February 28

This week in MORE POWER:

Budget Showdown
Adieu to Climate Rules
Rural and Resilient
New Army and Trade Leaders
No Fraudsters

Budget Showdown

The House passed its budget resolution by a narrow 217-215 margin, with all House Democrats and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) voting against it. The vote came after a stunning reversal, when the House abruptly canceled the vote — only to be called back moments later to hold it after all. The resolution calls for tax cuts totaling $4.5 trillion, as well as a $2 trillion cut in federal spending, over the next 10 years. While the specifics of the tax cuts have to be determined, most expect the 2017 Trump tax cuts that are set to expire this year to be extended. Similarly, the specifics behind the cut in federal spending still have to be determined; however, many members of Congress expect it will require Republicans to make significant cuts to Medicaid. According to Politico, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has said that Republicans are not planning on making significant cuts to Medicaid, rather focusing on eliminating “fraud, waste and abuse.”

The budget resolutions are only the beginning of the budget-setting process. Next, the Senate has to pass the resolution. Congress is facing a deadline on March 14th to either pass the budget, pass another continuing resolution (CR), or shut the federal government down. Johnson has already signaled that he expects to pursue another CR.

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Adieu to Climate Rules

The House and Senate have overturned Biden-era rules for federal agencies this week using a Congressional Review Act (CRA), which is a law that allows Congress to overturn federal agency rules that were recently implemented. The House and Senate both passed a resolution to eliminate a Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that placed a fee on oil and gas producers that emit more than a certain amount of methane and other greenhouse gases. It’s headed to President Trump’s desk for signature. Supporters argue that removing this rule will allow the U.S. to produce more energy, while opponents warn it will increase risks to the environment and public health. The Senate also passed a resolution to eliminate a Biden-era Bureau of Ocean Energy Management rule that requires oil and gas leaseholders on the Outer Continental Shelf to submit an archaeological report before beginning production, in order to assess marine archaeological and cultural resources. Additionally, the House passed a resolution that will cancel a new energy efficiency rule for gas-powered, tankless water heaters if made law.

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Rural and Resilient

The House passed the bipartisan Rural Small Business Resilience Act this week, which aims to make sure people in rural areas that have been impacted by a disaster have access to disaster assistance. To do so, the bill would make the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience — which, according to the SBA, exists to "connect individuals, businesses, and private non-profits with SBA disaster assistance programs” — take steps to ensure affected people have access to SBA assistance. This may involve conducting outreach or creating new marketing materials. The bill is now heading to the Senate.

New Army and Trade Leaders

The Senate continued confirming President Donald Trump’s nominees this week. Senators confirmed Daniel Driscoll, who served in the Army for almost four years and reached the rank of first lieutenant, to be the secretary of the Army. The Senate also confirmed Jamieson Greer, who was an Air Force lawyer and worked on trade during Trump’s first term, to be the U.S. trade representative, which is the president’s “principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues.” Most expect Greer to be supportive of Trump’s trade priorities, including the implementation of tariffs, in this role. Greer was confirmed by a margin of 56 to 43, with only five Democrats voting in his favor. On the other hand, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican who opposed Greer.

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No Fraudsters

The House voted unanimously to pass the Assisting Small Businesses Not Fraudsters Act. This bill, if made law, will make sure no one convicted of a crime related to COVID-19 loans will qualify for any future financial assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA), aside from disaster relief. Specifically, this SBA ban will affect those convicted of financial misconduct or a false statement related to Paycheck Protection Program loans, Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants, and Shuttered Venue Operators grants. Supporters say this bill is pivotal as it will ensure the SBA’s resources are dedicated to those who actually need them. The bill is now headed to the Senate.