANKING, HOUSING & URBAN AFFAIRS
Full Committee Hearing
Wells Fargo One Year Later
Oct. 3, 10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Bldg.

SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR & PENSIONS
Full Committee Hearing
State Innovation in Education
Oct. 3, 10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.

SENATE JUDICIARY
Full Committee Hearing
Administration’s Decision to End DACA
Oct. 3, 10 a.m., 216 Hart Bldg.

SENATE JUDICIARY
Subcommittee Hearing
Equifax/Data-Broker Cybersecurity
Oct. 4, 2:30 p.m., 226 Dirksen Bldg.

SENATE BANKING, HOUSING & URBAN AFFAIRS
Full Committee Hearing
Equifax Cybersecurity Breach
Oct. 4, 10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Bldg.

SENATE BUDGET
Full Committee Markup
FY2018 Budget Resolution
Oct. 4, 2:30 p.m., 608 Dirksen Bldg.

SENATE FINANCE
Full Committee Markup
CHIP Funding
Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.

SENATE BUDGET
Full Committee Markup
FY2018 Budget Resolution
Oct. 5, 2:30 p.m., 608 Dirksen Bldg.

SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR & PENSIONS
Full Committee Hearing
Opioid Crisis Federal Response
Oct. 5, 10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.