US Policy
- US Policy
- US Policy
Israel and Iran take spotlight
This past weekend the world watched as Iran launched hundreds of weapons towards Israel in response to the Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Syria that killed several key Iranian generals. The Israeli iron dome air defenses, along with support from key Israeli allies including the US, knocked nearly...
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Speaker Johnson and Trump to Meet
On Friday, House Speaker Johnson will head to Mar-a-Lago for a meeting with former President Trump, seeking to enhance cooperation between them as Trump prepares to be the Party’s nominee in November. Under the Republican House rules it only takes one House Member to move to vacate the Speaker’s position....
- US Policy
Congress returns, busy Wednesday
Congress returns after their two-week Easter break. House Speaker Johnson announced that he will formally send the Senate the bill of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The Mayorkas impeachment is the first one against a member of the President’s cabinet in over 100 years. The House impeached Mayorkas...
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Congress Set to Return, Yellen in China
Next week Congress returns, with political agendas taking center stage. House Speaker Johnson has said that the House will formally send the Senate its bill of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It has been over 100 years since a cabinet member has been impeached by the House, and...
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Congress out, important April travel
Both the House and the Senate are on Easter break this week, but they return next week with the House ready to see the Republican majority shrink to just one vote, finding a pathway to approve aid to Ukraine and Israel, while the Senate will get the impeachment resolution against...
- US Policy
US funded until Oct. 1; House majority to shrink
Last Friday the clock struck 12:00 and there was no budget for 75% of the US Government but relief was at hand. At 2:00am the Senate passed the so-called mini-bus appropriations bill that completes the funding process for fiscal year 2024 that started on October 1, of last year. This...
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DC Shutdown Watch
The House today (Friday) voted 286 Yes to 134 No to pass the so-called minibus legislation funding the government through October 1, 2024 -- the end of the current fiscal year. The bill was considered under a parliamentary process in the House referred to as “suspension of the rules” that...
- US Policy
Fed decision and shutdown deadline this week in DC
This Tuesday and Wednesday the Fed’s Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) meets to determine interest rate policy. Chair Powell and most of the “Fed speak” has indicated that there will be no changes in rates at the March meeting. At the end of the meeting at 2:00pm on Wednesday the...
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Busy Week Ahead in DC
It was a shortened week in Congress as House Republicans left early for a retreat at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. But the House Republicans did get another piece of bad news this week when Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, a longtime member, announced that he would leave Congress...
- US Policy
One shutdown deadline avoided, one more to come
Last Friday the Senate passed a so-called minibus (versus an omnibus) that had spending for eight government departments. Unlike the past few bills that were short-term Continuing Resolutions (CRs), last week’s bill funded eight departments and lasts through the current fiscal year that runs to October 1. The eight budgets...