Legislative Notices
S. 1926 – Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014
Noteworthy Floor Situation: On Monday, January 27, following the Leaders’ remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 1926, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014, with the time until 5:30 p.m. equally divided. At 5:30p.m., the Senate will conduct a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S. 1926. On January 16, a unanimous consent agreement was circulated on the Hotline to allow for a specified number of amendments to be considered.... Continue Reading
January 15, 2014
Legislative Notice: H.R. 3547 – Vehicle for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014
Noteworthy Background: The Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2014 was released on January 13, 2014, as a House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 3547. This omnibus bill would complete the appropriations process for fiscal year 2014, funding the federal government through September 30, 2014. Under H.J.Res. 106, the short-term continuing resolution (CR) passed by the House on January 14 and by the Senate on January 15, the federal government is funded through Saturday,... Continue Reading
December 16, 2013
Highlights of H.R. 3304: Final FY14 Defense Authorization Bill
Noteworthy Floor Situation: On Sunday, Majority Leader Reid filed cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to this bill. It seems highly likely he will block all opportunity for amendment before a final passage vote, meaning the Senate will have processed only two amendments during the entire consideration of the defense authorization bill. Executive Summary: The Administration’s fiscal year 2014 defense budget request was for $625.2 billion, composed... Continue Reading
December 16, 2013
Legislative Notice: Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013/Pathway for SGR Reform Act of 2013
Noteworthy Background: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (BBA) was introduced on December 10. Sponsored by Representative Paul Ryan, the Act is the result of his negotiations with Senator Patty Murray. The BBA is not a product of the budget resolution conference committee, and the BBA is not a budget resolution. The BBA takes the form of a House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.J.Res. 59, which was the original continuing resolution (CR) that went back and forth between the House and... Continue Reading
November 14, 2013
Legislative Notice: S. 1197 – FY14 Defense Authorization Bill
Noteworthy Background: S. 1197 was introduced by Senator Levin on June 20, 2013. The Senate Armed Services Committee passed the bill by a vote of 23-3 (Vitter, Lee, Cruz opposed). Floor Situation: Majority Leader Reid has filed cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill. Executive Summary: The Administration’s fiscal year 2014 defense budget request was for $625.2 billion, composed of $526.6 billion for the Department of Defense base budget, $80.7 billion for ongoing operations in the... Continue Reading
November 1, 2013
Legislative Notice: S. 815 – Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013
Noteworthy Floor Situation: On October 31, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S. 815. It is anticipated the Senate will hold its cloture vote on the motion to proceed on Monday, November 4, as part of a series of votes scheduled to begin at 5:30p.m. Background: On July 10, the legislation was reported favorably by the HELP Committee by a vote of 15 to 7, with the support of three Republican committee members. The committee report, along with minority views, can be found... Continue Reading
September 23, 2013
Legislative Notice: H.J.Res. 59 – Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014
Noteworthy Background: H.J.Res. 59 was introduced on September 10. The House passed H.J.Res. 59 on September 20 by a vote of 230-189. Before passing the legislation, the House amended the original measure by adding the text of H.R. 2682 (the Defund Obamacare Act) and H.R. 807 (the Full Faith and Credit Act). Floor Situation: The Senate is expected to consider the CR during the week of September 23. The following is a possible timeline for consideration of H.J. Res. 59, assuming that all... Continue Reading
September 11, 2013
Legislative Notice: S. 1392 – Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013
Noteworthy Floor Situation: On Tuesday, September 10 at 11:00 a.m., the motion to proceed to S. 1392 will be agreed to and the Senate will begin consideration of the bill. The bill was read for the second time and placed on the legislative calendar under Rule 14 on July 31, 2013. Background: The bill was introduced on July 30, 2013, by Senators Shaheen and Portman. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee has not considered S. 1392. However, it reported similar legislation, S. 761, by voice... Continue Reading
September 9, 2013
Legislative Notice: S.J. Res. 21 – Authorization for the Use of Force in Syria
Noteworthy The U.S. government has determined the Syrian regime carried out a chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs on August 21, 2013—killing 1,429 people, including at least 426 children. President Obama has decided as Commander-in-Chief that the United States should take military action against Syrian regime targets. The President has further said he does not need the authorization of Congress to carry out that action, but he has sought congressional authorization for that... Continue Reading
June 13, 2013
Legislative Notice: S. 744 – The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act
NOTEWORTHY Floor Situation: On Tuesday June 11, 2013, the Senate voted, 84-15, to proceed to S. 744. This legislation is expected to remain on the floor through the month of June. Background: S. 744 was introduced on April 16, 2013, and the Senate Judiciary Committee held three days of hearings on this bill. The bill reported by a vote of 13-5 (Senators Hatch, Graham, Flake voted in favor; Senators Grassley, Sessions, Cornyn, Lee, and Cruz voted against) on May 21, 2013, after five days of... Continue Reading
May 20, 2013
Legislative Notice: S. 954 – Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act
Noteworthy Floor Situation: On Monday, May 20, 2013, the Senate is scheduled to begin consideration of the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (S. 954), also known as the Farm Bill. Background: S. 954 was adopted by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry by a vote of 15 to 5 on May 14, 2013. The bill is very similar to the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 (S. 3240), as amended, which passed the Senate by a vote of 64 to 35 on June 21, 2012. An... Continue Reading
May 2, 2013
Legislative Notice: S. 601 – Water Resources Development Act of 2013
Noteworthy Floor Situation: The Senate is expected to vote on a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 601 on May 6, 2013. Majority Leader Reid filed the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 601 on April 25, 2013. Background: The bill was introduced on March 18, 2013, by Chairman Boxer and Ranking Member Vitter of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. The committee unanimously reported S. 601, as amended, on March 20, 2013. Overview S. 601... Continue Reading
April 22, 2013
Legislative Notice: S. 743 – Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013
On April 16, 2013, Senator Enzi introduced S. 743, which was placed on the Senate Calendar via Rule 14 on April 17. Noteworthy S. 743 is identical to an earlier bill by Senator Enzi, S. 336. The Marketplace Fairness Act would allow states to require out-of-state sellers to collect and remit sales and use taxes for the state. States must meet certain simplification requirements to be authorized to do this. The Marketplace Fairness Act was the subject of a budget resolution amendment that passed... Continue Reading
March 19, 2013
Legislative Notice: S. Con. Res. 8 – Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2014
Noteworthy Background: Senate Democrats are bringing a budget resolution to the Senate floor for the first time in four years. S.Con.Res. 8 was reported out of the Budget Committee on a 12-10 vote, S. Rept. 113-12. Floor Situation: The Senate will consider the fiscal year 2014 budget resolution during the week of March 18. Debate time is limited to 50 hours. Upon the use or yielding back of the 50 hours, the Senate will begin a “vote-a-rama” on amendments. Some amendments may... Continue Reading
March 8, 2013
Legislative Notice--H.R. 933
Noteworthy Background: H.R. 933 was introduced by Rep. Hal Rogers on March 4, 2013. The House passed H.R. 933 on March 6 by a vote of 267-151. Floor Situation: The Senate is expected to consider H.R. 933 during the week of March 11. Executive Summary: H.R. 933 includes appropriations bills for the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, and a continuing resolution for the remainder of the federal government. CBO reports that H.R. 933 is in compliance with the Budget Control Act’s cap on... Continue Reading
January 29, 2013
Legislative Notice: H.R. 325 – No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013
Noteworthy Floor Situation: The Senate may consider H.R. 325 during the week of January 28. No unanimous consent agreement is in effect for consideration of this bill. Background: H.R. 325 passed the House on January 23 by a vote of 285-144. The bill would allow Treasury borrowing through May 18 to be exempt from the debt limit. If passed, the debt limit would be the last major budget deadline to be reached this spring: sequester (March 1), continuing resolution (March 27), deadline to adopt a... Continue Reading
January 25, 2013
H.R. 152 – Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013
Noteworthy Floor Situation: The Senate will consider H.R. 152 on January 28. Debate is limited to one hour. The Senate will then proceed to two votes: the first on a Lee amendment regarding offsets; and the second on passage of H.R. 152. Both are subject to a 60-vote threshold. Background: Hurricane Sandy hit the U.S. in late October 2012. On December 7, the Obama Administration requested $60.4 billion in supplemental appropriations. On December 28, the Senate passed its version of the... Continue Reading
December 21, 2012
Legistlative Notice: H.R. 5949 – FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act
Noteworthy Background/Executive Summary: In 2008, Congress updated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to reflect the vast changes in telecommunications technology over the prior 30 years. Those changes were made to sunset at the end of this year. The Director of National Intelligence has said reauthorizing these updates in their current form is his highest legislative priority, and the FBI Director has said these intelligence tools are “absolutely essential” to interdicting... Continue Reading
December 20, 2012
Highlights of H.R. 4310: FY13 Defense Authorization Bill (Conference Report)
Noteworthy Floor Situation: Majority Leader Reid has indicated a desire to complete action on this. Executive Summary: The Administration’s fiscal year 2013 defense budget request was $631.6 billion, composed of $543.1 billion for the base budget and $88.5 billion for ongoing operations in the war against terrorists (or what the Administration labels “Overseas Contingency Operations” (OCO)). The bill provides $633.3 billion in budget authority, of which $544.9 billion is for... Continue Reading
December 14, 2012
Legistlative Notice: H.R. 1 – Vehicle for Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013
Noteworthy Floor Situation: The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 was released by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on December 12, 2012. The Senate is expected to consider it as an amendment to H.R. 1 during the week of December 17. Background: Hurricane Sandy hit the U.S. in late October 2012. On December 7, the Obama Administration requested $60.4 billion in supplemental appropriations. Executive Summary: The Senate bill includes $60.4 billion, just $1.251 million below the... Continue Reading