Monday, March 16, 2009

 

Last Week in Washington - 3/16/09

Congress finally finished the budget process for fiscal year 2009 by passing the Omnibus Appropriations bill. Meanwhile, the President’s budget has been taking lots of hits from both sides of the aisle as Congress develops a budget resolution. Now is a good time to ask for meetings with your Representatives when they’re home for a two-week recess which begins on April 6.

BUDGET RESOLUTION

The House and Senate Budget Committee Chairmen are consulting with their members, leadership, and other Committee Chairs to develop a budget resolution will establish a framework for legislative activity on spending and revenue policies for the rest of the year.

The House and Senate Budget Committees have said they intend to mark up their respective versions of the budget resolution the week of March 23 and bring them to the House and Senate floor the week of March 30. Conference would occur during April. There will be a two-week recess for Easter and Passover starting on April 6. (It is possible this schedule will get pushed back if the Budget Committee chairmen need more time to reach agreement on a budget resolution, meaning among Democrats since Republicans are not expected to engage in bipartisan negotiations on this budget.)

Remember that a budget resolution is just a blueprint for legislative action that occurs during the rest of the year. It makes only a few binding decisions, such as the total amount of funding that will be available to the Appropriations Committees for discretionary programs. It also lays out some of the rules and procedures under which other spending legislation may be considered.

The key authorizing committees (those that actually write the laws to carry out policies) are also assessing the President’s budget proposals and policymakers on those Committees are beginning to shape their positions and priorities.

Suggested Action Steps
Please consider sending letters or memos to your members of Congress over the next week and ask them to ensure the budget resolution does the following three things: 1) adopts the President’s discretionary funding levels; 2) makes the tax code more equitable by assuming that, if the middle class tax cuts from 2001/2003 are extended, the Obama improvements in refundable credits permanent — fully offset — are also expected to be part of a tax bill; and 3) supports the adoption of health reform legislation that provides universal coverage and reduces the rate of growth in health care costs.

Members are getting a lot of pushback on the details of the President’s budget so it could make a big difference if you can deliver this message to policymakers who are developing the Budget Resolution — or will be key to its passage — AND to policymakers on the committees that actually will make changes in policies. These include: House Budget Committee: Austria, Jordan, Kaptur; House Appropriations Committee: Kaptur, LaTourette, Ryan; Senate Appropriations Committee: Voinovich; and the House Energy and Commerce Committee: Space, Sutton. If any of these Members represent your area, please consider contacting them in the coming weeks.

And as always, contact me for additional info on any of these issues.

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