Yearly Archives: 2006
- CHN: Tax Extenders Bill Serves As Vehicle For Other Provisions
Shortly before adjourning, Congress passed The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, H.R. 6111, a wide-ranging package of tax, health care and trade measures. Central to the bill is the extension of a series of existing tax credits and tax deductions benefiting corporations and mostly upper income individuals costing $38 billion over five Read More »
Posted in Tax Policy Comments Off - CHN: The Old Congress Cuts and Runs
Refusal to Pass Spending Bills Leads to Temporary Extensions to February 15 Despite mounting pressures to finalize appropriations for the current fiscal year, the old majority was too divided, forcing the enactment of a third temporary spending bill, this one through February 15 (PL 109-383). Once again, the stopgap measure set funding at the lowest Read More »
Posted in Budget and Appropriations Comments Off - CHN: Congress Expected to Duck Its Funding Responsibilities Lamely – Final Decisions Shifted to the New Congress
When the old Congress limps back to Washington on December 4, they must act to approve continued federal spending by December 8, when the current temporary spending resolution expires. Instead of finalizing spending levels for all the domestic programs that require annual appropriations, the old Congressional leadership abdicated responsibility and announced they will enact yet Read More »
Posted in Budget and Appropriations Comments Off - CHN: Congress Delays Action On Taxes
Despite mounting pressure from the business community to pass a package of tax extenders that includes the research and development tax credit as well the college tuition and state and local tax deductions, Congress recessed for elections without action on tax legislation. Senate Democrats made several unsuccessful attempts to pass a clean tax extenders bill Read More »
Posted in Tax Policy Comments Off - CHN: HIV/AIDS Services Bill Passes The House
Reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act is about a year overdue, and the House took a tentative step towards final enactment by passing H.R. 6143, legislation sponsored by Rep. Mary Bono (R-CA) in the days before the pre-election recess. The CARE Act provides medical care and support services to more than 500,000 people living with Read More »
Posted in Health Comments Off - CHN: Congress Approves Immigration Enforcement Provisions Before The Elections Options
In the final weeks of the 109th Congress, House conservatives succeeded in stymieing bipartisan efforts in Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Instead of offering the American public any real solution to fix the currently flawed immigration system, House members filled the final days of the legislative calendar with narrow, enforcement-only proposals. Their efforts resulted Read More »
Posted in Immigration Comments Off - CHN: The Older Americans Act is Reauthorized
After months of negotiations and compromise involving the House, Senate and Administration, the Older Americans Act has been reauthorized for five years. The House passed H.R. 6197, The Older American Act Amendments of 2006, by voice vote on September 28. The Senate agreed to the bill by voice vote on September 30. The bill, annually Read More »
Posted in Social Services Comments Off - CHN: Stopgap Spending Bill Passes Congress; Longer Term Not So Certain
With little time to spare, Congress approved spending through November 17 on programs that would otherwise run out of money by September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year. Congress inserted this “continuing resolution” (CR) on September 29 into the Defense appropriations bill to prevent funds from drying up for the 10 program areas Read More »
Posted in Budget and Appropriations Comments Off - CHN: Appropriations: Stop-Gap Spending Bill Needed to Avert Government Shutdown
Programs that need annual appropriations will run out of money around the end of the federal fiscal year – September 30. Nevertheless, Congress will not have completed work on most appropriations bills by this deadline. Shutting down WIC offices, Head Start programs, passport offices, national parks, etc. is never popular, especially not in an election Read More »
Posted in Budget and Appropriations Comments Off - CHN: Republican Leaders Bent on Gutting the Estate Tax Are Running Out of Options
After two failed attempts in recent months to gut the estate tax, Republican leaders are desperately searching for ways to package yet another plan that will garner the additional support needed to push the legislation through Congress before September 29. They recognize that the likelihood of passing such legislation may diminish after the November elections. Read More »
Posted in Budget and Appropriations Comments Off
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