House GOP Sets Leadership Elections

Posted on September 30, 2015September 30, 2015

House Republicans will hold elections for new leaders on Oct 8 in a closed door session. It is expected to be a contentious meeting and election, with multiple candidates vying for each position as the House GOP conference struggles to maintain political strength after Speaker John Boehner’s surprise retirement announcement last week.

Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is expected to win the speakers gavel. He’s running against Florida Republican Rep. Daniel Webster who unsuccessfully tried to beat Boehner in the speaker election earlier this year.

If McCarthy wins that opens the door for a majority leader election. Reps. Tom Price (R-GA) and Steve Scalise (R-LA), who is the current Majority Whip, are both vying for that post.

If Scalise wins, there will also be a race for Majority Whip.

Shutdown Averted

Posted on September 30, 2015September 30, 2015

Earlier this morning, the Senate passed a clean continuing resolution (CR) extending federal funding authority until December 11th. Last week, the Senate tried and failed to pass a CR which would prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds. The measure failed, which cleared the way for the clean CR.

Just now, the House cleared, 277-151, a two-month stopgap spending bill on Wednesday that will avert a government shutdown. Earlier, the Senate passed the measure 78-20. The bill, which will keep the government funded through Dec. 11, is expected to be quickly signed by President Barack Obama.

The measure was approved only with strong support by House Democrats — a sign of just how angry rank-and-file Republicans remain. In one last display of their fury, House Republicans on Tuesday adopted another resolution to cut off government financing to Planned Parenthood. The resolution was to be sent to the Senate, where Democrats were certain to block it.

Senate Advances Clean CR

Posted on September 29, 2015

On Monday, the Senate took the first step toward approving a continuing resolution (CR) to fund federal government through December 11, 2015. They will take a final vote on the measure on Wednesday – the last day of the current fiscal year – and then send it to the House for consideration at before current budget authority expires Wednesday night at midnight.

Senators voted 77-19 in favor of limiting debate on an amendment containing the text of the so-called “clean” CR (HR 7190. The CR would fund federal agencies for 90 days and keep federal dollars for Planned Parenthood in place despite opposition from conservatives.

The House must pass the stopgap before the end of the day Wednesday in order to avert a shutdown and appears on track to do so with relatively little drama. Legislative obstacles in the chamber seemingly evaporated after Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) announced his retirement Friday.

The stopgap provides funding for federal agencies at an annualized rate of $1.017 trillion, which is roughly flat compared to current funding levels. The CR notably includes $700 million in emergency funding to suppress Western wildfires, flat funding for the non-capped war account, and a reauthorization of the E-Verify program and the Internet Tax Freedom Act.

The Obama administration said in a Statement of Administration Policy issued Monday night that it would support the CR.

Perkins Extension Passes House, Still In Danger

Posted on September 28, 2015September 29, 2015

The House has passed by voice vote, HR 3594, a measure which would extend the Perkins program for a year until it may be fully considered with the impending Higher Education Act reauthorization, which is expected this fall and spring. The Perkins program would expire on September 30th without the extension.

The Perkins program is a critical tool that allows UW to combine federal funds with additional investment by the university to offer needy students fixed, low interest loans. UW receives more Perkins loan volume than any other public institution in the nation — about 4,700 recipients in the 2013-14 school year for UW.

While the measure passed the House, the fate of the program is unclear in the Senate. Senate HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has expressed a desire to let the program simply expire, which is in line with his ultimate goal of one loan, one form for higher education. Expiration would effectively kill the program.

Senate Democrats are working on passing the measure by Unanimous Consent, but it is unclear if the measure will be considered in time (i.e. today).

Boehner’s Retirement Means CR Likely to Pass

Posted on September 28, 2015September 28, 2015

With Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) surprise retirement announcement on Friday, the forecast for Congress to actually pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) and keep the federal government operating are better than ever. Last week, prior to Boehner’s announcement, the Senate failed to pass a CR because the legislation included language to withhold any federal funds going to Planned Parenthood. With the failure of that Senate bill, the path was cleared to have the Senate pass a “clean” CR, meaning a measure without political policy riders such as the Planned Parenthood language.

While something may pass the Senate, passing a clean measure in the House was always going to be more challenging given the Republican caucus. Many Republican House Members had declared that they would never vote for a measure that allowed Planned Parenthood access to federal funds.Conservative Republicans have demanded such a provision, but it has already failed in the Senate and the President has pledged to veto it. Further, the same Members have vocally castigating the Speaker for “compromising” on legislation and working with the House Democratic caucus to craft a bill that would pass the House. Rhetoric prior to the retirement announcement was similar on the CR for potentially eliminating Planned Parenthood language.

Boehner stated shortly after his retirement announcement that he would ensure the House would pass a clean CR, which would fund the federal government until December 11th. Additionally, Boehner has said that he will rely on Democratic support to pass a CR in the House.

While Friday’s announcement may avert an immediate shutdown, what happens later this fall is far from clear. The threat of another funding funding cliff is more than likely, with the expiration date of the short-term CR potentially coinciding with the debt ceiling fight and the expiration of tax breaks. There’s also the highway bill, two major education bills, and reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Congress has until midnight September 30th to pass an appropriations bill to keep the federal government running.

Meanwhile, Boehner’s retirement has set off a scramble for the House Republican Leadership positions, so who will land where, in what role, and how they will handle the ever polarized caucus remains to be seen.