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Definition of “bona fide” relationship expanded by federal judge

A federal judge in Hawaii has ruled that the list of relatives created by the Trump Administration in its attempt to define a “bona fide” relationship with respect to its modified travel ban against six majority-Muslim nations is too narrow. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed a limited ban to go into effect and is scheduled to hear the case against the ban next year.

With respect to family members, the judge ruled yesterday that the government could not limit its definition of “bona fide” relationship to spouses, parents, parents-in-law, children, siblings and step- or half-siblings, sons- and daughters-in-law, and fiances. The judge ruled that the ban did not apply to other relatives, including grandparents and grandchildren, uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews, cousins, and brothers- and sisters-in law.

Read more here and here.

Appropriations Process Trying to Move Forward?

The 12 individuals appropriations bills for FY2018 in the House have all now been cleared by their respective subcommittees and six have been approved by the full Appropriations Committee.  Meanwhile, one bill has seen action on the other side of the Capitol.

While this may signal some movement on this front, the total amount of funding available for the bills still has not been agreed to and the amount proposed for the defense programs in the House exceed the level allowed by current law.  This all likely means that there will need to be a bipartisan agreement on the overall spending level later this year.  FY2018 starts on October 1.

Text of New Senate Healthcare Bill Released

As expected, the Senate Republicans released earlier today the text of the revised version of their healthcare legislation.  The bill language is available here.

It is unclear at this point whether this version will generate enough support for passage.  The previous version had to be pulled from consideration because of too much opposition from within the Republican conference.

House Spending Bill Includes Helpful Language on F&A

The House spending bill that would fund the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in FY2018 includes helpful language on the facilities and administrative (F&A) costs issue. The bill includes the following language on the issue:

In making Federal financial assistance, the NIH shall continue to apply the provisions relating to indirect costs in part 75 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, including with respect to the approval of deviations from negotiated rates, to the same extent and in the same manner as the NIH applied such provisions in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be used by the NIH to develop or implement a modified approach to such provisions, or to intentionally or substantially expand the fiscal effect of the approval of such deviations from negotiated rates beyond the proportional effect of such approvals in such quarter.

The measure is scheduled to be taken up by the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee this afternoon.  UW Federal Relations will provide additional updates.

 

Senate Postpones August Recess

Today Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the August recess will begin two weeks later than originally scheduled. Whereas the Senate calendar had recess beginning on Monday, July 31, the summer recess period will now begin on Monday, August 14th. The delay will allow the Senate Republicans extra time to work on their efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and in addition, they plan to push nominees through the stalled confirmation process.