House and Senate Leadership have decided to forego the Omnibus or minibus appropriations for FY 2017 and pass a short-term CR. The CR will last until March 31, 2017. The CR will be crafted to maintain the current rate of funding.
More details will be reported when more is known.
House Democrats have delayed their caucus leadership elections which were slated for Thursday. The current Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), agreed to the delay at a closed-door conference meeting. Initially it appeared the House Democrats would decide on Thursday whether to go forward with their elections that day but decided today to simply delay the election.
Some House Democrats had been pressing for a delay in Thursday’s vote, something that could conceivably give more time for an opponent of Pelosi’s to mount a challenge.
The election will now be held on November 30.
Former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is in the running for Secretary of HHS. He has health care policy in his background. At just 24 years old, he served as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, and later served as principal policy adviser to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson in President George W. Bush’s administration. Pence and Jindal served in the House together.
Jindal has proposed Obamacare replacement plan, which he first released in 2014. Full report: More. Executive summary: More.
However, others are still in the mix, and Jindal was no fan of Trump during the Republican primaries. Jindal also attempted a run for president this cycle and then threw his support to Rubio. That could take him out of serious contention.
Dr. Ben Carson, presidential nominee, has announced he will not be in the Trump Cabinet effectively taking himself out of the running for a series of Secretary positions to which his name has been linked.
Reince Prebus and Steve Bannon have been named to key leadership positions in the West Wing for the Trump Administration.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus will serve as Trump’s White House chief of staff. Priebus has a long relationship with fellow Wisconsin Republican, House Speaker Paul Ryan. At just 44, Priebus is already among the longest-serving RNC chairmen and a prolific fundraiser.
Steve Bannon, the former executive chairman of Breitbart News, will be senior adviser and chief strategist in the White House. The appointment of Bannon prompted harsh criticism and widespread alarm among political strategists. Bannon, , is described as a dangerous influence in a statement released Sunday by the ADL.
Bannon, 62, is a former naval officer and investment banker who is also closely associated with the white-nationalist “alt-right” movement. Bannon was the brains behind inviting the women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct to be Trump’s guests at the second debate.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League and the Council on American-Islamic Relations were among the groups that put out statements decrying Bannon last night.
Federal Relations will continue to update on key Administration positions as the information becomes available.
Today, President Elect Trump named his Vice President- Elect Mike Pence as the new head of the transition team with strong input from Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL). Previously, the transition team was headed by long-time Trump supporter, Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ). The transition team is responsible for filling over 4000 positions within the new Administration, including those at the Cabinet-level.