February 15, 2007
Senate Passes CR
Yesterday, the Senate approved the
House-passed $463.5 billion continuing resolution (CR). The president is
expected to sign H.J. Res. 20 before the current CR expires at midnight. H.J. Res.
20 funds programs in the nine unfinished FY 2007 appropriations bills through
September 30, 2007.
Senate Committee Approves Head Start Bill
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved the
Head Start School Readiness Act of 2007 (S. 556) to reauthorize Head Start. S.
556 would:
·
expand eligibility to
families living below 130% of the federal poverty;
·
establish Head Start
collaboration offices in every state to align the program with state and local services and school-readiness standards;
·
create a state
advisory council on early care and education in every state;
·
offer incentive grants
to states to upgrade and implement coordinated statewide plans;
·
align the program with
state early-learning standards; and
·
upgrade Head Start teacher qualifications.
Senate consideration is expected this spring.
Senate Committee Approves Mental Health Parity
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions (HELP) Committee approved the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 (S.
558), which would require equal treatment for mental and physical health
conditions covered by health insurance plans. These requirements would apply
only to employers or group plans with 50 or more employees, and all plans and
employers would be exempt from the requirements if the cost of coverage would
exceed 2% of the total health plan cost in the first year, or 1% in subsequent
years. While the bill would not preempt state laws that mandate mental health
parity, it would preempt other state mandates, such as those regarding
financial requirements and treatment limitations for mental health.
Final Regulations on Transportation Planning
Issued
The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal
Transit Administration jointly issued regulations on statewide and metropolitan
transportation planning yesterday. This marks the first time that such
regulations have been significantly revised since 1993.
The final rule addresses a range of issues, including linking transportation
planning with the National Environmental Policy Act process, incorporating
SAFETEA-LU requirements that metropolitan planning organizations and states
consult with agencies responsible for land use management, natural resources,
environmental protection, conservation and historic preservation in developing
transportation plans, requiring that statewide and metropolitan transportation
plans contain a discussion of potential environmental mitigation activities,
and ensuring fiscal constraint for transportation plans.
February 8, 2007
Senate Considers CR
Negotiations continue over Senate floor consideration of H.J. Res. 20, the House-passed $473.5 billion FY 2007 continuing resolution (CR). Senators are working to agree on how many amendments will be considered. The current CR expires on Thursday, February 15.
House Passes Meth Labs Cleanup Bill
Yesterday, the House passed the Methamphetamine Remediation Act of 2007 (H.R. 365), which would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish voluntary guidelines for the cleanup of former methamphetamine laboratories. The bill requires EPA to develop model, voluntary, health-based cleanup guidelines for states and localities in cleaning up former meth labs. A total of $3.6 million for FYs 2007 and 2008 is authorized for EPA to implement the measure.
Committee Approves Clean Water Loan Fund
Yesterday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007 (H.R. 720). The bill reauthorizes the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) program and provides $20 billion over five years for clean water projects.
Repeal of Insurrection Act Changes Introduced
Yesterday, senators Leahy and Bond, as well as representatives Davis and Walz, introduced legislation to repeal Section 1076 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2007 (P.L. 109-364). Section 1076 expanded the president's authority to federalize the National Guard during certain emergencies and disasters. H.R. 869 and S. 513 would restore the Insurrection Act to its original form.
February 2, 2007
Senate Passes Minimum Wage Package
Yesterday, the Senate passed H.R. 2, a bill to increase the minimum wage. It also includes an $8.3 billion package of small business tax incentives and revenue offsets. The measure raises the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour within 60 days of enactment, to $6.55 per hour after one year and to $7.25 per hour in 2009.
The measure is expected to be held at the Senate clerk's desk while negotiations proceed with the House, which passed a minimum wage bill last month without any tax provisions.
Senate Committee Holds SCHIP Hearing
The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing yesterday on reauthorization of the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Issues discussed at the hearing included federal funding, state flexibility and characteristics of the beneficiaries currently covered in the program, as well as children who are eligible for SCHIP (or Medicaid) but unenrolled. The committee also discussed funding shortfalls that more than a dozen states face prior to reauthorization of the program. Some Senate Finance Committee members have cosponsored legislation to provide funding to prevent shortfalls (S. 401) but passage of a bill is uncertain.
February 1, 2007
House Passes CR
Yesterday, the House passed the $463.5 billion continuing resolution (CR). H.J. Res. 20 funds programs in the nine unfinished FY 2007 appropriations bills through September 30, 2007. The measure now moves to the Senate. The current CR expires on Thursday, February 15.
Senate to Vote on Minimum Wage Package Today
The Senate will vote today on its minimum wage bill, which includes an $8.3 billion package of small business tax incentives and revenue offsets.
USDA Releases 2007 Farm Bill Proposal
Yesterday the Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its proposal for the 2007 farm bill. It totals $87 billion over five years, about $10 billion less than the 2002 farm bill.
Permanent Internet Tax Ban Introduced in the House
Rep. Eshoo has introduced a bill to make permanent the existing moratorium on Internet access taxes and duplicative and discriminatory taxes on Internet transactions. The current ban expires in November. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate last month (S. 156). Both the House and Senate bills are titled the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act.