News and updates

Keep up with what’s happening in DC. Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.

March on Washington: The March on Washington is Friday, August 28th, marking the 57th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the National Mall. This comes amidst protests following the death of Jacob Blake at the hands of police in Kenosha, WI. Live updates at CNN.

RNC: At the Republican National Convention, President Trump received the Republican nomination for a second term. Updates at CNN.

Russia and US in Syria: The Russian Government and the White House disagreed over accounts of how 4 US service members were injured during a skirmish in Syria. Each side blamed the other for breaching protocol. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mike Milley, spoke with his Russian counterpart about the incident. More at Politico.

Presidential Tax Returns: Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), has stated that if Democrats take the White House in the election, they will release President Trump’s tax returns, a source of major political contention. Full story here.

House Passes USPS Relief: On Saturday the House passed legislation 257-150 that would reverse operational changes at USPS and provide the Service $25 billion to sustain itself through COVID-19. More at Roll Call.

Pompeo Faces Contempt Charges: The House Foreign Affairs Committee is drafting a resolution holding Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Contempt of Congress, accusing him of misusing government resources and ignoring subpoena requests. Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) said in a statement, “He seems to think the office he holds, the Department he runs, the personnel he oversees, and the taxpayer dollars that pay for all of it are there for his personal and political benefit”. Full story.

COVID Relief Not Moving: White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), resumed talks today on the stalled COVID-19 stimulus package, however they were unable to reach any agreement on a dollar figure. While Pelosi insists that Republicans meet halfway, Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), is attempting to move forward with a smaller package consisting of a more narrow set of bipartisan priorities. More at AP.

Aid for Airline Workers: The White House is purportedly considering using executive orders to prevent hundreds of thousands of airline workers from losing their jobs at the end of September. The payroll support program which was signed into law in March expires on 9/30/2020. Without the relief, or a serious rebound in demand for air travel, airlines say they will be forced to furlough staff. Various unions note that executive orders cannot appropriate funds, which means ultimately Congress will have to act, however they appreciate that the White House is seeking action. Full story at Roll Call.

Keep up with what’s happening in DC. Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.

DNC: At the Democratic National Convention, Joe Biden officially became the Democratic nominee for President. Kamala Harris accepted the nomination for Vice President.

USPS: Postmaster General DeJoy has decided to halt changes to mail servicing until after the election, however in a call with Speaker of the House Pelosi, he acknowledged that USPS won’t replace already removed machines. This is part of ongoing tensions regarding mail-in (absentee) voting. More at The Hill. Live updates on DeJoy’s Senate testimony here.

Iran Sanctions: The Department of State has announced that the US will move to impose full sanctions on Iran in the UN. More at Politico.

Russia Meddling Report: The Senate Intelligence Committee released a bipartisan report in which it acknowledged Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign chairman, had several secret contacts with persons affiliated with Russian intelligence agencies. The report described his behavior as a “grave counterintelligence threat”. More at Politico.

Kanye West Candidacy: Rap star and aspiring Presidential candidate Kanye West will not appear on the Illinois ballot this November after failing to receive enough qualified signatures. This is after a federal judge reduced the total number of required signatures from 25,000 to just 2,500. West has already failed to qualify in several other states. More at NBC Chicago.