Congress Avoids 2023 Funding Lapse; Sets Up Early 2024 Funding Showdown, But Funds Farm Bill For One Year
Congress has passed a stopgap bill to keep the government open, putting Congress on a path to avert a shutdown this Friday and setting the stage for a broader funding fight in the new year.
Congress Avoids Yet Another Spending Deadline
After months of internal fighting, Congress has passed a stopgap bill to keep the government open, putting Congress on a path to avert a shutdown this Friday and setting the stage for a broader funding fight in the new year. It now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk, where he is expected to sign the legislation tomorrow evening.
Shutdown Showdown: Ukraine, Israel, and Everything in Between
Congress is staring down yet another deadline for avoiding a U.S. government shutdown. This will likely require Congress to approve a short-term spending bill by November 17, giving lawmakers more time to negotiate on the 12 appropriations bills to fund federal programs through September 30, 2024.
How to Access Federal Funding Opportunities
The federal government gives billions in discretionary funding to state and local governments, businesses, and non-profit organizations every year. Finding federal funding for your industry can be a complex process, as each funding avenue has its own eligibility criteria and application processes. Here are some key sources where you can explore federal funding options:
Breaking News: USTR Extends China Section 301 Tariff Exclusions
Today, September 6, USTR announced it is extending 429 tariff exclusions in the China Section 301 Investigation until December 31, 2023. The exclusions were previously scheduled to expire on September 30, 2023.
HHS Announces Medicare Price Negotiation List
On August 29, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced for the first time ever ten drugs selected for Medicare price negotiation. Read the list and HHS’s future plans here.
Medicare to Release Drug Price Negotiation List, Drug Giants Respond
The Biden administration is preparing to announce the first 10 medicines it will target under a program that allows the government to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical giants.
Congress Tackles Permitting Reform
The last week of July saw new activity in the U.S. Senate on the issue of additional permitting reform for pipelines and electric transmission. Chairman Joe Manchin (D-WV) held a hearing and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) chided the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for not utilizing their existing authority to expedite new electric transmission. Here is an overview of where permitting reform stands as August recess comes to an end.
Insight into the Appropriations Process
With Congress out for August Recess, we wanted to provide an overview of the appropriations process that has been underway this past Summer and will pick up again in September. Until the chambers reconvene, here is some background information on the daunting appropriations process that takes place each fiscal year.
SCOTUS Summer Recap
With Congress back in their respective states and districts during the August recess, we would like to step back and reflect on this Summer's U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) cases that took a backseat in the news cycle while major pieces of legislation were being considered and voted on.
Legislative Sprint to August Recess
Lawmakers return to Washington this past week, kicking off a three-week legislative sprint before they return to their states and districts for the August recess.
Advances in Artificial Intelligence Has Washington Worried
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) laid out a long-awaited framework on Wednesday to regulate artificial intelligence, hoping to create a path for lawmakers to adopt guardrails many industry insiders say are needed on a technology many members of Congress admit they do not understand.
Biden’s Regulatory Efforts Heat Up
On Tuesday, June 13, President Joe Biden released his Spring regulatory agenda, outlining plans to address climate change, health policies, and more.
White House Takes On Artificial Intelligence; Releases New A.I. RFI
The Biden Administration has rolled out an updated “National AI R&D Strategic Plan,” which nine focus areas for federal AI efforts. The White House's announcement this week also includes a new RFI on the matter, as well as an update on AI from the Department of Education.
USTR Extends COVID-Related Section 301 Product Exclusions
On May 17, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) once again extended the Section 301 tariff exclusions of certain medical-care products needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Click to learn more.
House Passes Debt Ceiling, Spending Cuts Legislation with Uncertain Future
On Wednesday, April 26, the House passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, legislation intending to increase the federal debt limit and decrease spending. It would also repeal several energy tax credits, modify the permitting process, expand work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and nullify regulations for federal student loan debt cancellation.
Senate HELP Committee Reaches a Deal on Drug Pricing Legislation
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) have reached a bipartisan deal on a slate of drug-pricing bills. The legislative package includes initiatives to spur generic drug approvals, cut fees from pharmaceutical middlemen, and cap the cost of insulin.
Ways and Means Hearing Re-Cap: Green Energy Tax Credits
On Wednesday, April 19, the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing titled “On the U.S. Tax Code Subsidizing Green Corporate Handouts and the Chinese Communist Party.” During the hearing, Republicans slammed the recipients of the Inflation Reduction Act’s energy tax credits, saying large corporations are raking in most of the benefits. The rhetoric marked a shift for Republicans, who traditionally favor cutting taxes for businesses but are increasingly focused on anti-China policies. Meanwhile, Democrats at the hearing emphasized the negative effects that repeal would have, given the jobs already created. Below are some highlights from the hearing broken down by subject matter.
2024 Presidential Election Outlook
Even though the next presidential election is not for another year and a half, candidate announcements, fundraising, and campaigning efforts are already underway. Here is an analysis of the current political landscape and prospects for the 2024 election cycle.
One Year of ARPA-H and its First Funding Opportunity
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is seeking funding proposals for research aiming to improve health outcomes across patient populations, communities, diseases, and health conditions. ARPA-H also encourages concepts to advance the objectives of President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot, as well as more disease-agnostic approaches.