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Category: 2015 UW Agenda

The Week Ahead

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This week lawmakers continue to debate FY2015 appropriations, student loans, and VA reform.

Tonight, the House will vote on S. 1254, the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2013. The bill would authorize $20.5 million annually through 2018 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to reduce the effects of algal blooms and hypoxia in bodies of water.

By mid-week, the Senate will turn its attention to a bill that would allow the nearly 40 million people with more than $1 trillion in student loans to refinance to current lower interest rates. The student loans bill is part of Senate Democrats’ “fair shot” 2014 agenda that included an unemployment insurance extension, minimum wage increase, and pay equity for women. But it is unlikely that enough Republicans will join Democrats to advance the bill, which is paid for by raising taxes on millionaires.

Read more about the week ahead at The Hill.

House Republican leadership has detailed a busy legislative agenda for the remainder of June in a memo sent from Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) to House Republicans sent Friday. The House will address issues at the Department of Veterans Affairs, three appropriations bills, three tax extender bills, and legislation to make gas and other energy prices cheaper. Notably absent from the agenda: any mention of immigration, an unemployment extension, or the expiring Export-Import Bank. Read the memo at Roll Call.

The Office of Federal Relations continues to advance our appropriations priorities, as well as monitoring legislative efforts on student loans.

Senate Committees Hold Hearings on Student Loans

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This morning Senators discussed student loans in two simultaneous committee hearings.

The Senate Budget Committee, which is chaired by Washington State’s Senator Patty Murray, held a full committee hearing titled, “Impact of Student Loan Debt on Borrowers and the Economy.” Key witnesses in the hearing included representatives from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Student Virginia Education Association, and the Contemporary History Institute at Ohio University. A video of the hearing and written testimony can be found here.

Over in the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection held a hearing titled, “Student Loan Servicing: The Borrower’s Experience.” Scheduled witnesses included representatives from the Student Veterans of America, the American Federation of Teachers, the Heritage Foundation, and the Denison University director of financial aid. A webcast of the hearing along with written testimony can be viewed on the Committee’s website here.

House Passes CJS, Senate Considers Its Version Next Week

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The House passed the FY15 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill after 1 am this morning. The measure passed by a vote of 321-87. This legislation provides a 3.3% increase for NSF funding over FY14 levels. It also provides ample funding for science programs at NASA. 

Earlier in the evening, the House considered an amendment by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), the Chairman of the House Science Committee. The amendment proposed to reduce  funding for the Social, Behavioral and Economic Science’s Directorate by $15.35 million research and related activities, and added to alternate research within the National Science Foundation portfolio. The amendment is similar to an amendment Smith added to the FIRST Act earlier in the week. The Smith Amendment passed by a vote of 208-201 (18 Republicans voted against and 5 Democrats voted for the amendment). 

Next week, June 3rd, the Senate Appropriations Committee will take up its version of the FY Commerce, Justice, Science bill.

House Continues CJS, House Science Cmte Passes FIRST

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Adjourning well after midnight last night, the House will consider its floor consideration of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill this morning. The House is expected to pass the measure late tonight. Thus far, the House has considered a number of amendments, and some of interest are below.

Passed Amendments:

  • An amendment, offered by Mr. Reichert (R-WA), to reduce funding for periodic census and programs by $110 million and to increase funding for community oriented policing services programs (hiring and rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers) by a similar amount.
  • An amendment, offered by Mr. Langevin (D-CT), to designate $5 million for a survey on the NIST cybersecurity framework for reducing cyber risks to critical infrastructure.
  •  An amendment, offered by Ms. Sinema (D-AZ), to reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses, General Administration in the Department of Justice by $1 million and to increase funding for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs (College Campuses) by a similar amount.

Failed Amendments:

  • An amendment, offered by Mr. McDermott (D-WA), to reduce funding for Periodic Censuses and Programs by $3 million and to increase funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the purpose of salmon propagation by a similar amount.
  • An amendment, offered by Mr. Holt (D-NJ), to transfer $37,450,000 within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the purpose of climate change research.

Amendments pending a vote:

An amendment, offered by Mr. Bridenstine (R-OK), to reduce funding for Periodic Censuses and Programs by $12 million and to increase funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the purpose of weather research by a similar amount.

 

Also last night, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee (HSSTC) passed H.R. 4186, the “Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act of 2014 Act”. The controversial measure was marked up last week with final votes postponed until after Memorial Day. In straight party-line votes, the committee speedily made its way through all 15 amendments and ultimately passed the measure by a vote of 20-16.

The remaining votes on amendments also passed along party lines. Of note, Congressman Rohrabacher’s (R-CA) Amendment #28, which passed, would reduce funding for Social, Behavioral, and Economic research at the National Science Foundation by $50 million. Also, the committee approved Amendment #67 offered by Congressman Bridenstine (R-OK) that would repeal the National Technical Information Service.

House to Consider CJS

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The House of Representatives is expected to begin floor consideration of its version of the FY15 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill (H.R. 4660) tomorrow, May 28 at 2 p.m. On Thursday, May 29, the House will reconvene at noon and is expected to complete consideration of the CJS Appropriations bill that day.

The House will consider the bill under an open rule. It is unknown how many amendments will be considered because open rules do not require Members to publish amendments before they are offered on the floor.

Federal Relations will continue to track this legislation, and any amendments, as the bill is considered by the House.