Congressional Priorities
NDAA Vote
On Friday, the House voted on party lines to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), sending the legislation to the Senate. The bill, passed annually, funds the entire US defense department for the next fiscal year. This year’s budget, totaling $883 billion in the House version, is under fire from Democrats and some independents due to several Republican amendments that are viewed by many as culture war policies.
The amendment getting the most attention belongs to Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas). She proposed an amendment that would block the Biden administration’s policy of reimbursing service members for costs associated with crossing state lines for abortion care. The measure was accepted by the Republican controlled House, but it and the larger bill face an uphill battle in the Democrat controlled Senate.
Trump Tax Comments
At a campaign rally in Nevada earlier this month, former President Trump said to the crowd that he intends to eliminate income tax on tips if he is elected in November. Nevada voters, a high percentage of whom work in the large service industries of Las Vegas and Reno, were excited about this prospect. Many experts and pundits questioned both the former president’s sincerity and ability to take such action.
This week, during a series of meetings with Republican Senators on Capitol Hill, Trump doubled down on his plan to make these tax changes. Many Republican members, and even some Democrats, were at least open to the idea. Only time will tell if Trump remains committed to this measure if elected, and whether he has the ability to take this action in the first place.
New England Delegation Activities
Our New England Members have been hard at work this month on a variety of priorities helping constituents from Maine to Connecticut. Here are some of the important highlights that could impact your business and ongoing projects.
Senator Susan Collins
As one of the co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, the Senator recently introduced a new bipartisan bill to strengthen early detection of Type 1 diabetes.
Congressman Richard Neal
The Congressman joined his Senate colleague Ron Wyden in calling on the Biden administration to negotiate a strong trade agreement with Kenya.
Congressman Chris Pappas
The Congressman, along with the rest of the New Hampshire delegation, recently announced $31 million in federal rebates for the purchases of clean school buses.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen
The Senator recently took to the Senate floor to encourage her colleagues to pass the Right to Contraception Act, which will ensure all women have access to contraception.
Senator Ed Markey
Along with his Massachusetts Senate colleague Senator Warren, the Senator introduced the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act of 2024 to stop corruption in the healthcare industry.
Senator Jack Reed
The Senator led the entire Rhode Island delegation in announcing over $40 million in federal funding for behavioral & mental health services are coming to Rhode Island.