Saturday, March 25, 2017

Congress Weekly Mar-24-2017


There was A LOT competing for your attention this week!

- House Republicans pulled American Health Care Act and began looking to Tax Reform.

- Senate voted 50-48 to undo Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s Broadband Privacy Rules. Bill would allow Internet Service Providers (ISP) to sell User Data, including Browsing History and Location Data, without User Consent. Now the Bill heads to the House.

- Top officials confirmed FBI Investigation into potential ties between Trump Campaign Team and Russian Government and refuted President Trump's Wiretapping claims.

- Bipartisan Lawmakers called for Independent Commission to examine Russian interference in the 2016 Election. The Development heightened calls from both sides of the aisle for a Special Committee. Specifically, the Bill would create a 12-Member Commission tasked with interviewing witnesses, obtaining documents, issuing subpoenas, and receiving public testimony. The following Congressional Leaders would each make three Appointments to the Commission: Speaker Paul Ryan, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

- Senate Judiciary held four-day Confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.

- Senate Confirmed new Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman as Ambassador to Israel by a vote of 52-46.

- Senate Committees held Confirmation Hearings for three more Trump Nominees: SEC Chairman nominee Jay Clayton testified before Senate Banking; Agriculture Secretary nominee Sonny Perdue testified before Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Labor Secretary nominee Alexander Acosta testified before Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Other Actions

- President Trump signed Cruz Bill into law Authorizing funding for NASA and setting a new goal to send Humans to Mars.

- House Oversight and Government Reform Leaders jointly requested the White House turn over any Security Clearance Applications filed by former NSA Adviser Michael Flynn.

- Flynn never Signed the White House Ethics pledge required of all Trump Administration Appointees barring them from Lobbying for five years after leaving office.

- Supreme Court voted 6-2 to limit the President's power to fill Agency Vacancies on a temporary basis while Nominees await Confirmation.

- Bipartisan group of Lawmakers want to change who Appoints the Head of the Copyright Office.

- Senate voted 50-48 to reverse OHSA Rule on reporting Workplace Injuries and Illnesses. Bill now heads to the White House.

- Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is now accepting Bids to Design and Build Southern Border Wall.

- Justice Department (DOJ) is preparing to send Immigration Judges to 12 Cities to Expedite the Deportation process.

- Trump Administration published first Report on Crimes committed by Undocumented Immigrants, per Executive Order.

- Navy officers Convicted in Corruption scandal are still Eligible for Retirement Benefits.

- Trump Administration said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)'s structure should be declared Unconstitutional and joined Legal Challenge to Remove the Director of the CFBP).

- Justice Department is investigating Rep. Duncan Hunter [R-CA-52] for alleged Campaign Finance Violations.

- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced Credit Bureau Experian will pay $3 million Fine for providing inaccurate Credit Scores to Consumers. Peers, Equifax, and Transunion reached a larger settlement on similar allegations earlier this year.

- Bipartisan group of Lawmakers want Infrastructure Reform to be Funded by Offshore Tax Reform.











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