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☆ Facing a Shutdown, Congress Melts Down
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Carl Hulse | More About Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Bringing some order to Capitol Hill is proving to be an extraordinarily tall order. The year began auspiciously with a pledge by both Republicans and Democrats to return to the old ways when it came to the oldest of congressional duties: funding the government. It hasn’t quite worked out. Just two weeks from the end of the fiscal year, the appropriations process is in chaos, not one of a dozen bills has passed, a shutdown looms, tempers are flaring and the endgame is barely beginning. “Can’t govern, don’t want to govern,” said Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the senior Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, characterizing the demands of the extreme right in the House as, “if you don’t make the cuts we want, we shut the place down.”

Persons: ”, “, Rosa DeLauro Organizations: Republicans Locations: Connecticut

☆ Companies withhold billions in wages annually through unpaid tips and overtime. Some lawmakers now demand stricter penalties.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Workers, especially in low-paid industries, have millions in wages stolen each year. Wage theft — when employers don't pay their workers the benefits they're entitled to — is incredibly prevalent across the economy. From 2017 to 2020, workers clawed back over $3 billion in stolen wages , according to the left-leaning nonprofit think tank Economic Policy Institute. Under Murray's proposed legislation, workers would get paid back fully what they're owed — not just minimum wage. Meanwhile, government agencies are also trying to take aim at firms not paying workers what they're owed.

Persons: Sen, Patty Murray, Rosa DeLauro, Bobby Scott, Murray, Murray's, —, they'll, they're Organizations: Service, Workers, Economic Policy Institute, Labor Department Locations: Wall, Silicon, DOL, —

The hardliners, including members of the House Freedom Caucus, also called on McCarthy to delay appropriations votes in the House of Representatives until all 12 government funding bills have been finalized and can be subjected to a side-by-side review. "Absent adhering to the $1.471 trillion spending level ... we see an impossible path to reach 218 Republican votes on appropriations or other measures," the letter said. House Republicans last month voted on a lower target of $1.47 trillion, which would cut spending for the environment, public assistance and foreign aid. House Republicans are also trying to use the legislation to rescind key Biden priorities in areas such as climate change and tax collection. DeLauro, the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, noted that House Republicans "know and have said publicly, that in the end they are going to need Democratic votes to keep the government open."

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Joe Biden, Scott Perry, Chip Roy, McCarthy's, Biden, Patty Murray, Susan Collins, Rosa DeLauro, DeLauro, David Joyce, Joyce, David Morgan, Richard Cowan, Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis, Leslie Adler Organizations: . House, Democratic, Caucus, Republican, Senate, House Republicans, White House, Republicans, Republican Governance Group, Reuters, Thomson Locations: United States

"July is going to have a lot of late-night votes and a lot of really big issues being tackled," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the chamber's No. House Republicans are aiming to craft a series of 12 detailed spending bills covering every aspect of government funding, an intricate feat Congress has not pulled off on time since fiscal 1997. House Republicans last month voted on a lower target of $1.47 trillion, which would cut spending for the environment, public assistance and foreign aid. "House Republicans really are committed to shrinking spending. House Republicans are also trying to use the legislation to rescind key Biden priorities in areas such as climate change and tax collection.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, Steve Scalise, Patty Murray, Susan Collins, Biden, McCarthy, Dusty Johnson, Rosa DeLauro, David Joyce, Joyce, David Morgan, Richard Cowan, Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Republican, House, Democratic, Senate, Republicans, House Republicans, White House, Main Street Caucus, Reuters, Committee, Caucus, Republican Governance Group, Thomson Locations: United States

☆ U.S. House Republicans target deeper spending cuts, raising shutdown threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

That is about $120 billion below the $1.59 trillion set out in the debt ceiling bill negotiated by Biden and McCarthy. The targets would maintain defense spending at the $866 billion level agreed in the debt ceiling legislation. "The debt ceiling bill set a ceiling, not a floor, for fiscal year 2024 bills. Lower spending levels could make it harder for the House to reach agreement with the Democratic-led Senate. Federal agencies could have to shut down if the two chambers are unable to agree to spending levels by October.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, Biden, McCarthy, Kay Granger, Rosa DeLauro, Democratic appropriator, Steve Womack, David Morgan, Andy Sullivan, Alistair Bell Organizations: Democratic, Republicans, Food and Drug Administration, Reuters, Republican, Thomson Locations: China

☆ Online College Classes Are Making the Student Debt Crisis Worse
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

She applied and was accepted to the online program in 2020. In exchange for expanding course offerings and recruiting students, OPMs receive a big chunk of the tuition revenue from the online programs, which usually cost the same as in-person schooling. While it's not always the case, many experts and grads told me that OPMs were offering online students a worse education for a sky-high price. A third-party provider to those schools, 2U signs a contract to offer services such as recruiting and technology to boost online enrollment. OPMs have helped fuel the student debt crisis, saddling may students with tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt and an uncertain future.

Persons: Iola Favell, Favell, Rossier, Zavareei, USC Rossier, OPMs, it's, grads, Eric Rothschild, John Katzman, Katzman, Clare McCann, McCann, —, Aaron Ament, Barack Obama, That's, STEFANI REYNOLDS, Helen Drinan, Cabrini University —, Drinan, Democratic Sens, Elizabeth Warren, Tina Smith, Sherrod Brown, Pearson, Rosa DeLauro, Virginia Foxx, Ament Organizations: University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education, USC, Student Defense, Zavareei LLP, US, Education Department upended, Education Department, Arnold Ventures, OPM, Office, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street, Canyon University, Grand Canyon, Century Foundation, Getty, Cabrini University, Simmons University, Democratic, GAO, Republican, GOP, Universities, Protection, Consumer Financial, Bureau Locations: California, Georgetown, —, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts

☆ Online College Class Providers Screwing Over Students, Adding to Debt Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

She applied and was accepted to the online program in 2020. In exchange for expanding course offerings and recruiting students, OPMs receive a big chunk of the tuition revenue from the online programs, which usually cost the same as in-person schooling. While it's not always the case, many experts and grads told me that OPMs were offering online students a worse education for a sky-high price. A third-party provider to those schools, 2U signs a contract to offer services such as recruiting and technology to boost online enrollment. But beyond scandals, the everyday business of OPMs is leaving many online students with exorbitant bills, despite how cheap it is to administer the courses.

Persons: Iola Favell, Favell, Rossier, USC Rossier, OPMs, it's, grads, Eric Rothschild, John Katzman, Katzman, Clare McCann, McCann, —, Aaron Ament, Barack Obama, That's, STEFANI REYNOLDS, Helen Drinan, Cabrini University —, Drinan, Democratic Sens, Elizabeth Warren, Tina Smith, Sherrod Brown, Pearson, Rosa DeLauro, Virginia Foxx, Ament Organizations: University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education, USC, Student Defense, US, Education Department upended, Education Department, Arnold Ventures, OPM, Office, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street, Canyon University, Grand Canyon, Century Foundation, Getty, Cabrini University, Simmons University, Democratic, GAO, Republican, GOP, Universities, Protection, Consumer Financial, Bureau Locations: California, Georgetown, —, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts

☆ As Democrats update their plan for national paid family and medical leave, here's what it could mean for workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., urges Congress to make child care affordable, pass paid leave, support care infrastructure, and raise the debt ceiling on May 17, 2023 in Washington, D.C. This week, Democrats in Washington re-upped a push to create a national program to give every worker access to paid family and medical leave. Now, Gillibrand and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., are putting forward an updated version of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave, or FAMILY, Act. "Thirty years ago, we broke ground by enshrining the Family and Medical Leave Act into law, providing unpaid family and medical leave for working Americans," DeLauro said in a statement of the law passed under President Bill Clinton. "Let's break ground again by making it paid," DeLauro said.

☆ What Would the G.O.P. Plan Actually Do to the Budget?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Margot Sanger-Katz | Alicia Parlapiano | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

Budget Cuts in the G.O.P. If every agency is cut If defense, veterans’ health and border security are spared Defense Defense –18% 0% No change Veterans' medical Veterans' medical –18% 0% No change Health and Human Services Health and Human Services –18% –51% Education Education –18% –51% Housing and Urban Development Housing and Urban Development –18% –51% Homeland Security Homeland Security –18% 0% No change Justice Justice –18% –51% State State –18% –51% Transportation Transportation –18% –51% Agriculture Agriculture –18% –51% International aid International aid –18% –51% NASA NASA –18% –51% Veterans (other) Veterans (other) –18% –51% Energy Energy –18% –51% Interior Interior –18% –51% Treasury Treasury –18% –51% Labor Labor –18% –51% Social Security Administration Social Security Administration –18% –51% Commerce Commerce –18% –51% Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency –18% –51% Corps of Engineers Corps of Engineers –18% –51% Other Other –18% –51% Source: Analysis of Congressional Budget Office data by Bobby Kogan, Center for American Progress Note: Figure shows base discretionary budget authority totals for 2024-2033. The New York TimesThe charts above show how exempting big categories of spending would make the budget caps more draconian. The budget caps aren’t the only changes in the current House bill that would reduce federal spending. tax enforcement Budget cuts would reduce tax collections, reducing the savings in the rest of the bill –$120 billion Sources: Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget ; Congressional Budget Office Note: TANF refers to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

☆ Republicans dismiss fears that their debt ceiling bill would make the housing crisis worse for 1 million families as 'scaremongering'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

House Republicans' debt ceiling bill would cut significant funding from federal housing services. HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said the agency would suffer "the most devastating impacts in HUD's history" if the funding cuts in the bill are made law. He went on, "It's being positioned as congressional Republicans are heartless because they want to pass these spending cuts. "The House bill reduces spending to the levels we had in 2022. The last I checked, 2022 was not a horrid apocalypse sweeping across our country," Cruz told Insider on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - A Republican bill that would raise the U.S. government's $31.4 trillion and slash spending took a step forward in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, after party leaders agreed to last-minute changes in the face of opposition. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy allowed overnight changes to the bill aimed at assuaging Midwestern Republican concerns about biofuel tax credits and conceding to hardliners' calls to toughen work requirements for some low-income Americans. McCarthy told reporters on Wednesday that the House would vote later in the day. Other Republican critics including hardline House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry and Representative Nancy Mace said they had dropped their opposition to the bill. House Republicans are offering to increase Washington's borrowing authority by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, whichever comes first.

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said lawmakers would vote on Wednesday on a bill to raise the $31.4 trillion federal debt ceiling and slash spending, despite lingering dissension within their ranks over the measure. Another critic of the bill, hardline House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, said he and other conservatives who had held out for changes to work requirements were ready to move forward. Representative Kevin Hern, chairman of the 175-member Republican Study Committee, welcomed the changes, which he said most Republicans would support. Bending to the far-right wing of the party, Republicans also accelerated some new, tougher work requirements for receiving Medicaid healthcare benefits for the poor. House Republicans are offering to increase Washington's borrowing authority by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, whichever comes first.

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said lawmakers would vote on Wednesday on a bill to raise the $31.4 trillion federal debt ceiling and slash spending, despite lingering dissension within their ranks over the bill. Representative Kevin Hern, chairman of the 175-member Republican Study Committee, welcomed the changes, which he said most Republicans would support. Several House Republicans, particularly from Midwestern states, had rebelled against that provision. Bending to the far-right wing of the party, Republicans also accelerated some new, tougher work requirements for receiving Medicaid healthcare benefits for the poor. House Republicans are offering to increase Washington's borrowing authority by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, whichever comes first.

☆ McCarthy's debt-ceiling bill tests unity of U.S. House Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It was interrupted by an extended recess to allow Republicans to work out last-minute changes to the bill and thus improve chances of passage in the Republican-controlled House. Several House Republicans, particularly from Midwest states, had rebelled against that provision. The full House vote will be a test of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's leadership. He has argued that passing the bill could force Biden to agree to negotiate spending cuts in exchange for lifting the federal government's $31.4 trillion borrowing limit. House Republicans are offering to increase Washington's borrowing authority by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, whichever comes first.

☆ Democrats warn large tech firms could evade competition policies under new trade rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

It's not the first time Democrats have raised concerns about tech provisions being included in trade agreements. The group urged Tai and Raimondo "not to put up for negotiation or discussion any digital trade text that conflicts" with the agenda set by the whole-of-government effort. "Big Tech wants to include an overly broad provision that would help large tech firms evade competition policies by claiming that such policies subject these firms to 'illegal trade discrimination,'" the Democrats wrote. "Tech companies could also weaponize these digital trade rules to undermine similar efforts by our trading partners." The letter cited a U.S. Chamber of Commerce blog post about a trade group coalition note advocating for strong digital trade provisions in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

☆ Republicans' plans to cut the budget could mean millions lost in back pay, more dangerous workplaces, and jobs sent overseas, the White House says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The White House is once again attacking the Freedom Caucus for its plan to cut spending. Per a fact sheet, the White House said the Caucus' plan would result in lost wages and harmful working conditions. Through cutting back on investigations and inspections, the White House estimates that the House Freedom Caucus' plans would cost 135,000 workers an average of $1,000 in back pay. Reversing spending in the Inflation Reduction Act – the cutting of which is one of the House Freedom Caucus' core tenets — would move millions of jobs for those projects overseas, the White House said. —House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) March 10, 2023Last week, the Freedom Caucus unveiled their broad plan to address the debt ceiling through major spending cuts.

☆ Millions of student-loan borrowers will experience 'devastating' delays in debt relief if a GOP proposal to cut spending goes through, Biden's Education Secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Rosa DeLauro asked all federal agency heads how GOP spending cut proposals would impact them. Miguel Cardona outlining the "devastating" impact the cuts would have on student-loan borrowers. He said the cuts would delay student-debt relief and make it even harder to get customer service help. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, in his response, elaborated on the "devastating effects" the GOP proposal would have on students and parents who rely on financial aid — especially student-loan borrowers. But the agency already has a lot on its plate with minimal resources, given Congress approved a budget last year that did not increase Federal Student Aid's funding.

☆ 5 ways House Republicans' budget plan 'will be a disaster for families,' according to the White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The House Freedom Caucus unveiled a plan to address the debt ceiling through major spending cuts. The White House launched a campaign attacking the plan on Monday, saying it would be disastrous for families. In a release, the White House said that they're joining forces with Congressional Democrats to go on the offense as House Republicans head to Florida for their retreat. Specifically, the White House is hitting out at how the proposal would weaken public safety and national security, according to a White House official. —House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) March 13, 2023"It should shock no one that financially responsible proposals terrify and confuse this administration," it wrote.

☆ Biden's budget plan would boost childcare funding by billions of dollars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstWASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's fiscal 2024 budget plan would boost federal funding for childcare and early childhood education by billions of dollars, ensuring free preschool for all of the country's 4 million 4-year-olds, the White House said. The White House argues that lack of access to affordable childcare is a key factor depressing women's participation in the workforce. One recent poll showed that 55% of households experience difficulty finding childcare, with 21% citing challenges related specifically to cost, the White House said. It drops Biden's previous request to fund universal preschool for 3-year-olds, choosing a more targeted approach this year, a White House official said. The White House is betting that childcare programs, which are very popular with the public, could help boost Biden's approval ratings.

☆ US Treasury puts cost of outbound investment risk program at $10 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - A program to address the risks of outbound U.S. investment in areas with sensitive technology potentially harmful to national security would cost $10 million if set up this fiscal year, according to a U.S. Treasury Department report obtained by Reuters. Congress sought the analysis from the Treasury Department, which would lead any such program's implementation, as well as a review by the U.S. Commerce Department, which would coordinate with Treasury. She added that she would seek to support any executive action on outbound investment through legislation. The Treasury report did not cite China specifically. We're talking to industry, talking to stakeholders, talking to Treasury whose going to have to administer this."

☆ Democrats renew push for national paid family and medical leave program
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Had a federal paid leave policy been in place, many of those women may have been able to stay employed, she said. "Imagine if, during the pandemic, we had had a national paid leave program," Gillibrand said. The Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, or FAMILY Act, was reintroduced by lawmakers including Gillibrand and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., with the goal of creating the first paid national family and medical leave program. "It is a reasonable, pragmatic way to get to paid family leave," Duckworth, who is a co-sponsor of the bill, told CNBC.com in an interview. The Education Support Professionals Family Leave Act would provide education support workers such as school bus drivers with unpaid leave under FMLA.

This year, women will hold all four of the top positions on the House and Senate Appropriations committees for the first time in history. “Oftentimes people say, you know, ‘We need to have women at the table.’ Well, women are the table.”Spending and debt fights loomOver the decades, these women have seen their share of spending fights. But I’m absolutely convinced that we have to stand together,” said Granger, who last week became the first female Republican to chair the House Appropriations Committee. Women, Murray said, are good communicators, and she and her colleagues can translate a big, complicated appropriations bill for everyday Americans. But as a 14-year House Appropriations staffer, she also intimately knows each of the top appropriators and recognizes the significance of this glass-ceiling-shattering moment.

However, Congress in its last session in December didn’t reach an agreement, and finance chiefs say they hope the topic will be revisited. “That’s a 20 percentage point increase in tax for Yelp, so obviously very meaningful for us,” Mr. Schwarzbach said. The higher costs due to the law change will factor into investment decisions going forward, Mr. Schwarzbach said. The tax change has an impact on the company’s net income, Mr. Schwarzbach said. The San Francisco-based company reported R&D expenses of $75.8 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with $69.4 million a year earlier.

☆ Congressional negotiators reach bipartisan agreement on framework for funding deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Congressional leaders reached a bipartisan deal Tuesday on the framework for a massive government funding package they hope to pass before the holidays. "The pain of inflation is real, and it is being felt across the federal government and by American families right now. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is the vice chair of the Senate Appropriation Committee. “If all goes well, we should be able to finish an omnibus appropriations package by December 23rd," Shelby said. Funding is set to expire Friday, but senators had been eyeing a one-week stopgap bill to push the deadline back to Dec. 23 to give negotiators more time to pursue a full-year funding agreement.

"If all goes well, we should be able to finish an omnibus appropriations package by Dec. 23," Shelby said in a statement. The full-year "omnibus" bill is also expected to contain new emergency funds to aid Ukraine in its battle against Russian forces. It also is expected to fold in an unrelated bill reforming the way Congress certifies U.S. presidential elections. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had said his Republicans want work on the omnibus bill wrapped up by Dec. 22. Any negotiations on the funding bill would get more complicated next year, when Republicans take majority control of the House.

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