The Latest: A Weekly Federal Update (09/12/22)
Upcoming Events & Activities
September 12 – 16, 2022
All events are in Eastern Daylight Saving Time
Monday, September 12th
No events to report.
Tuesday, September 13th
1:00 PM | Clean Air Act Advisory Committee: Hybrid Meeting Day 1
Wednesday, September 14th
9:00 AM | Clean Air Act Advisory Committee: Hybrid Meeting Day 2
10:00 AM | House Natural Resources Committee: "The Role of Public Relations Firms in Preventing Action on Climate Change"
10:00 AM | House Oversight & Reform Committee: "Free Speech Under Attack (Part III): The Legal Assault on Environmental Activists and the First Amendment"
10:00 AM | Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee: "Stopping the Spread of Monkeypox: Examining the Federal Response"
10:00 AM | Senate Judiciary Committee: "Flatlining Care: Why Immigrants Are Crucial to Bolstering Our Health Care Workforce"
10:00 AM | Senate Environment & Public Works Committee: Nomination of Shailen Bhatt to be Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation
11:00 AM | House Ways & Means Committee: "The Future of U.S.-Taiwan Trade"
Thursday, September 15th
9:00 AM | House Oversight & Reform Committee: "Fueling the Climate Crisis: Examining Big Oil’s Prices, Profits, & Pledges"
9:00 AM | Senate Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs Committee: "Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission"
10:00 AM | House Foreign Affairs Committee: "The Sustainable Development Goals and Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for U.S. Policy"
10:00 AM | House Homeland Security Committee: "Building on our Baseline: Securing Industrial Control Systems Against Cyberattacks"
11:00 AM | House Ways & Means Committee: "Preparing America's Healthcare Infrastructure for the Climate Crisis"
Friday, September 16th
No events to report.
The latest from the House and Senate committees on energy (infrastructure), WIFIA and SRF grants, water treatment and wastewater management, permitting reform, natural resources management, and environmental justice, and policy developments from the Departments of Energy and the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Recent Legislation
H.R. 8773, To amend the Clean Air Act to repeal the waiver authority allowing California to enforce certain standards relating to federally-regulated motor vehicle emissions Sponsor: Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01) Committee(s): Energy & Commerce Date Introduced: September 6, 2022
H.R. 8771, To withhold Federal highway funding from a State that prohibits the sale of motor vehicles that are not zero-emission vehicles Sponsor: Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL-12) Committee(s): Transportation & Infrastructure Date Introduced: September 6, 2022
News
Reuters: EU Plans to Make Fossil Fuel Firms Share Excess Profits, Draft Shows
The European Commission wants to force fossil fuel firms that have pocketed gains from soaring energy prices to make a financial contribution to help citizens and industries grappling with sky-high bills, a draft document seen by Reuters showed. The proposal, details of which are expected to be unveiled by Brussels this week, would see European Union countries introduce a "solidarity contribution" for companies that have reported bumper profits from selling fossil fuels this year. Oil, gas, coal and refining companies would make a contribution based on "taxable surplus profits made in the fiscal year 2022", according to the draft, which could still be amended.
Politico: Forced Labor Law Squeezes Supplies for U.S. Solar Industry
According to a quarterly report by the Solar Energy Industries Association, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (the U.S. law targeting solar equipment made from forced labor in China's Xinjiang province), coupled with the existing supply chain constraints, is hurting solar developers' ability to obtain modules. In the past three months, solar developers have experienced a 10 gigawatt-reduction to this year's planned pipeline of utility-scale projects as they face delays into 2023 and 2024, the report said.
The latest from House and Senate committees on taxation, Social Security, federal contracting, small business and entrepreneurship support, and monetary policy, and policy developments from the Departments of the Treasury and Commerce, Office of Government Contracting, Small Business Administration, and Federal Open Market Committee (Federal Reserve System).
Recent Legislation
H.R. 8796, To improve agency rulemaking Sponsor: Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) Committee(s): Judiciary Date Introduced: September 9, 2022
H.R. 8775, To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to provide that any estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office or the Joint Committee on Taxation shall include costs relating to servicing the public debt Sponsor: Rep. Daniel Meuser (R-PA-09) Committee(s): Rules; Budget Date Introduced: September 6, 2022
News
CRFB: House Group Requests President Biden Fully Repeal Rebate Rule
On September 9th, a group of House Members, led by Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA-52) and Jared Golden (D-ME-02), sent a letter to President Biden calling for the President to use his executive authority to permanently cancel the prescription drug rebate rule delayed by the Inflation Reduction Act. The rebate rule in question was finalized by the Trump Administration in 2020 and then temporarily delayed several times – through a one-year delay implemented by the Biden Administration and several additional delays included in the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. In total, the legislative delays generated nearly $200 billion of offsets through 2031.
The latest from House and Senate committees on Covid-19 vaccination and testing, developing infectious diseases, health insurance, telehealth services, tobacco and other regulated substances, and policy developments from the Department of Health & Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Food & Drug Administration, and Indian Health Service.
Recent Legislation
H.R. 8798, To require the reporting of certain improvements in the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report Sponsor: Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) Committee(s): Foreign Affairs Date Introduced: September 9, 2022
H.R. 8790, To amend the Public Health Service Act to help build a stronger healthcare workforce Sponsor: Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36) Committee(s): Energy & Commerce; Ways & Means Date Introduced: September 9, 2022
News
Yahoo: New York Covid Cases Plummet 16% as New Omicron Booster Arrives
New York's weekly COVID-19 tally plummeted nearly 16% last week as students returned to classrooms and the new COVID-19 vaccine booster targeting omicron variants arrived at vaccination sites statewide. New York reported 24,714 new COVID-19 cases in the week ending Sunday, down from 29,251 cases the prior week. New York ranked 26th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis. Nationally, COVID-19 cases decreased nearly 5% from the week before, with 507,209 cases reported. Across the country, three states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
The latest from the House and Senate committees on immigration and asylum policy, detention, border security, criminal justice reform, and firearm regulation, and policy developments from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, including Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives.
Recent Legislation
H.R. 8762, To restrict the possession, use, and acquisition of firearms and ammunition by the Internal Revenue Service Sponsor: Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC-05) Committee(s): Ways & Means Date Introduced: August 30, 2022
H.R. 8760, To amend the Omnibus Crime Control & Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for grants for State firearms dealer licensing programs Sponsor: Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-NY-25) Committee(s): Judiciary Date Introduced: August 30, 2022
H.R. 8759, To direct all specified new employees of the IRS to assist with the processing through the immigration system of aliens unlawfully present in the United States Sponsor: Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL-02) Committee(s): Ways & Means; Homeland Security; Judiciary Date Introduced: August 30, 2022
News
Reuters: DC Mayor Declares Public Emergency Over Migrant Arrivals from TX, AZ
On September 8th, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public emergency over buses of migrants sent by Republican governors from Texas and Arizona. Bowser, a Democrat, issued an order to support arriving migrants by creating a new Office of Migrant Services and will devote $10 million to launch the office. The city will seek reimbursement from the federal government, Bowser said. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has sent more than 7,900 migrants to Washington, D.C., since April in an effort to push responsibility for border crossers to Democrats, including U.S. President Joe Biden. Arizona has sent about 1,700. Texas also has sent more than 2,200 migrants to New York City and 300 to Chicago, although some get off the buses in other U.S. states before reaching the cities.
The latest from the House and Senate committees on industrial and commercial mechanical insulation, electric vehicles & charging infrastructure, supply chains, port authority, public transit, and airports, and policy developments from the Departments of Energy, Housing & Urban Development, and Transportation; and National Labor Relations Board.
Recent Legislation
H.R. 8793, To repeal the authority under the National Labor Relations Act for States to enact laws prohibiting agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment Sponsor: Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA-30) Committee(s): Education & Labor Date Introduced: September 9, 2022
H.R. 8786, To require the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation to establish a national land bank network Sponsor: Rep. Daniel Kildee (D-MI-05) Committee(s): Financial Services Date Introduced: September 9, 2022
News
Reuters: Ford Will Challenge Dealers to Match Tesla's Lower Selling Costs
This week, Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley will go to Las Vegas to roll the dice on a strategy to convince dealers to cut as much as $2,000 from the cost of delivering an electric vehicle to a customer. Ford has told dealers that one key topic for the meetings will be a discussion of new agreements that would govern how dealers sell Ford's expanding lineup of electric vehicles. About a third of those savings could come from what Farley called a "low inventory model," where customers order a vehicle and Ford ships it to the customer, rather than stocking vehicles on dealer lots for weeks or months.
The latest proposed rules and notices of funding opportunity from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Health & Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing & Urban Development, the Interior, the Treasury, and Transportation; Environmental Protection Agency; and Small Business Administration.
DOE: Request for Information on Grid Resilience & Innovation Partnerships
The U.S. Department of Energy is requesting information on its implementation strategy for the Grid Resilience & Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, including on the competitive solicitation process, draft funding opportunity announcement language, prioritization of topics and projects, and selection criteria. Comments are accepted until October 14, 2022. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act designated approximately $10.5 billion (FY2022 – FY2026) to prevent outages and enhance the resilience of the electric grid, deploy technologies to enhance grid flexibility, and to demonstrate innovative approaches to power sector infrastructure resilience and reliability. DOE refers to these programs as the GRIP program.
The latest reports, studies, and research issued from the Congressional Budget Office, Congressional Research Service, Government Accountability Office, public policy organizations such as the Bipartisan Policy Center, Resources For the Future, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, and others.
