This Week on the Hill
The Senate convenes today and the House returns on Tuesday, as the Senate continues work on its version of healthcare reform legislation.
The House convenes tomorrow and will consider three bills under suspension of the rules. For Wednesday and the balance of the week the chamber will consider three additional measures including H.R. 2213, the Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act of 2017. Several committees have scheduled hearings this week: the Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing Thursday on SNAP technology and modernization; the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing Thursday on healthcare cybersecurity; and the Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on a taxpayer’s perspective on reforming the flood insurance program.
The Senate convenes today and will consider a resolution related to Jerusalem; later this week committees will consider several administration nominations. Senate Committees have scheduled hearings this week: the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on FAA Reauthorization featuring Secretary Chao while the Finance Committee will hold a hearing Thursday on the President’s fiscal year 2018 budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Update
This week several appropriations subcommittees are holding hearings on the President’s fiscal year 2018 budget proposal. In the House, hearings are planned on the proposed budgets for the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, National Science Foundation, Department of the Interior, Department of Housing and Urban Development, NASA, and the Department of Health and Human Services. In the Senate, hearings are planned on the proposed budgets for the Department of Education, Department of Defense, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Commerce, and Department of Labor. No updates have been provided regarding release and markup of a fiscal year 2018 budget resolution.
President Embarks on Infrastructure Week
The President is planning a series of events this week highlighting actions to improve the nation’s infrastructure. Today he unveiled a set of legislative principles for reforming the air traffic control system; the administration would spin air traffic control off into a new entity, allow that entity to borrow money, and put it under the control of a 13-member board. A draft of the principles can be found here. On Wednesday the President will travel to the Ohio River to highlight the importance of inland waterways while on Thursday the President is expected to welcome a bipartisan group of mayors and governors to the White House for listening sessions. Finally, on Friday the President will speak at the Department of Transportation on streamlining the permitting process for infrastructure projects. The President proposed in his fiscal year 2018 budget spending $200 billion over ten years on infrastructure, with the goal of at least $1 trillion in new investments through the help of the private sector and state and local governments.
HHS Announces Opioid Treatment Grants, NIH Launches Research Plan
On Wednesday Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price announced the availability of more than $70 million over multiple years to help communities and healthcare providers prevent opioid overdose deaths and provide treatment, of which $28 million will be dedicated for medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This announcement follows a separate award of $485 million in grants announced in April, which was provided by the 21st Century Cures Act, to all states, territories and the District of Columbia. The new funds include: $28 million to five grantees to increase access of MAT; $41.7 million over four years to 30 grantees for first responders; and $1 million over five years to one grantee to expand availability of overdose reversal medications in healthcare settings. Also last week, the National Institutes of Health announced a plan, in partnership with pharmaceutical industry leaders, to accelerate research into opioid overdose reversal, addiction treatment, and pain management.
DOT Releases Funds for Train Safety Equipment and Airport Improvements
Last week the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the release of grant funds to improve train safety and maintain aviation infrastructure across the country. First, the Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration announced the grant recipients who will receive $197 million in competitive grant funding to help commuter and intercity passenger railroads meet the December 31, 2018 deadline to implement Positive Train Control systems to improve safety. The grants funds will be provided to 17 projects in 13 states. Second, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that $527.8 million in airport infrastructure grants will be awarded to 584 airports as part of the administration’s Airport Improvement Program. The airport grant program funds various types of airport infrastructure projects, including runways, taxiways, airport signage, lighting, and marking. The funds are split into discretionary and entitlement grants; a list of airports receiving entitlement grants can be found here.
House to Vote on Dodd-Frank Overhaul Bill
The House has scheduled a vote this week on H.R. 10, the Financial CHOICE Act of 2017. This bill significantly modifies regulation of the financial industry, including rolling back portions of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (P.L. 111-203) and allowing banks if they hold a sufficient level of capital to be exempt from many of the law’s requirements. The bill restructures the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and modifies operations of the Federal Reserve and Financial Stability Oversight Council, eliminating some of their authorities and requiring that they and other financial regulators be funded through annual appropriations. The bill was approved by the Financial Services Committee by a party-line vote of 34 to 26. An executive summary of the bill can be found here and the cost estimate for the bill can be found here.
Homeland Security Announces Several Funding Opportunities in State Grant Programs
On Friday Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly announced the release of fiscal year 2017 Notices of Funding Opportunity for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant programs totaling more than $1.6 billion. Grants covered by the notice include the Emergency Management Performance Grant Program (EMPG), the State Homeland Security Program, the Urban Area Security Initiative, the Intercity Bus Security Grant Program, the Intercity Passenger Rail Security Grant Program, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, the Port Security Grant Program, the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program, and the Transit Security Grant Program. Additional grant guidance on each of the programs can be found here.
Education Launches New IDEA Website
Last week the U.S. Department of Education unveiled a new Individuals with Disabilities Education Act website. According to the department, the changes are intended to improve site navigation and design, expand search options, contain resources for specific audiences, and expand content. The site now includes links to existing data reports, State Performance Plans/Annual Performance Reports, and grant award letters; it also includes a list of frequently-used acronyms and terms.
Recently Released Reports
The Condition of Education 2017, National Center for Education Statistics
Individual Market Premium Changes: 2013-2017, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
State and Local Government Compensation Infographic, Center for State and Local Government Excellence
Juvenile Court Statistics 2014, National Center for Juvenile Justice
Chronic Absenteeism: A Key Indicator of Student Success, Education Commission of the States
Economic News
Economy Adds 138,000 Jobs in May
New data released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 138,000 in May and the unemployment rate was little changed at 4.3 percent (compared to 4.4 percent the previous month). The unemployment rate is at the lowest level since May 2001. The data also shows that in May there were 6.9 million unemployed persons, down slightly from 7.1 million in April. The number of long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed at 1.7 million, accounting for 24.0 percent of the total unemployed. The labor force participation rate declined by 0.2 percentage point to 62.7 percent. In May, job gains occurred in food services and drinking places (30,000), health care (24,000), professional and business services (38,000) and mining (7,000). Employment saw little change for construction, wholesale trade, retail trade, financial activities, government, transportation and warehousing, and manufacturing. The average hourly earnings for all employees increased by 4 cents to $26.22 in May, following an increase of 7 cents in April. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.5 percent.