This Week on the Hill
The House and Senate are in this week, with a focus on reaching a deal to fund the federal government past December 21.
The House convenes today and will consider 11 bills and over the remainder of the week will consider 12 bills including H.R. 1318, Preventing Maternal Deaths Act of 2018, which authorizes grants to states. The House may also consider H.R. 2, the 2018 Farm Bill and additional legislative items are possible. Several committees scheduled hearings this week: the Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on mandating a $15 minimum wage; the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on availability of sexual assault kits at hospitals; and the Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on Google and data collection.
The Senate convenes today and resumes a nomination for Deputy Secretary of Treasury. Several committees scheduled hearings this week: the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on drug cartels and border security.
Two-Week CR Approved, New Funding Deadline is December 21
Last week Congress passed, and the President signed, a two-week continuing resolution (H.J. Res. 143) that continues funding for a portion of the government through December 21; several agencies have previously received full-year funding amounts. The new extension gives lawmakers additional time to reach agreement on a funding amount for a southern border wall as Democratic leaders are scheduled to meet with the President on Tuesday to discuss the year-end spending package. The seven appropriations bills covered by the continuing resolution are Financial Services; Agriculture; Commerce-Justice-Science; Homeland Security; Interior-Environment; State-Foreign Operations; and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. The resolution also extends the expiring authorizations for the National Flood Insurance Program, Violence Against Women Act programs, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program through December 21.
Administration Releases Report on Choice and Competition in Health Care
The Administration released a report on expanding health care choice and competition, and describes the state and federal laws, regulations, and policies that limit health care competition and choice. The report includes recommendations focused on the health care workforce and labor markets, promoting provider market competition, health care insurance markets, and consumer-driven health care. Recommendations for states include broadening providers’ scope of practice and scaling back certificate-of-need laws. The report was drafted by a working group from the White House, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Labor.
CMS Releases Report Showing Slowdown in Health Care Spending for 2017
On Thursday the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of the Actuary released the 2017 National Health Expenditures, showing U.S. health care spending increased 3.9 percent to reach $3.5 trillion, or $10,739 per person. Health care spending growth in 2017 was similar to average growth from 2008 to 2013, but slower than the 4.8 percent increase in 2016. The overall share of gross domestic product (GDP) related to health care spending was 17.9 percent in 2017, similar to that in 2016 (18.0 percent). Other highlights include: spending for hospital care increased 4.6 percent, slower than the 5.6 percent growth in 2016; growth in retail prescription drug spending slowed in 2017, increasing 0.4 percent, the lowest growth in this category since 2012; and total Medicaid spending decelerated in 2017, increasing 2.9 percent compared to growth of 4.2 percent in 2016. State and local Medicaid expenditures grew 6.4 percent while federal Medicaid expenditures increased 0.8 percent in 2017. Additional information can be found here.
Administration Posts TANF Participant Data
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Family Assistance recently released data on the characteristics and financial circumstances of recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds in fiscal year 2017. The tables provide demographic data on the age, gender, and race/ethnicity of adults and children in TANF and Separate State Program (SSP)-Maintenance-of-Effort (MOE) active families and closed cases, as well as data on the financial circumstances of TANF cash assistance recipients. The data is provided for individual states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
USDA Announces $1.2 Billion for Rural Water Infrastructure
Last Tuesday the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the investment of $1.2 billion in 234 water and environmental infrastructure projects in 46 states to help rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure. The project financing will be distributed through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program, which can be used for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents. The project list can be found here.
EPA Proposes Revisions to Standards for New Power Plants
On Thursday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to revise the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gas emissions from new, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuel-fired power plants. The agency is proposing to revise the determination of what constitutes the “standards of performance” that reflect the “best system of emission reduction…adequately demonstrated.” These new standards would replace the 2015 determination that partial carbon capture and storage technology was the best system of emission reduction for new coal units and increase emissions limits for large coal generation units. Additional information, including the text of the proposed rule and a fact sheet, can be found here. Comments will be accepted for 60 days following publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register.
Recently Released Reports
Key Facts About the Uninsured Population
Kaiser Family Foundation
Nation's Progress on Children's Health Coverage Reverses Course
Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families
Transparent State and Local Financial Reporting: The Case for an Open Data CAFR
Data Foundation
Renewing the National Commitment to the Interstate Highway System: A Foundation for the Future
National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine
Economic News
Economy Adds 155,000 Jobs in November
New data released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 155,000 in November and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent. The data also shows that in November there were 6.0 million unemployed persons, which is little changed from the previous month. The number of long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks or more) declined by 120,000 to 1.3 million, accounting for 20.8 percent of the total unemployed. The labor force participation rate was unchanged at 62.9 percent. In November, job gains occurred in health care (32,000), manufacturing (27,000), transportation and warehousing (25,000), professional and business services (32,000) and retail trade (18,000). Employment saw little change for mining, construction, wholesale trade, information, financial activities, leisure and hospitality, and government. The average hourly earnings for all employees increased by 6 cents to $27.35 in November, following an increase of 4 cents in October. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 81 cents, or 3.1 percent.