Today, the House passed a $622 billion tax package that permanently renews a number of tax provisions following years of short-term extensions. Seventy-seven Democrats joined 241 Republicans to pass the measure in a 318 to 109 vote. Several tax breaks created under President Obama’s stimulus package are made permanent, including the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the child tax credit, and the earned income tax credit. For more in-depth information on the measure, please see this post on our blog.
Author: McKinzie Strait
NDAA Passes in the House
Today the House voted 370-58 to pass the revised fiscal 2016 defense authorization measure (S 1356) under suspension of the rules, an expedited process that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. A vote to override the president’s veto was slated for Thursday, but scrapped in favor of the new bill after House and Senate negotiators worked out a series of cuts to conform to a revised defense budget top line.
Obama vetoed the initial defense authorization bill (HR 1735), citing the inclusion of $38 billion in extra Overseas Contingency Operations funds to sidestep discretionary spending caps. A two-year budget agreement (HR 1314), signed by the president Monday, raised defense and non-defense spending caps by $25 billion each in fiscal 2016. The agreement also includes an extra $8 billion this year for defense spending through OCO.
The policy provisions of the new measure are unchanged but the bill reflects $5 billion in cuts to programs to conform to the two-year budget agreement, which came up short of the president’s request, and the original NDAA topline of $612 billion.
This Week in Congress, July 6-10
Congress is back in session today after a break for the Independence Day holiday. This week the Senate takes up floor consideration of the No Child Left Behind overhaul while the House’s floor action will focus on Interior-Environment Appropriations, the Student Success Act, and, notably, 21st Century Cures.
Here’s what we’re watching in committee-land:
TUESDAY, JULY 7
Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation
TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES
10 a.m., 253 Russell Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing
Senate Energy & Natural Resources
WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE YAKIMA RIVER BASIN
10 a.m., 366 Dirksen Bldg.
Full Committee Hearing
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8
House Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: 302(B) ALLOCATIONS
10:15 a.m., 2359 Rayburn Bldg.
Full Committee Markup
House Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: AGRICULTURE
10:15 a.m., 2359 Rayburn Bldg.
Full Committee Markup
House Energy & Commerce
MEDICAID PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
10:15 a.m., 2322 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing
This Week in Congress, June 22-26
TUESDAY, JUNE 23
Senate Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION
3 p.m., 138 Dirksen Bldg.
Subcommittee Markup
Senate Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: TRANSPORTATION-HUD
10 a.m., 138 Dirksen Bldg.
Subcommittee Markup
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
House Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION
10:15 a.m., 2359 Rayburn Bldg.
Full Committee Markup
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
House Foreign Affairs
CHINA AND U.S. UNIVERSITIES
2 p.m., 2172 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
House Armed Services Committee
PUBLIC SHIPYARDS AND NAVY OPERATIONS
8 a.m., 2212 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing
This Week in Congress, June 8-12
It’s a big week for CJS and Defense Appropriations in the Senate. Both will be marked up in subcommittee and by the full Senate Appropriations Committee this week. Here’s the full list of committee’s we’re paying attention to this week.
TUESDAY, JUNE 9
Senate Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE
10:30 a.m., 192 Dirksen Bldg.
Subcommittee Markup
Senate Energy & Natural Resources
ENERGY MEASURES
9:30 a.m., 366 Dirksen Bldg.
Full Committee Hearing
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
Senate Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: COMMERCE-JUSTICE-SCIENCE
10:30 a.m., 192 Dirksen Bldg.
Subcommittee Markup
House Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: INTERIOR-ENVIRONMENT
10:15 a.m., B-308 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Markup
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
Senate Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: COMMERCE-JUSTICE-SCIENCE
10:30 a.m., 106 Dirksen Bldg.
Full Committee Markup
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE
10:30 a.m., 106 Dirksen Bldg.
Full Committee Markup