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News and updates

This Week in Congress, February 23-27

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The Department of Homeland Security will take stage front and center this week as Congress has only five days left to pass a continuing resolution to fund the agency through the remainder of the fiscal year.

Elsewhere on the Hill, we’re paying attention to these committee hearings.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24

Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
HIGHER EDUCATION REGULATION
10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.
Full Committee Hearing

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25

Senate Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE
10:30 a.m., 192 Dirksen Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation
INTERNET GOVERNANCE AND STAKEHOLDERS
10 a.m., 253 Russell Bldg.
Full Committee Hearing

House Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION
10 a.m., 2358-C Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

House Armed Services
NAVY SEAPOWER FISCAL 2016 BUDGET
2 p.m., 2212 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

House Energy & Commerce
NET NEUTRALITY PROPOSAL
10:30 a.m., 2322 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

House Science, Space & Technology
ENERGY FISCAL 2016 BUDGET
10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn Bldg.
Full Committee Hearing

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26

Senate Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: COMMERCE-JUSTICE-SCIENCE
10:30 a.m., 192 Dirksen Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

House Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE
10 a.m., H-140 Capitol Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

House Appropriations
FISCAL 2016 APPROPRIATIONS: ENERGY-WATER
9:30 a.m., 2359 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

House Energy & Commerce
PATENT DEMAND LETTER PRACTICES
10:15 a.m., 2322 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

House Science, Space & Technology
NSF, NIST FISCAL 2016 BUDGET
10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

What We’re Reading, February 16

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Here’s a selection of articles the Federal Relations team were particularly interested in this week.

Picking Fights – Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has moved on from picking on labor unions and has picked a new nemesis: public universities! The fight is being viewed as his way of getting more notice before running for President in 2016. Read it at The Washington Post. 

Breaking It Down – In the first of a three part series, the NY Federal Reserve examines the student loan landscape in the US. First topic, the student loan delinquency rate. Read the Liberty Street Economics.

Campus Carry – In an effort to allow guns on campus, weapons advocates are linking an increased presence of weapons as a means to fight sexual assault. Read about it in The New York Times.

Why College? – A recent survey finds that most go to college because they want better jobs. Read about it at The Washington Post. 

Snow Day!

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SNOW DAY!

Capitol Dome in Snow, Architect of the Capitol

The federal government is closed today as DC deals with a storm that has impacted the east coast from Atlanta to Boston. Winter storm warnings were in effect for 17 states, and the District remains under a warning until noon today. The Washington, DC metro area is expected to enjoy a balmy 32 degree high and snow totals ranging from 4 to 10 inches. Most neighborhoods within the beltway experienced 4 to 6 inches.

The House and Senate are in recess this week for President’s Day, so no action is expected on the Hill.  Normal business for federal agencies is expected to resume tomorrow as the District shovels out today.

Expect immigration and the Obama Executive Order to be a hot topic in the next few weeks. Last night, federal Texas judge Judge Andrew Hanen, a George W. Bush appointee, blocked the controversial Executive Order. Judge Hanen said there was sufficient merit to the case to suspend the actions while the case goes forward. The Administration is expected to appeal the ruling. Read more at the AP.

What We’re Reading, February 9

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Here’s a selection or articles Federal Relations is reading this week.

Plane and Simple Motives – Obama has been using Air Force One as a means to engage more with Congressional leaders, and the Leaders have been using it as a means to shape Administration policy. Read more at Politico.

Um, No…- Community colleges have come out against the Administration’s latest effort to rate colleges because of the future intention to tie this to federal student aid funding. Read it at the Wall Street Journal.

College Dropout – All look at what happened to the Peter Theil Fellows since it was announced five years ago. Read it at the Chronicle for Higher Education.

Mind the Gap – The LA Times loos at the difference, and increases, out of state students are paying at some of the country’s most prestigious public, flagship institutions. Specifically, the article ponders the question: should and can the California Legislature continue to raise the price of tuition on out of state students for schools within the UC System? UW is cited. Read it at the LA Times.

Student Debt = More National Debt? – An article on the US amassing debt from Income Based Repayment (IBR) plans. The article also touches on accounting methods of the federal loan portfolio and if the US is, in fact, making money on student loans. Read more at The New York Times.

Shut It Down – An overview of what happens if Congress fails to pass Homeland Security appropriations for FY16. Read it at Yahoo.

Ashton Carter Confirmed as Secretary of Defense

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Today, the Senate on Thursday confirmed Ashton B. Carter to be the next defense secretary by a vote of 93 to 5. The installation of the new Pentagon chief comes on the same day that the President has asked Congress for the authority to formally authorize (and increase) military action by the US against the Islamic State.

Carter, a former deputy defense secretary, and replaces Chuck Hagel in what has been a fairly swift confirmation process — the first hearings started in early February.