This Week in Congress: Review and Preview

From National Write Your Congressmen

REVIEW

2010 Fiscal Budget: The Senate passed a $3.5 trillion federal budget resolution by a vote of 55 - 43. Hours before that, the House approved the plan 233 - 196. Both the House and Senate versions of the budget would usher in sweeping changes to the nation’s health care and energy policies. Lawmakers face extensive negotiations after the spring recess to reconcile the two measures. Rather than attempting to alter the Democrats’ budget one amendment at a time, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) offered a complete alternative budget, which the Senate rejected 38-60. Click here to check for updates on this issue.

Health Care Reform: Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), who co-chair the Congressional Progressive Caucus, on Thursday sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) stating that liberal lawmakers would not vote for health care reform legislation that does not include an option for government-run health care coverage. To express your opinion on this issue, click here.

Tobacco Regulation: The House voted to grant the Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate nicotine levels in cigars, cigarettes and chewing tobacco. Makers of tobacco products would face new marketing and advertising restrictions under the bill.(H.R.1256)

Federal Warranties: The Obama administration indicated on March 30 that it was considering the idea of providing federal guarantees for vehicle warranties issued by General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. Congressional action could be required to start the program. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) blasted the idea saying the government should not be involved in this area of the auto industry. Click here to visit our homepage. To express your opinion on this issue, click here.

Credit Card Legislation: A House panel approved a bill to tighten credit card rules, but delayed implementation of it by one year. The bill would limit rate increases and fees. It would also expand a number of requirements for disclosing lending terms and interest rates to consumers. (H.R.627)

Maritime Spending: A House panel approved a bill that would authorize $153 million to design and build a new icebreaker for use in the Great Lakes. The move comes after U.S. ships reported $1.3 million in damage because the Coast Guard could not keep shipping channels sufficiently free of ice in spring of 2008. (H.R.1747)

Defense Acquisitions: The Senate Armed Services Committee approved legislation to overhaul major elements of the Pentagon’s acquisition rules. The bill would address the surging cost of weapons and delayed deliveries by requiring that two or more teams of companies produce prototypes of any major new weapon. (S.454)

Bill to Curb Bonuses: The House passed a bill that would bar any recipient of federal money from the $700 billion financial industry bailout law from paying any compensation that is “unreasonable or excessive,” as would be defined by standards that would be set by federal banking regulators. (S.651)

Afghanistan Oversight Measure: A Senate panel approved a measure to speed up the hiring of watchdogs for the Afghanistan reconstruction effort. The bill would allow Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) to set its own hiring requirements and to waive lengthy federal government hiring procedures. (S.615)

Contested Senate Seat: Democrat Al Franken’s victory in the contested election against former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) became more likely when a court decision Tuesday favored Franken, but the outcome is still not final. Republicans are continuing to back Coleman as legal wrangling continues.

Indictment: Former Democratic governor Rod Blagojevich was indicted for an alleged extortion scheme against former representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL). Emanuel is now U.S. Chief of Staff.

PREVIEW

Both the House and the Senate will continue work on the 2010 fiscal budget. Lawmakers will consider Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ nomination as secretary of Health and Human Services, the last empty Cabinet post in the Obama administration.

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