CONGRESS RETURNS FROM ITS AUGUST RECESS

Outlook for Remainder of 2007

Congress returned from its month-long August recess on September 4, 2007, to begin the process of moving an ambitious and jam packed legislative agenda forward while knowing that it will have to confront a President who has promised to veto many of the proposals that Democrats support.  In addition to the twelve must pass FY2008 appropriations bills, Democrats have also promised to renew numerous pieces of legislation expiring in 2007, including the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, the Farm Bill and the No Child Left Behind legislation.  It’s a lot to do in the context of a legislative calendar that is dwindling.  In fact, Democratic leaders have already acknowledged that they will have to remain in town until at least Thanksgiving and most likely into December.

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STATUS OF FY2008 APPROPRIATIONS BILLS:

The Key Players and Their Positions

President Bush and Jim Nussle, Director of OMB

Democratic Majority

Republican Minority

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FLOOR ACTION

VA: Senate Passes Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

On September 6, 2007, the Senate passed the FY2008 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill (S. 1645) by a vote of 92-1.

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INSIDE (The Beltway) SCOOP–Jon Retzlaff, Legislative Director

While the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill is expected to be the toughest of all the appropriations bills to reach agreement on (due to the fact that the majority of the additional $22 billion for non-defense domestic discretionary programs is reserved for labor, health and education programs), last week’s final passage of the higher education reconciliation bill actually provides an opening for the House to support the Senate’s higher funding level for NIH.

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CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE

The House and Senate are in session.

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