Work on the Hill

On Capitol Hill, October proved to be a relatively uneventful month as Congress continues its long recess until November 12, 2024. With legislative business paused, some committees have remained active, but the overall pace of action has slowed.

Despite the lull in congressional activity, Capitol Hill staffers are diligently preparing for the upcoming 119th Congress. Given the ongoing preparations for the next Congress, it is crucial to maintain our engagement with Capitol Hill to ensure our priorities remain at the forefront of its agenda. With the 2024 elections rapidly approaching, the 119th Congress’s agenda will significantly shift depending on the election’s outcome. Lobbyit is well-positioned to navigate the uncertain political landscape and continue engagement with lawmakers from both parties to ensure our priorities are reflected in the next legislative agenda.

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Work on the Hill

August recess wrapped up with Congress poised to begin new appropriations negotiations with a quick ramp-up to the election. The FY25 appropriations process remained a top priority. The looming September 30 deadline for government funding intensified the pressure on both chambers to find common ground and avoid a government shutdown. On September 25, the House of Representatives Speaker passed a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) through December 2025, which the Senate also passed later that evening. This result means a government shutdown will be averted, and government spending levels will remain unchanged through December 2025.

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Work on the Hill

August brought a mix of progress and gridlock to Capitol Hill as lawmakers juggled the FY25 appropriations process with district work periods. On July 24, 2024, the House passed the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2025. The Senate remains deadlocked over contentious issues, casting a shadow over the timely passage of all 12 appropriations bills.

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Work on the Hill

June was a busy month on Capitol Hill as Congress geared up for passage of the FY25 appropriations bills and preparations for the July work period.

The House vote on June 14th for the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act marked the start of Congress’s months-long process of approving all appropriations bills for FY 2025. On June 27, in his first public testimony since stepping down from government office, Dr. Anthony Fauci testified before a contentious House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic about the Covid pandemic. The hearing focused on lessons learned during the pandemic. Fauci addressed claims related to funding for virology research in China and the possibility of a lab leak.

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April on the Hill

Congress took a few weeks off in April after the March budget sprint, returning from April 8 – 19. With 2024 funding for the federal government wrapped up, upon its return, Congress turned its attention to the myriad items that have stacked up on its to-do list. This includes authorizing funds to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel. Additionally, Congress began work on a business-supported tax bill, social media legislation, the reauthorization of a post–9/11 provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, among other matters.

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On the Hill

There are about 15 weeks of floor time in the Senate before the election (and before the next funding deadline), which creates both an opportunity and tough decisions for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. He can pursue nominees, particularly judges, with a simple majority try to move bipartisan bills which his incumbents are eager to pass ahead of the election.

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On the Hill
The House cleared a stopgap spending bill on January 19 that officially keeps federal agencies funded through early March, sending the measure to President Joe Biden’s desk. The chamber approved the shutdown-averting legislation hours after the Senate’s relatively speedy passage. The measure, known as a continuing resolution, passed with mostly Democratic support in a 314-108 vote, a point sure to irritate conservatives who are already fuming over spending.

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Work On the Hill

House: Not in session; returning Sept. 12. | Senate: Not in session; returning Sept. 5

On July 27, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing on the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Witnesses included: Pat Cleary, President and CEO of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations; Linda M. Czipo, President and CEO of the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits; Larry Gray, Partner at Alfermann, Gray & Co CPAs LLC; and Roger Harris, President of Padgett Advisors.

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What’s Happening in Washington

February marked the true beginning of the 118th Congress now that all Committees are fully formed and organized. This also brought the first substantial hearings of the year which laid the groundwork of the Committee work and priorities this Congress. Lobbyit monitored all pertinent committee activities with an eye towards appropriations season.

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Month in Review

Before signing off for the year, the 117th Congress was able to come to a final agreement on an omnibus and funding for FY23. The agree­ment consists of all 12 FY 2023 appropriations bills that combined provide a total of $1.627 trillion in discretionary spending for the fiscal year. Of the total, $1,602 trillion represents base discretionary spending for the 12 spending measures, while $20.1 billion in disaster funding, $2.6 billion for wildfire suppression, and $2.3 billion in program integrity funding is subject to their own cap adjustments. (Some say the measure actually provides about $1.7 trillion after factoring in certain discretionary spending that is not scored.)

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