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News and updates

Budget and Taxes

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The Senate passed its FY 2018 budget by a vote of 51-49 on last night. The passage is a key step to Republican hopes of creating and passing any tax overhaul measure through Congress along party lines in the coming months. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) was the lone Republican dissenter. Behind the scenes, GOP leaders have already hammered out an agreement to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate budget resolutions, likely negating the need for a formal conference and giving Republicans more time to focus on tax reform before the end of the year.

The Senate adopted a package of House-requested tweaks Thursday night, teeing up the budget resolution for House passage as soon as next week. Both chambers need to pass identical budgets in order to allow Republicans to use the fast-tracking tool for tax reform that permits them to bypass a Democratic filibuster in the Senate. As part of the deal, the House will have to accept the Senate’s plan to add $1.5 trillion to the deficit via tax reform after the lower chamber’s budget initially demanded a deficit-neutral tax plan.

If the Senate resolution can be passed in the House – potentially as soon as next week – it would eliminate the need for a conference agreement or other negotiations to resolve differences between the chambers, and the need for reconsideration of the resolution in the Senate. That would accelerate the process for tax reform given that House leaders have said a tax bill will not be released and processed until the budget is completed. President Trump has urged House members to accept the Senate budget resolution to avoid a conference, and the President will head to the Hill next week to talk to the Senate on a path forward with tax reform.

 

 

Senate Begins Debate on Budget Resolution

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The Senate has begun its floor debate on the FY2018 budget resolution. As mentioned previously, although usually used to determine parameters of federal spending, this year’s package contains a set of procedures that would enable the chamber to adopt a tax package by a simple majority.

With all Democrats expected to oppose it, one Republican Senator currently back home for health reasons, and a number of other members of the party expressing reservations about certain parts of the legislation, it is not yet certain that the Republicans have the votes for its passage.  A long list of votes on amendments is expected between now and the final vote on passage, which could take place on Thursday.

Marino Out as Drug Czar

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A Washington Post/“60 Minutes” investigation, which aired this weekend, examined Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) efforts to guide legislation that weakened the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to go after drug distributors, even as opioid-related deaths continue to rise.

Marino was the Administration’s nominee for the position of Drug Czar. He has withdrawn his name from consideration.

President Trump has also promised a major announcement about opioids next week.

Senate Expected to Take Up FY2018 Budget Resolution

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The full Senate is expected to take up this week its FY2018 budget resolution.  The House cleared its version earlier this month.

While the budget resolution usually lays out the budget parameters for a given year, the primary goal of the FY2018 budget resolution is to set up for procedures that would allow Republicans to pass a tax reform package with the minimum number of votes.  The House adopted resolution would also allow for a similar process.

While Republicans are united in their push for a big tax package, there is disagreement on several issues associated with such a measure, including whether a tax-cut bill should increase the debt.  Read more here and here.

What We’re Reading, October 9-13

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Here’s a selection of articles we’re reading this week.

Meet the Trump Whisperer – Few people are closer to Trump than Thomas J. Barrack Jr., his friend for three decades. Barrack helped rescue Trump’s real estate empire years ago. He was the top fundraiser for Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. He turned down a Cabinet offer, preferring to be an outside adviser, although his name is still mentioned as a potential White House chief of staff should Trump decide to choose a new one. Above all, Barrack has remained unfailingly loyal to Trump, who he sees as a shrewd politician. Read the full profile on the Washington Post.

Ryan Threatens Work During Christmas – Nothing seems to push lawmakers to get their jobs done and pass legislation more than the threat of having to be in Washington over the holidays. Read more from Roll Call.

The New, Improved IPEDS – A decade in the making, upgrade of the federal government’s main higher ed database enables tracking part-time and adult students and gauging graduation rates for Pell Grant recipients. Limits remain, though. Read more from Inside Higher Ed.

Not Just About Free Speech – It’s a dizzying battleground: civil libertarians resist demands that even hateful speech be shut down as students protest controversial speakers and right-wing critics dismiss young liberals as delicate “snowflakes.” … But the push and pull isn’t just about speech. Many liberal students believe a tolerance for hostile rhetoric is an indicator of bigger injustices, both on campuses and in society, that need to be addressed. Read more from Time.

Where’s Zinke? –  At the Interior Department’s headquarters in downtown Washington, Secretary Ryan Zinke has revived an arcane military ritual that no one can remember ever happening in the federal government. A security staffer takes the elevator to the seventh floor, climbs the stairs to the roof and hoists a special secretarial flag whenever Zinke enters the building. When the secretary goes home for the day or travels, the flag  comes down.  Read more from the Washington Post.