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The Latest: A Weekly Federal Update (09/19/22)


Upcoming Events & Activities

September 19 – 23, 2022

All events are in Eastern Daylight Saving Time


Monday, September 19th

No events to report.


Tuesday, September 20th

11:00 AM | Environmental & Energy Study Institute: "What Congress Needs to Know About Corporate Climate Risk, Resilience, & Disclosures" webinar


1:00 PM | Environmental Protection Agency: Webinar of Environmental Financial Advisory Board to discuss Opportunity Zones & Pollution Prevention Workgroups' draft deliverables


1:00 PM | House Natural Resources Committee: "Examining Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta: The Implications of the Supreme Court's Ruling on Tribal Sovereignty"


2:30 PM | Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee: "Uncounted Deaths in America's Prisons & Jails: How the Department of Justice Failed to Implement the Daith in Custody Reporting Act"


3:00 PM | Senate Judiciary Committee: "Oversight of Federal Enforcement of the Antitrust Laws"


Wednesday, September 21st

10:00 AM | House Homeland Security Committee: "Critical Infrastructure Preparedness & Resilience: A Focus on Water"


10:00 AM | Senate Environment & Public Works Committee: "Putting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Work: The State & Local Perspectives"


2:00 PM | House Select Coronavirus Crisis Subcommittee: "Examining the Long-Term Care in America: The Impact of the Coronavirus in Nursing Homes"


Thursday, September 22nd

9:00 AM | House Oversight & Reform Committee: "Power & Profiteering: How Certain Industries Hiked Prices, Fleeced Consumers, and Drove Inflation"


10:00 AM | House Natural Resources Committee: "PROMESA & LUMA Energy's Contract"


10:00 AM | Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee: "To Examine Opportunities & Challenges in Deploying Innovation Battery & Non-Battery Technologies for Energy Storage"


Friday, September 23rd

No events to report.


The latest from the House and Senate committees on energy (infrastructure), 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. 8847, To amend the Natural Gas Act to bolster fairness and transparency in consideration of interstate natural gas pipelines and to provide for greater public input opportunities Sponsor: Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09) Committee(s): Energy & Commerce Date Introduced: September 15, 2022


H.R. 8771, To acquire cobalt refining capacity in the United States Sponsor: Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL-19) Committee(s): Financial Services Date Introduced: September 13, 2022


News

Politico: CA Gov. Newsom Signs Climate Package into Law

On September 16th, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a climate package into law, which totaled 40 pieces of legislation. The package included measures on electric vehicles, transmission infrastructure, water emissions, and a legal requirement to move the entire Californian economy to carbon neutrality by 2045. Many of the laws punt to the California Air Resources Board.


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. 8861, To provide for expand home rule for the resident of the District of COlumbia Sponsor: Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) Committee(s): Oversight & Reform; Rules Date Introduced: September 15, 2022


H.R. 8859, To improve the Local Assistance & Tribal Consistency Act Sponsor: Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-02) Committee(s): Oversight & Reform Date Introduced: September 15, 2022


H.R. 8853, To amend the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to prevent the excise tax on repurchase of corporate stock from taking effect Sponsor: Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN-08) Committee(s): Ways & Means Date Introduced: September 15, 2022


News

Associated Press: US Stocks Waver Ahead of Expected Interest Rate Hike

Wall Street remains focused on inflation and the Federal Reserve's attempt to lower prices by aggressively raising interest rates. On Wednesday, the central bank will announce its latest decision on rates and is expected to raise its benchmark rate, which influences interest rates throughout the economy, another three-quarters of a percentage point.

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. 8838, To protect healthcare providers and people seeking reproductive healthcare services Sponsor: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18) Committee(s): Energy & Commerce; Judiciary Date Introduced: September 15, 2022


H.R. 8800, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend certain increases in payments for physician services under the Medicare program through 2023 Sponsor: Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA-07) Committee(s): Energy & Commerce; Ways & Means Date Introduced: September 13, 2022


News

Reuters: Biden Says 'Pandemic is Over' Even as Death Toll, Costs Mount

On September 18th, President Joe Biden said in an interview that "the pandemic is over," even though the United States continues to grapple with Covid-19 infections that kill hundreds of Americans daily. "We still have a problem with COVID. We're still doing a lotta work on it. But the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one's wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it's changing." But nearly 400 people a day continue to die from COVID-19 in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.


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. 8871, To provide a refundable tax credit for certain gun safes Sponsor: Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-05) Committee(s): Ways & Means Date Introduced: September 15, 2022


H.R. 8760, To punish the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death as felony murder Sponsor: Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) Committee(s): Judiciary Date Introduced: September 15, 2022


H.R. 8823, To amend the Immigration & Nationality Act of advance meritorious asylum claims Sponsor: Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-15) Committee(s): Judiciary; Homeland Security Date Introduced: September 14, 2022


News

Reuters: Migrants flown to Martha's Vineyard by FL Gov, Say They Were Misled

Some migrants who were flown to the wealthy island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, said on Thursday they were duped about their destination, and Democratic leaders called for a probe of the move by Florida's Republican governor to send them there from Texas.


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 amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to expand working hours for employees between the ages of 14 and 16 periods in which schools are in session Sponsor: Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD-At Large) Committee(s): Education & Labor Date Introduced: September 14, 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

Politico: Biden's EV Tax Credit May Outdo Trump's Damage to WTO

President Joe Biden promised to restore relations with allies, but a new electric vehicle tax credit passed by Congress under his watch may do more to damage the World Trade Organization than anything his predecessor did. U.S. lawmakers and Biden passed and enacted a provision that most legal experts see as an obvious violation of international trade rules. The move shows a potentially irreversible shift started under former President Donald Trump, where domestic political concerns heavily outweigh a global rules-based trade order the administration contends it supports. The fact the provision became law without the congressional committees that oversee trade stopping it, or Biden issuing a veto threat, is a disturbing sign that WTO compatibility does not currently act as a "filter" on U.S. legislation, said John Magnus, a long-time trade attorney who represents both foreign and domestic clients.


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, and executive orders by the President of the United States.


DOI: Oil & Gas Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf Revisions

The Department of the Interior is proposing to revise certain regulatory provisions published in the 2019 final well control rule for drilling, workover, completion, and decommissioning operations. DOI is also proposing these revisions to clarify blowout preventer system requirements and to modify certain specific blowout preventer equipment capability requirements. This proposed rule would provide consistency and clarity to industry regarding the BOP equipment and associated operational requirements necessary for Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement review and approval and would further ensure operations are conducted safely and in an environmentally responsible manner. Comments are accepted until November 14, 2022.


White House: Executive Order 14082

On September 12th, President Biden issued Executive Order 14082 (Implementation of the Energy & Infrastructure Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022). EO 14082 establishes the White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation within the Executive Office of the President, which shall coordinate the policymaking process with respect to implementing the energy and infrastructure provisions of the Act and other essential initiatives.


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.



How CBO Analyzes the Effects of Charging the Oil & Gas Industry for Methane Emissions












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