This Week In Washington DC, Jan 30, 2015

This Week In Washington DC

Top 5 Stories

1.      President Obama is set to announce plans to eliminate sequestration in his 2016 budget request, seeking an increase in domestic and military expenditures, financed by eliminating "inefficient spending programs" and closing tax loopholes, according to an administration official.

Look ahead: The president's plan is likely to meet with resistance among Republicans, who oppose any net tax increases.

2.      Loretta Lynch, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York and the president's nominee to serve at attorney general, faced the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, offering a careful defense of administration policies on immigration and drug enforcement and repeatedly emphasizing her independence.

Look ahead: While the proceedings served largely as a venue for the airing of Republican grievances against President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder, Lynch is expected to win confirmation.

3.      Fresh off a fight over amendments, the Senate passed legislation to authorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline setting it up for a veto from the Whitehouse.

Look ahead:  It remains unclear whether Senate Republicans can gather enough support to override a presidential veto.  Republicans made the Keystone pipeline a priority for 2015. 

4.      During a largely ceremonial visit to India, the president reached agreement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to greater cooperation on civilian nuclear trade.

Look ahead: India consented to limit the liability of American nuclear suppliers in the event of a power-plant disaster and vowed to implement enhanced tracking of fissile material.

5.      Several Republican presidential hopefuls traveled to summits in Iowa and California in an effort to woo the party's conservative base and secure the backing of major donors.

Look ahead: Even as prospective presidential candidates seek their favor, major GOP donors are taking a measured approach, allowing the field to settle and narrow before committing to a single contender.

This Week In Washington DC, January 22, 2015

This Week In Washington

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1.      President Obama used his 6th State of the Union address to defend his record and champion new policies, touting an improving economy and calling on Republicans to back an ambitious domestic agenda designed to improve the fortunes of the middle class.

Look ahead: While few, if any, of the president's proposals are likely to gain traction in the current Congress, his policy prescriptions appear designed to set the Democratic Party on a more liberal course ahead of the 2016 election.

2.      Facing opposition from female lawmakers over language that could alienate younger and female voters, House Republicans abandoned plans to hold a vote on H.R. 36, which would have outlawed abortions after 20 weeks, instead moving forward with H.R. 7, which would permanently bar federal funding for abortion services.

Look ahead: Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., maintains the 20-week abortion ban "is only delayed—it will be up on the floor soon."

3.      The president proposed $320 billion in additional taxes—largely aimed at high-income Americans—over the next decade, to be used to fund $235 billion in tax breaks for moderate-income earners, as well as other programs.

Look ahead: Congressional Republicans criticized Obama's plan and warned the proposal risks derailing bipartisan efforts on tax reform.

4.      Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa delivered the Republican Party's response to the State of the Union, emphasizing her own humble roots and combining calls for bipartisan cooperation with assertions of Republican dominance.

Look ahead: Ernst's remarks foreshadowed clashes with the administration over the Keystone pipeline, the federal budget, and abortion rights.

5.      Faced with a stagnant economy and the prospect of deflation, the governing council of the European Central Bank voted to purchase €60 billion in public and private sector assets on a monthly basis, from March 2015 through September 2016.

Look ahead: ECB President Mario Draghi acknowledged the quantitative easing could continue beyond the September 2016 deadline if inflation fails to rise near the bank's target of two percent.

This Week In Washington DC, Jan 15, 2015

This Week In Washington

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1.      President Obama continued to preview his State of the Union address this week, traveling the country to promote initiatives to enhance cybersecurity, strengthen consumer and student privacy protections, improve access to high-speed internet, and expand access to higher education.

Look ahead: Several of the president's policy initiatives are likely to meet with Republican resistance in the 114th Congress.

2.      The House voted 236-191 in favor of legislation that would fund the Department of Homeland Security through September, while barring the president's unilateral efforts to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation.

Look ahead: Given the bill's dim prospects in the Senate and Boehner's openness to a "clean" funding bill, House conservatives' immigration gambit could backfire.

3.      The Obama administration faced widespread criticism for not sending a sufficiently high-level representative to a unity march attended by 44 heads of state. Attorney General Eric Holder, intended as the administration's emissary, ultimately did not attend due to scheduling conflicts; U.S. Ambassador to France Jane Hartley served as the government's representative.

Look ahead: Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Paris in a show of American solidarity with France, and on Feb. 18, the White House will host a Summit on Countering Violent Extremism, convening state and local officials to discuss strategies for preventing violent incidents.

4.      Republican presidential aspirants readied their potential campaigns, as 2012 nominee Mitt Romney works to reconstitute his political operation and backers of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush aim to raise $100 million in the first quarter of 2015.

Look ahead: With establishment Republicans ambivalent about Romney, several potential rivals are making moves of their own, with Sen. Rand Paul hiring strategist Chip Englander to manage his campaign, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie preparing to launch a leadership PAC ahead of an anticipated late-spring campaign announcement.

5.      Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., announced her intention to retire at the end of her current term, creating frenzy among ambitious state Democrats whose progress has been arrested by the endurance of Boxer, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Gov. Jerry Brown.

Look ahead: State Attorney General Kamala Harris declared her candidacy for the seat, while Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, believed to be weighing a gubernatorial bid in 2018, declined to enter the race.

This Week In Washington DC, Jan 8, 2015

This Week In Washington DC

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1.      The 114th Congress opened Tuesday, with Republicans holding majorities in both chambers for the first time since 2006, and barreling toward confrontations with the president over the Affordable Care Act, approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, and immigration.

Look ahead: White House press secretary Josh Earnest warned Tuesday the president will not sign legislation approving the oil-sands pipeline.

2.      Speaker John Boehner secured 216 votes Tuesday to retain his gavel, and moved swiftly to exact a measure of revenge against some defectors, removing  Reps. Richard Nugent and Daniel Webster, both of Florida, from the Rules Committee.

Look ahead: Aides suggest those who opposed Boehner could face further repercussions in the weeks to come.

3.      President Obama this week embarked on a three-day, three-state tour designed to take credit for recent improvements in the nation's economy and preview the policy objectives he will outline in his State of the Union address on Jan 20.

Look ahead: After touting the auto industry bailout in Michigan and promoting homeownership in Arizona, the president is expected to promote job training and college affordability during a Friday stop in Tennessee.

4.      The manhunt continues for brothers Said and Chérif Kouachi in connection with Wednesday's shooting at the offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, after suspect Hamyd Mourad surrendered to police in Charleville-Mézières.

Look ahead: Some fear the killings could bolster anti-Islamizations movements in Europe.

5.      Payroll-processing firm ADP reports private-sector employers added 241,000 positions in December—led by gains of 194,000 jobs in the services sector—exceeding economists' projections of 226,000 jobs added.

Look ahead: The December jobs report, slated for release Friday morning, is expected to reflect gains of 240,000 nonfarm jobs and an unemployment rate of 5.7%.

This Week In Washington DC, Dec 18, 2014

This Week In Washington DC

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1.      The Obama administration announced the US will normalize relations with Cuba, opening its first embassy in Havana in more than 50 years, following 18 months of secret negotiations between the two countries and the release of prisoners held by both nations.

Look ahead: Republicans have threatened to impede efforts to confirm an ambassador to Cuba and provide funding for an embassy.

2.      The omnibus appropriations bill cleared the Senate on a 56-40 vote, after stalling due to demands from Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Mike Lee, R-Utah, for a vote to defund President Obama's executive action on immigration.

Look ahead: While Republicans intend to return to a regular budget process, the return of sequestration-induced cuts could spur contentious debates over funding in the next Congress.

3.      On a 76-16 vot, the Senate granted final approval to a short-term extension of 54 tax breaks, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2014, which is expected to add $42 billion to the federal deficit.

Look ahead: Lawmakers expect to resume negotiations on a long-term agreement in the new year.

4.      Federal investigators have linked North Korea to the cyberattack and terrorism threats against Sony Pictures Entertainment, who then canceled the release of The Interview.

Look ahead: This sets a bad precedence of succumbing to cyber threats and will embolden others to make more cyber attacks—look for an increase in cyber attacks.

5.      A six-year extension of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which is designed to provide a federal backstop for insurers in the event of a terrorist attack, died in the Senate amid opposition from Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., after passing the House on a 417-7 vote.

Look ahead: While the TRIA program is expected to lapse now that the 113th Congress has adjourned, Senate Republican leaders hope to take up legislation early in the 114th Congress.

This Week In Washington DC, Dec 11, 2015

This Week In Washington DC

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1.      House and Senate appropriators released an omnibus appropriations bill to fund most of the federal government through Sept. 2015.   

Look ahead: House Republican leaders passed the bill, and now all that is left is for the Senate to pass it Friday.

2.      The Senate Intelligence Committee released its long-awaited, 500-page summary of a classified report on CIA interrogation practices after 9/11, concluding that the controversial methods failed to produce valuable information, despite the agency's continued assurances.

Look ahead: While the Senate panel's report may dim public opinion of the CIA, it is unlikely to dull the agency's influence.

3.      The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 321,000 positions were added to nonfarm payrolls in November, marking the strongest monthly job growth since January 2012, while unemployment held steady at 5.8%. The jobs report reflected a larger-than-expected increase in average hourly earnings.

Look ahead: Despite the gains, economists are concerned Americans remain reluctant to change jobs, a sign of lingering weakness in the labor market.

4.      Attorney General Eric Holder announced a set of draft policy changes for federal law enforcement that will ban the use of religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity as the basis for enforcement actions such as traffic stops, with some exceptions for certain Homeland Security agencies.

Look ahead: The new policy, while binding only on federal agencies, is intended to serve as guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies.

5.      The White House announced $750 million in federal grants to improve early childhood education, coupled with more than $330 million in private commitments and donations.

Look ahead: $200 million will be distributed directly to 18 states working to improve their preschool offerings, and $500 million will go to Early Head Start and Child Care Partnership programs.

This Week In Washington DC, Dec 4, 2014

This Week In Washington

Top 5 Stories

1.      The House is expected to pass the $585 billion National Defense Authorization Act, following a compromise reached by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, R-Calif.

Look ahead: The legislation grants the president the authority to expand the military effort against ISIS militants in Iraq and Syria.

2.      President Obama is expected to nominate Ashton Carter, former deputy Defense secretary, to succeed Chuck Hagel in the Pentagon's top post. The Pentagon veteran, who has maintained a low Beltway profile while serving at at some of the leading policy minds in the defense community, has drawn praise from both sides of the aisle.

Look ahead: Carter, a theoretical physicist and former academic who has served in neither Congress nor the military, offers a stark contrast to outgoing Secretary Hagel, but he could face skepticism over his ability to oversee the war against ISIS. Like his predecessors in the role, Carter may not like the White House's micromanagement of Pentagon affairs.

3.      House Republican leaders are finalizing an agreement to avert a government shutdown on Dec. 11, and expect to hold a vote on the legislation early next week.

Look ahead: Speaker John Boehner is relying on limited Democratic support for passage, as a bloc of conservative Republicans is expected to reject the deal.

4.      Attorney General Eric Holder announced the Justice Department will launch a civil-rights investigation into the death of Eric Garner, after a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, sparking protests in New York and around the country.

Look ahead: The department's Civil Rights Division and the office of Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and the president's nominee to succeed Holder, will lead the investigation.

5.      The White House announced a three-part "plan to strengthen community policing," and Holder previewed an announcement "in the coming days" of updated federal guidelines to "help end racial profiling, once and for all."

Look ahead: The president assured a diverse group of community leaders Monday he will work to advance race relations for the remainder of his term—"not to solve every problem, not to tear down every barrier of mistrust that may exist, but to make things better."