House Cloakroom: March 5 – March 9
Analysis: This week the House will take up legislation on a variety of issues. The JOBS Act is a combination of several financial services related bills meant to ease access to capitol and remove barriers to entry for startup companies. The countervailing duties bill will allow the federal government to place tariffs on imports from nonmarket economies, particularly China, to combat the practice of dumping. Dumping is defined as a country exporting goods at an artificially low price, but it is difficult to distinguish between dumping and genuinely lower priced exports.
Major Floor Action:
- HR 3606 – JOBS Act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act)
- HR 2842 – Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act
- HR 4105 – To apply the countervailing duty provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 to nonmarket economy countries, and for other purposes.
Major Committee Action:
- The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a markup of “Medicare and FCC Process and Reporting Bills.”
- The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing on the “Impact of New Advisory Board on Medicare.”
- The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the “Fiscal 2013 Defense Authorization.”
Senate Cloakroom: March 5 – March 9
Analysis: The Senate will spend another week on the highway and transit funding reauthorization bill this week. Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) has scheduled a cloture vote on the bill for Tuesday, which would practically mean that there will be no unrelated amendments on conservative issues allowed if the vote is successful. There will likely be continued discussion of the financing of the gap between gas tax revenue and the funding levels in the bill since Democrats are attempting to use tax increases.
Major Floor Action:
- S 1813 – MAP-21 (Highway Bill)
Major Committee Action:
- The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the “Fiscal 2013 Defense Authorization.”
- The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on “Tax Incentives for Capital Investment and Manufacturing.”
- The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the “Situation in Syria.”
- The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on “Lending Discrimination and Foreclosure Abuse.”
- The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on the “Administration Trade Agenda.”
