This Week on the Hill
The House and Senate are in session this week, with votes expected on financial regulation bills and nominations.
The House convenes today and will consider 14 bills related to veterans. For Tuesday and the balance of the week, the chamber will consider an additional six bills including S. 2155, which makes changes to the Dodd-Frank Act, and H.R. 5515, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. S. 2155 passed the Senate in March and as no changes are expected in the House, the bill would advance to the President for signing.
The Senate convenes today and continues to vote on nominations. The chamber is also expected to consider this week a veterans’ health care bill, S. 2372, which passed the House last week (see additional information on the bill below).
Year 2019 Budget Update
Several spending measures advanced in the House last week and the Senate begins their bill markups this week.
- Interior-Environment: The $35.3 billion bill was approved by the subcommittee on a voice vote; the funding amount is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The bill provides $3.9 billion for wildland firefighting and prevention programs, $500 million for Payments in Lieu of Taxes, and $2.6 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan .
- Agriculture: The full Appropriations Committee approved the spending bill by a vote of 31-20; the bill provides $23.27 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $14 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The bill provides more than $1.45 billion for rural water and waste program loans, $620 million for rural broadband and $1.05 billion for conservation programs. The accompanying committee report includes language directing the Department of Agriculture “to clarify the proper role of drug screening in SNAP Employment and Training programs.”
- Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (HUD): The subcommittee approved the spending bill on a voice vote; the bill provides $71.8 billion in discretionary spending, an increase of $1.5 billion above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The bill provides $750 million for the BUILD program (formerly TIGER), $46 billion from the Highway Trust Fund to be spent on the Federal-aid Highways Program, an extra $4.25 billion in discretionary highway funding and an increase of $941 million in funding for HUD.
- Commerce-Justice-Science: The full Appropriations Committee approved the spending bill by a vote of 32-19, providing $62.5 billion in total discretionary funding, an increase of $2.9 billion above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Funding increases were provided for immigration enforcement, federal prosecutors, space exploration and 2020 Census preparation. The committee adopted an amendment that targets $2 million to halt illegal cell phone use in prisons.
- Energy-Water: The full Appropriations Committee approved the spending bill by a vote of 29-20, providing $44.7 billion, an increase of $1.5 billion above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Funding increases were provided for energy infrastructure security, Army Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Reclamation at the Interior Department.
This week the House Appropriations Committee will vote on the Interior-Environment spending bill on Tuesday and the Transportation-HUD bill on Wednesday, in addition to reporting the budget allocations by . The Senate begins their spending bill considerations this week as well, with the weekly schedule available here.
Farm Bill Fails in House Vote
A House vote on H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) failed Friday by a vote of 198-213. No Democrats voted for the bill and 30 Republicans voted against the measure, including some members who sought a vote on unrelated immigration legislation. Before the final vote, several amendments were adopted on the floor, including an amendment to repeal the water pollution rule known as Waters of the United States, which passed 238-173. Democrats opposed the overall bill, which reauthorizes agriculture programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for five years, over provisions to strengthen work requirements under SNAP. The current farm bill expires September 30.
Houses Veterans Health Care Overhaul
The House voted 347-70 on Wednesday to overhaul a veterans health care program two weeks before the program is projected to exhaust its funding. The bill, S. 2372, includes $5.2 billion in funding for the Veterans Choice program, which allows veterans to seek care outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) if they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility or have to wait more than 30 days for an appointment; the program is expected to run out of funds as early as May 31. The bill also consolidates all community care programs into a new Veterans Community Care Program and establishes an Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission. A section-by-section summary of the bill can be found here. The White House also issued a Statement of Administration Policy strongly supporting the bill.
Senate Votes to Reinstate Net Neutrality Rules
On Wednesday the Senate voted 52-47 to pass a disapproval resolution (S.J. Res. 52) that would nullify a Federal Communications Commission ruling on net neutrality that takes effect on June 11. The resolution was passed under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress, with a majority vote in each chamber and signature of the President, to overturn recent agency actions. Proponents of net neutrality regulations believe they are necessary to ensure all web traffic is treated equally, while those opposed to the regulations believe they are unnecessary and onerous for internet providers. In December the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) voted 3-2 to repeal the 2015 net neutrality regulations. No similar vote in the House is planned at this time.
House Releases Water Resources Bill
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced a bipartisan water resources development bill on Friday, sponsored by Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR). The Water Resources Development Act of 2018 (WRDA) provides for improvements to the nation’s ports, inland waterways, locks, dams, flood protection, ecosystem restoration, and other water resources infrastructure. A provision in the bill would make spending from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which funds projects such as locks and dams and environmental restoration work, mandatory instead of discretionary so the spending does not count against spending limits. The bill text can be found here and additional information can be found here. The committee is expected to hold a markup on the vote on Wednesday. The Senate released their version of the bill on May 8 and will hold a markup on Tuesday.
Hearing Explores Opportunity Zones
On Thursday the Joint Economic Committee held a hearing entitled “The Promise of Opportunity Zones.” A provision in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Opportunity Zones program is a community development program to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities, which are designated by the governors. A supporter of the program, John Lettieri of the Economic Innovation Group, testified on the key design features of the program, the state selection process and outcomes, and actions to ensure success in the program. Last month, the Treasury Department released the initial list of qualified opportunity zones in 15 states and three territories and the remaining designations are expected soon. Additional information on Opportunity Zones from the Economic Innovation Group can be found here.
Houses Releases Draft TANF Reauthorization
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith (R-NE) recently released a discussion draft to reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; the current program expires on September 30. The discussion draft extends TANF, child care entitlement to states and related programs through year 2023; measures work outcomes in alignment with those used in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), to be determined on a state-by-state basis; limits the use of TANF funds to families whose monthly income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty level; allows states greater flexibility in customizing work or work preparation activities; and includes more stringent work requirements. Additional information can be found in the bill text, short summary, and section-by-section summary.
EPA Extends Application Deadline for WIFIA Loans
On Tuesday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the deadline to submit letters of interest for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans has been extended to July 31; letters to governors and tribal were also sent. On April 4, EPA announced the availability of additional WIFIA funding that could provide as much as $5.5 billion in loans, leveraging over $11 billion in water infrastructure projects. Additional information on the WIFIA program can be found here.
Federal Actuary Releases Estimated Impacts from Short-Term Plans
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of the Actuary on Wednesday released the estimated financial effects of the Short-Term, Limited-Duration policy proposed rule, estimating that 600,000 fewer people would be enrolled in the marketplace in 2019. On February 1, 2018, a proposed rule was released by the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services that would amend the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance policies. Specifically, the maximum life of such policies would be increased from 3 months to 1 year. Under the actuary’s modeling, enrollment in the marketplace is ultimately expected to decline by 800,000 people by 2022; a large number are healthy, unsubsidized individuals moving to short-term policies but a small number are unsubsidized and unhealthy people who are dropping coverage as a result of higher premiums.
Recently Released Reports
State and Local Government Workforce: 2018 Data and 10-Year Trends
Center for State and Local Government Excellence
How Did State-Run Health Insurance Marketplaces Fare in 2017?
The Commonwealth Fund
Evidence-Building Opportunities Under ESSA: How States Can and Should Generate Evidence to Drive Better Outcomes for Students
Results for America/Chiefs for Change
Child and Family Services Reviews Aggregate Report: FYs 2015-2016
Administration for Children and Families
SNAP: Observations on Employment and Training Programs and Efforts to Address Program Integrity Issues
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Economic News
Unemployment Rates Lower in 4 States in April
New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that many state unemployment rates saw little change in April; 46 states and the District of Columbia had stable unemployment rates and 4 states had lower rates. Compared to one year earlier, 38 states and the District of Columbia had little or no change, while 12 states had unemployment rate decreases. Three states set new series lows with their unemployment rates. The national jobless rate edged down from March to 3.9 percent and was 0.5 percentage point lower than in April 2017. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 3 states in April and was essentially unchanged in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 28 states added nonfarm payroll jobs, 1 state lost jobs, and 21 states and the District of Columbia were essentially unchanged.