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House Republicans Passed a Controversial NDAA

DWPA Staff on July 14, 2023

President Biden Wraps up NATO Visit, Promises Continued Support for Ukraine

In another victory for Speaker McCarthy with his narrow House Republican Majority, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 219-210, a significant departure from previous NDAAs which typically garner broad bipartisan support (last year the NDAA passed the House by a vote of 329-101). The Freedom Caucus forced votes on a slew of amendments including some which passed including prohibiting the Pentagon from covering travel expenses for abortion services, prohibiting the Pentagon from covering gender transition procedures, and prohibiting the Pentagon from funding diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Other Freedom Caucus amendments which failed include blocking defense funding and security assistance for Ukraine, allowing military facilities to keep names of Confederate figures, and prohibiting the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine.

Here’s what else you may have missed this week:

House and Senate Appropriations Committees continue FY24 markups. The House Appropriations Committee has released all 12 FY2024 Appropriations bills and completed Full Committee markups on 8 of them. House Appropriations Chair Granger is hoping to bring several bills to the House floor before August recess; stay tuned for developments on this next week.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is also on track to complete 7 markups at Full Committee over the next 2 weeks before the August recess. Notably, Chairwoman Murray and Defense Subcommittee Chair Tester indicated the Defense bill would likely be marked up in late July. To track all the FY2024 appropriations developments please refer to the Congressional Research Service FY2024 Appropriations status table here.

Biden ended his 5-day trip across Europe on Thursday, touting NATO alliance and support of Ukraine. The President was in London before heading to the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania and wrapping up his travels in Helsinki, Finland. At each stop along the way, the President reaffirmed the United States’ support of Ukraine’s war against the Russia invasion and extolled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s leadership. This summit comes on the heels of several important geo-political developments, including Finland’s admission to NATO in April, Sweden’s expected inclusion in NATO, and a worsening military leadership situation in Russia, evidenced by the Wagner Group mercenary leader’s mutiny a few weeks prior. Ukraine has NATO members’ support but their ultimate membership in the organization will have to wait until the war ends.

House and Senate weigh in on PAHPA and PBMs. As part of the congressional effort to address the role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), the Senate Finance Committee released additional legislative drafts focused on regulating how PBMs are paid by health plans to negotiate with drugmakers. The major provisions would prohibit PBMs from getting any income outside of service fees, prohibit those service fees from being related to drugs’ list prices, and require PBMs to send annual reports to Medicare insurance plans about their rebate and price negotiations, a policy that would ban PBMs from charging Medicaid more than they pay for drugs (a practice called spread pricing), and a mandate for the Department of Health and Human Services to outline acceptable performance measures for pharmacies. A Committee markup of the legislation is scheduled for July 26.

On the other side of the Hill the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a markup to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) which sparked partisan fireworks over the omission of drug shortage and supply chain measures from the pandemic preparedness bills along party lines on Thursday. Republicans plan to write a standalone bill on drug shortages, but Democrats say that’s a stall tactic. The bill, which passed, would renew several of the federal government’s biodefense and pandemic-preparedness programs, which expire Oct. 1.

Congress Returns Next Week from July 4th Recess

DWPA Staff on July 7, 2023

The House and Senate both return to Washington next week after an extended July 4th recess. They will be in session just 12 days before the traditional August break and in-district work period begins.

During the July session, both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are expected to continue mark-ups of FY24 Appropriations bills at full committee, though a significant divide in overall spending remains. House Appropriators are marking up non-defense discretionary spending bills to FY22 levels or lower levels, which is estimated to result in a gap of $120b in overall spending between the House and Senate Appropriations Committee bills. Also, many Senators (and some House Members) – from both parties – have been advocating for increasing defense spending beyond the levels included in the debt limit agreement. These factors add up to a substantial gap that will need to be reconciled – with potentially great difficulty – during negotiations on any final spending package for FY24. And, as a reminder, the current fiscal year ends September 30th. Speaker McCarthy has signaled the House may pass an early-stop gap funding measure this month to pre-emptively address the potential of a government shutdown at the end of September. The Speaker continues to face pressure from hard-line conservatives for even greater spending cuts.

The House and Senate could also see floor action on the annual National Defense Authorization Act after Committee action in June, though thorny social issues and overall spending constraints could again pose challenges for Floor passage. Work is also expected toward other must pass legislation that expires this fall including the FAA Reauthorization, the Pandemic All Hazard Preparedness Reauthorization, and the Farm bill, among others. The House may also face Member- and Committee-led efforts to impeach Biden, as well as Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will be working on his side to move a host of Biden nominees including Judicial nominees and Labor Secretary pick Julie Su, who seems stalled, as well as try to build bipartisan consensus on legislation on a framework for governing artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, the Biden Administration continues to travel the country to tout strong economic numbers on the jobs front and tying that good news to their previous legislative victories and ongoing rollout of investments from the Infrastructure Investment Act, the CHIPS Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. We can also expect ongoing developments on the campaign trail in the lead-up to the 2024 Presidential and Congressional election cycle.

Here’s what else you may have missed this week:

Recent Supreme Court decisions on student loans and affirmative action continue to reverberate throughout Washington. In these two decisions, conservative justices sided with plaintiffs and overturned actions by the Biden Administration or former established judicial precedent. Biden’s plan to forgive between $10,000 and $20,000 of outstanding student loans for borrowers was overturned. With the official end to the emergency powers authorized during the pandemic, students will again be charged interest on outstanding student loans and payments will resume as early as this fall. In addition, college admission decisions which considered race as a factor have been ruled unconstitutional and may add momentum to those targeting corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. And still a third decision by the court, also made along ideological lines, found that a business could refuse creative services to a LGBTQ couple, despite the fact that key details in the case were contested, and possibly even fabricated.

Newly on the horizon is the specter of a nationwide UPS strike that could significantly impact the economy. After eight weeks of contract negotiations, UPS and the Teamsters Union which represents its 340,000 workers have yet to reach a deal, risking the potential for a nationwide strike beginning in August. Such a strike would be the largest by a single employer in US history and could impact a significant portion of the economy, some 6% of US GDP, that depends on UPS for shipping and logistics services. Many issues have been tentatively agreed to, including providing air conditioning in delivery vans, restructuring the work week, and reclassifying some employees. Issues still on the table include raising pay for part-time workers (the majority of UPS workers). Teamsters President Sean O’Brien has also used this contract negotiation as somewhat of a marketing tool for other laborers looking to organize, such as Amazon. “This is the largest collective bargaining agreement in any private sector union,” O’Brien said at a Saturday press conference, which could “set the tone and set the standard high for labor — not just the Teamsters but the entire labor movement.”

Local Government G-News July 5, 2023

DWPA Staff on July 5, 2023

July 5, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

Environmental Protection Agency Solar for All notice of intent to apply due August 14, 2023 and applications due September 26, 2023

The Solar for All competition will fund applicants applying to expand existing or develop new Solar for All programs that ensure low-income households have access to residential rooftop and residential-serving community solar energy, often through providing financial support and other incentives.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Resilience Regional Challenge letters of intent due August 21, 2023

The Climate Resilience Regional Challenge supports collaborative approaches to achieving resilience and adaptation strategies for coastal areas. The challenge is a two-track competition designed to meet the needs of coastal communities wherever they are in the resilience and adaptation process. The goal of Track One is to collectively move more coastal communities closer to taking action, especially those that are marginalized, underserved, or underrepresented. Track One funding can be used to initiate new, regional-scale collaborations or to advance existing partnerships focused on climate resilience. Track Two funding is intended to support the implementation of a complementary suite of ambitious and achievable actions (approximately three to eight) that are grounded in existing plans and/or strategies aimed at addressing the resilience and adaptation challenges within a specified region.

U.S. Department of Commerce; Economic Development Administration FY 2023 Recompete Pilot Program – Phase 1 applications due October 5, 2023

The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program) aims to alleviate persistent economic distress and support long-term, comprehensive economic development and job creation in places with a high prime-age (25 to 54 years) employment gap. EDA will run this competition in two phases through two separate Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs). In this Phase 1 NOFO, EDA will fund Strategy Development Grants and will approve Recompete Plans for certain regions. The Phase 2 NOFO, will allow eligible entities to compete for Implementation Grants which can fund a wide range of non-construction and construction activities that aim to increase regional capacity across the following four categories: workforce development; business and entrepreneur development; infrastructure; and additional planning, predevelopment, or technical assistance. Applicants must serve or be contained within an eligible geographic area. Applicants can determine eligibility using the Recompete Eligibility Mapping Tool.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2023 Inflation Reduction Act Climate-Ready Workforce for Coastal States and Territories Competition letters of intent due November 30, 2023

This funding opportunity assist communities in coastal and Great Lakes states and territories to form partnerships that will work collaboratively to support regional economies and their associated workforces by developing training programs that build in-demand skills, offering wraparound services that allow workers to successfully enroll in and complete training, and helping workers enter or advance into good jobs that enhance climate resilience. Wraparound services allow people to overcome barriers to participate in the program, especially individuals in underserved groups. Examples of wraparound services include transportation, childcare, elder care, and housing services.

U.S. Department of Energy Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Weatherization Program Assistance (WAP) Enhancement & Innovation applications due January 5, 2024

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Enhancement & Innovation grant program seeks applications from current WAP grantees and subgrants to expand the impact of the Department of Energy’s existing residential weatherization programs by utilizing leveraged resources and enhanced community partnerships to perform deep energy retrofits of low-income residential buildings and empower local community representation within the energy workforce. The Department seeks proposals that drive innovative approaches to program coordination and service delivery while fostering the collaboration of dynamic and diverse teams. Applicants can apply for one of the following three topic areas: 1) Multifamily Housing; 2) Single Family and Manufactured Housing; and 3) Workforce Development.

U.S. Department of Transportation FY 2023-2024 Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity (MPDG) applications due August 21, 2023

This funding opportunity contains three grant programs: the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grants program (Mega), the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects grants program (INFRA), and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant program (Rural). The funding opportunities support surface transportation infrastructure projects—including highway and bridge, intercity passenger rail, railway-highway grade crossing or separation, wildlife crossing, public transportation, marine highway, and freight projects, or groups of such projects—with significant national or regional impact, or to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas.

U.S. Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program applications due September 28, 2023

The Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program supports planning, capital construction, and regional partnership activities that aim to restore community connectivity through the removal, retrofit, mitigation or replacement of highways, roadways, or other infrastructure facilities that create barriers to mobility, access or economic development. The RCN funding opportunity is a combination of two major discretionary grant opportunities: The Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) and Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Programs.

IHE G-News June 30, 2023

DWPA Staff on June 30, 2023

June 30, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Resilience Regional Challenge letters of intent due August 21, 2023

The Climate Resilience Regional Challenge supports collaborative approaches to achieving resilience and adaptation strategies for coastal areas. The challenge is a two-track competition designed to meet the needs of coastal communities wherever they are in the resilience and adaptation process. The goal of Track One is to collectively move more coastal communities closer to taking action, especially those that are marginalized, underserved, or underrepresented. Track One funding can be used to initiate new, regional-scale collaborations or to advance existing partnerships focused on climate resilience. Track Two funding is intended to support the implementation of a complementary suite of ambitious and achievable actions (approximately three to eight) that are grounded in existing plans and/or strategies aimed at addressing the resilience and adaptation challenges within a specified region.

NEW: U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Inflation Reduction Act Climate Ready Workforce for Coastal States, Tribes and Territories Competition letters of intent due November 30, 2023

A climate ready nation requires a climate ready workforce and this new opportunity seeks to assist communities in coastal and Great Lakes states and territories so they may form partnerships that train workers and place them into jobs that enhance climate resilience. This competition is designed to meet the emerging and existing skills needs of employers while helping workers enter good jobs, so that together they may enhance climate resilience. This funding opportunity support the formation of partnerships that will work collaboratively to support regional economies and their associated workforces by developing training programs that build in-demand skills, offering wraparound services that allow workers to successfully enroll in and complete training, and helping workers enter or advance into good jobs that enhance climate resilience. Wraparound services allow people to overcome barriers to participate in the program, especially individuals in underserved groups. Examples of wraparound services include transportation, childcare, elder care, and housing services.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowships for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System applications due December 4, 2023

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System program seeks to balance the needs of the natural environment and coastal communities. The goal of the Davidson Fellowship is to provide research that meets the priority management needs of the reserves and their coastal communities, while building the next generation of leaders in estuarine science and coastal management. This fellowship affords qualified graduate students the opportunity to conduct collaborative science within the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, partake in professional development opportunities, and receive mentoring to support their professional growth.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Leveraging Social Networks to Promote Widespread Individual Behavior Change applications due November 3, 2023

This funding opportunity invites basic observational, experimental behavioral, and social science research applications that test how intrapersonal and interpersonal mechanisms of behavior change interact with, influence, or are influenced by characteristics of social networks with implications for health. Research supported through this grant will examine at least two levels of analysis, including interpersonal processes and social network characteristics. Projects will identify targets for future social network health behavior change interventions across the lifespan, especially in populations in which they are largely underdeveloped and untested. This opportunity also supports basic research to develop, refine, or optimize measures (assays) of putative targets (e.g., intra/interpersonal mechanisms of behavior change and/or social network characteristics).

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Community-Based Research for Effective Programs, Policies, and Decisions to Mitigate Cumulative Health Impacts and Environmental Health Disparities in Underserved Communities applications due August 31, 2023

The goal of this program is to advance the scientific knowledge essential for obtaining an accurate and realistic assessment of the cumulative impacts from multiple chemical (pollutants/contaminants) and non-chemical stressors exacerbated by environmental factors, including racial and social injustices in underserved communities. Program goals include understanding cumulative impacts from a community perspective while considering community dynamics and variability in the development of solutions.

NEW: National Science Foundation Assessing and Predicting Technology Outcomes preliminary proposals due August 21, 2023

The new Assessing and Predicting Technology Outcomes (APTO) program will fund research to evaluate the effectiveness of research and development investments and create models and information for decision-makers to optimize investments and advance U.S. competitiveness in the long term. APTO, a new investment by the CHIPS and Science Act authorized Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, will fund the assimilation of data and creation of models that accurately describe past and future technology outcomes, such as their capabilities, production, or use. These models will be able to predict future outcomes of specific technologies, as well as which investments would reliably change or accelerate those outcomes.

National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates proposals due September 27. 2023

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for supporting student research:

  • REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme.
  • REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects.

National Science Foundation issues Dear Colleague Letter for Equitable and Transformative Approaches to Educating the Semiconductor Workforce proposals

The National Science Foundation announces and invites proposals for new award opportunities in two programs: the Improving Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education program and the Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program. These programs are intended to advance and support the development of a skilled STEM workforce in advanced memory manufacturing and/or semiconductor manufacturing and design. These initiatives also support efforts to create new and broaden access to existing programs, experiential learning activities, courses, curricula, and/or certificates, adapt and implement evidence-based instructional and inclusive practices, develop and integrate industry standards into programs of study and courses, foster skilled educators, and investigate activities and factors associated with student performance.

National Science Foundation issues Dear Colleague Letter for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office and the National Science Foundation’s Engineering Research Initiation Special Emphasis Areas

The Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation, in partnership with the Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, announces a special funding focus via the Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) solicitation. The ERI program seeks to support new investigators as they initiate research programs and advance in their careers as researchers, educators, and innovators. The objective of the WPTO is to enable research, development, and testing of emerging technologies to advance marine energy as well as next-generation hydro-power and pumped storage systems for a flexible, reliable grid. Priority topics for this opportunity include Marine Energy and Powering the Blue Economy as well as Hydro-Power and Climate Change Impacts.

June 2023 – Vol. 12; Issue 6

DWPA Staff on June 29, 2023

Keys to Setting Off Showstopping Orals Presentations

  • Planning your work…working your plan: structure your flow, use voice variability to connect with listeners, and gesticulate
  • Understanding and establishing a connection with the audience is essential to meeting their needs and achieving intended outcomes
  • Incorporating visual aids and storytelling can ignite audience engagement, emphasize key points, and enhance comprehension
  • Practicing extensively and receiving feedback from knowledgeable sources will help to refine delivery, presence, and confidence
  • Regularly participating in various speaking opportunities provides a great way to gain low-stakes, real world presenting experience
  • Ending with a memorable finale and leaving your audience with a call to action can help drive desired audience outcomes

Light the Fuse: Igniting Engaging Presentations

Being an effective speaker is a critical skill which, for many people, has dulled with the pandemic, video teleconferencing, and/or the “Zoom” generation. Think of those recent times when you were listening to a presentation and hoping for fireworks but ended up with a disappointing dud of a display. Those failed presentations are a huge waste of time, money, and resources and are often due to a speaker’s unengaging delivery, lack of understanding the audience, insufficient practice and/or confusing messaging. The key to becoming a captivating speaker is establishing an immediate connection with the audience. Forging meaningful bonds and prioritizing audience connection increases information retention and creates impactful presentations that both resonate with the audience and lead to well-scored oral presentations. Further, creating a strong outline for the presentation, aligned to audience desires, will help ensure clear idea flow and straightforward delivery.

Developing Your Speaker’s “Spark” Through Practice

To put on a showstopping performance, it is vital for the speaker to practice, practice, practice! Presentations should be practiced until you are natural and able to deliver without error. You never want to be the speaker reading verbatim off the slides, a guaranteed way to lose your audience. Self-evaluation is a simple, effective way to ignite your full potential. As uncomfortable as most of us find it, recording and listening to yourself will make you more cognizant of how you sound, allowing you to identify and correct bad habits. In addition, seek feedback regularly, as it is an important component for improvement. Look for resources such as colleagues, friends, and family who can provide constructive criticism and valuable insights. For targeted and/or professional support, it can be very advantageous to work with an orals coach who is experienced in the industry/space in which you will be presenting and who can provide personalized coaching to address specific strengths and weaknesses within your presentation.

Speaking accelerators to skyrocket your orals presentation infographic

Incorporating Speaking Accelerators into oral presentations will amplify the delivery of the material, provide deeper clarification for listeners, and help the speaker seem more relateable/natural when presenting.

Unlocking Your Star Speaking Potential

As seasoned orals coaches, we recommend seeking out any and every opportunity available to improve your speaking skills. Whether it be on a large stage or giving a toast at a local 4th of July BBQ, there are numerous opportunities, modalities, and places to practice public speaking. Local events, gatherings at places of worship, toastmasters, and meet-up events offer low-stakes opportunities to increase confidence and refine skills. Participating in improv, stand-up, and theater can provide fun ways to get over jitters, learn to think on your feet and improve speech delivery. If you are looking for more structured opportunities to practice and receive valuable feedback, seek out virtual events, speech clubs and speech competitions. To gain professional practice within your organization, speaking up during meetings or leading work lunch-and-learns can enable speakers to showcase their expertise, reinforce speaking skills, and gain confidence in front of a friendly crowd.

Show Your Inner Firecracker: Presentation Delivery

Like a 4th of July fireworks show, you must start off your speech with a bang, making a strong first impression and gaining audience buy-in. Once established, build off that initial impact and hold your audience’s attention by incorporating a mix of visual aids (graphs, charts, images, etc.) to visually intrigue the audience, augment spoken content, and provide deeper understanding. In addition, weaving in compelling stories will captivate listeners and make the information more relatable and memorable. Further, speakers should use vocal variability and master delivery techniques such as adjusting pitch, tone, pace, and strategically placing pauses to effectively convey enthusiasm, seriousness, humor, and to emphasize important points. Presentations should conclude with a showstopping finale, which solidifies the message, provides tangible takeaways, and leaves the audience wanting more. Following these best practices will help speakers gain confidence, be more effective, and can elevate the ability to win work.

10 Ways to Overcome Stage Fright and Become a Dynamite Speaker

  • Project confidence – You’re the expert
  • Arrive early and familiarize yourself with the space
  • Take deep, slow breaths
  • Practice relaxation techniques
  • Elevate your heart rate beforehand to burn off energy and release endorphins
  • Find friendly focal points in the room
  • Debrief on the experience afterwards and internalize feedback
  • Visualize success and utilize positive self-talk
  • Accept that it’s okay to be nervous – Even the best speakers are
  • Hire an orals coach to launch your speaking skills to the next level

Mike Schneider
301-537-4465
Michael.Schneider@dwpassociates.com

Doug Black
703-402-2511
Doug.Black@dwpassociates.com

Jesse Ernest
703-638-2525
Jesse.Ernest@dwpassociates.com

National Security in the Spotlight as NDAA, Defense Appropriations Advance

DWPA Staff on June 23, 2023

National Security in the Spotlight as NDAA, Defense Appropriations Advance

In a flurry of legislative activity on national security policy and funding legislation, the House Armed Services Committee passed the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) after a marathon 17-hour markup that went until the early hours of the morning Thursday. The measure authorizes $886 billion in discretionary spending for defense purposes, consistent with the budget levels delineated in the recent debt limit agreement. The panel considered more than 800 amendments, with extensive and contentious debate on a slew of amendments offered by Republicans targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the Pentagon. The committee passed the NDAA package 58-1, with only Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) voting in opposition.

The Senate Armed Services Committee also marked up its version of the FY24 NDAA legislation in its various subcommittees and at full Committee this week. The full committee markup was completed in a closed session and at the time of this writing on Friday is not yet available to the public.

On spending fronts, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees moved forward with markups on several FY24 appropriations bills this week – though at different levels of spending that set up complicated negotiations down the road. Work on the 12 annual appropriations bills also kicked into high gear in the House and Senate Appropriations Committees this week. On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee kicked off its work by marking up and passing its versions of the $135 billion FY24 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs spending bill and the Agriculture spending bill. Meanwhile the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill appropriates nearly $26 billion in funding, including for such key programs as WIC, SNAP, and Child Nutrition Programs in schools. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Murray also announced the next markups would occur July 13th, with action set for the Commerce, Justice, Science spending bill, Financial Services and General Government spending bill, and Legislative Branch spending bill.

Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee continues to churn through its work, advancing six of the 12 annual spending bills out of full committee as follows: Defense, Agriculture, Homeland Security, Legislative Branch, Energy and Water, and Military Construction-VA, with two additional spending bills marked up in Subcommittee – Financial Services-General Government and State, Foreign Operations. However, as a reminder, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are currently marking up each of the 12 annual spending bills at very different overall spending figures, with the House Appropriations Committee notably marking up at spending levels below the debt limit agreement and the Senate Appropriations Committee marking up bills at the caps in the debt limit agreement. This is expected to create an almost $100bn discrepancy between them later in the process which will need to be reconciled.

Here’s what else you may have missed this week:

The White House focused on repairing relations with China and strengthening partnership with India. Foreign policy was a top priority for the Biden Administration this week, including a trip by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to meet with his counterparts in China and an official state visit by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to Washington. Blinken landed in Beijing on Sunday and began a full day of meetings with the overall goal of reestablishing channels of communication, especially direct military-to-military communication, between the United States and China. The visit came after a number of high-profile incidents raised tensions between the two countries, including the “Chinese Spy Balloon” earlier this year, a visit by then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last year, China’s incursions into Taiwanese airspace, and the continued human rights abuses of ethnic Uyghurs. After meeting with President Xi Jinping, Blinken declared the visit a success, but then later this week President Biden insinuated that President Xi was a dictator during remarks at a political event – perhaps reversing any progress made during Blinken’s trip.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi visited the White House for meetings in the Oval Office and a State Dinner to display the deepening partnership between the United States and India. Modi also addressed a joint session of Congress. This state visit, on the heels of so much attention to relations with China, displays the rebalancing of America’s focus in the Indo-Pacific region. Strategically, continued close engagement of India is consistent with efforts to counter China, even as many observers express concerns regarding Modi’s undermining of democratic principles in India.

Senate HELP Committee Chairman Sanders pursues investigation of Amazon’s warehouse labor practices. The investigation, announced on Tuesday, will focus on working and safety conditions in Amazon warehouses. Sanders has taken numerous shots at large companies since become HELP Committee chairman earlier this year, including Starbucks for their efforts to squash labor unions. In Amazon’s case, Sanders has cited OSHA findings which indicate Amazon warehouses put employees at increased risk of injury from lifting heavy packages, as well as reports from labor groups that the injury rate at Amazon warehouses is double that of other warehouses.

Representative Adam Schiff censured by House Republicans for leading the effort to impeach former President Trump. After an earlier censure resolution failed, House Republicans passed a second resolution censuring Rep. Schiff (D-CA) for the inquiry he conducted in the 117th Congress. The resolution passed on a party line vote on Wednesday, 213-209, with six Republicans voting present. The action came as House Republicans struggled internally to chart a course on other efforts to counter the Biden Administration. Several measures related to investigations and/or impeachment of President Biden were introduced and one measure offering articles of impeachment against President Biden was referred to committees for investigation instead of being considered on the House floor. Divisions about how to proceed on various impeachment measures are expected to play out into the summer and beyond.

The House and Senate begin their State Work Period after today and will be back in session the week of July 10th.

Local Government G-News June 21, 2023

DWPA Staff on June 21, 2023

June 21, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Energy; National Energy Technology Laboratory Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Consumer Electronics Battery Recycling, Reprocessing, and Battery Collection concept papers due August 17, 2023

This program will provide funding to support the recycling of consumer electronics batteries and battery-containing devices to help build a robust domestic critical material supply chain for EV batteries in the United States. The funding will accomplish this by 1) increasing participation by consumers in recycling programs; 2) improving the economics of consumer battery recycling to create a market for recycling, including battery recycling research, development, and demonstration activities to create innovative and practical approaches to increase the reuse and recycling of batteries; and 3) increasing the number of these programs, including state and local programs to assist in the establishment or enhancement of state consumer electronics battery collection, recycling, and reprocessing programs and to establish collection points at retailers.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development FY 2023 Jobs Plus NOFO applications due August 21, 2023

The Jobs Plus program provides funding to develop locally based, job-driven approaches that increase earnings and advance employment outcomes through work readiness, employer linkages, job placement, educational advancement, technology skills, and financial literacy for residents of public housing. This place-based program addresses poverty among public housing residents by incentivizing and enabling employment through earned income disregards for working residents and a set of services designed to support work, including employer linkages, job placement and counseling, educational advancement, and financial counseling. Eligible applicants are only public housing authorities (PHAs) that operate one or more public housing projects (AMPs).

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development FY2023 HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program applications due October 12, 2023

The purpose of the HOPE VI Main Street Program is to provide grants to communities smaller than 50,000 in population to assist in the renovation of a historic or traditional central business district, or “Main Street” area, by replacing unused, obsolete, commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units. The objectives of the program are to redevelop central business districts (Main Street areas); preserve Historic or traditional Main Street area properties by replacing unused commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units; enhance economic development efforts in Main Street areas; and provide affordable housing in Main Street areas. Main Street grant funds can be used to build new affordable housing or reconfigure obsolete or surplus commercial space (or extremely substandard, vacant housing) into affordable housing units.

Former President Trump Arraigned; FY24 Appropriations Underway

DWPA Staff on June 16, 2023

Work Underway on FY24 Appropriations but House and Senate Differences Widen

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump was officially arraigned in Miami, Florida on 37 counts for his role in concealing classified documents after leaving the White House, charges to which he has pled not guilty. It is the first ever instance of a former president being charged with a federal crime. Trump’s supporters rallied outside the courthouse, but inside the DC beltway, Republicans have begun breaking their silence and openly criticizing him. Republican presidential primary hopefuls, Senator Tim Scott (SC) and former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, carefully cast doubt on the politicization of the judicial process while acknowledging the seriousness of the purported crimes. Other candidates, Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson were more direct in their criticisms. However, House Republicans focused their criticism on the US Department of Justice which is likely to get only more heated as the House takes up work on the budget for the Department of Justice and related matters.

Here’s what else you may have missed this week:

After coming to a debt ceiling agreement, Congress may be hurtling towards a different kind of government shutdown. Appropriations season is under way in the House and Senate, and each body is starting off the process with entirely different benchmarks for federal spending for FY24 with a gap of more than $100bn. House appropriators, led by House Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger (R-TX) and with the full blessing of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), are writing spending bills at FY2022 levels, more consistent with the House-passed Limit, Save, Grow Act and not the more recently enacted debt ceiling compromise legislation. Meanwhile, Senate appropriators, led by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) are writing spending bills at the budget caps laid out in the debt-limit deal.

This sets up an inevitable collision course for September 30 at which time the government could once again be facing a government shutdown or a continuing resolution to get them through the end of the year. Further, under the debt deal, if any appropriations bill fails to pass by January 1, an automatic 1% budget cut goes into effect across the board.

Work also began this week on the annual National Defense Authorization Act which will see full committee action next week in both the House and Senate Armed Services Committee.

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) continues to block military promotions in the Senate, bringing the total to more than 250 awaiting confirmations. This unprecedented holdup of unanimous approval of military promotions is in response to the Pentagon’s abortion policy which ensures access to otherwise non-covered reproductive health care. This week, Tuberville rejected a proposal by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) that would exchange a vote on reversal of the policy for an end to the holdup. Tuberville is demanding that either the Pentagon end its policy or that it be formally codified into law. Senate Republicans are in a bind, wanting to avoid the political dilemma of antagonizing the military while also trying to end federal protections of abortion procedures. This protest has been ongoing for months and has shown no evidence of ending anytime soon.

House Conservatives Revolt & Halt Floor Action

DWPA Staff on June 9, 2023

Trump Indicted on Federal Charges

Speaker McCarthy pledges that next up in the House are appropriations, authorizations and investigations

A tense political week for Republicans ended with Former President Donald Trump announcing Thursday that he has been indicted on charges connected to his handling of classified national security records, writing on social media that he has been summoned to federal court on Tuesday in Miami.

Earlier in the week, House Conservatives, who have been up in arms about the level of spending cuts and lack of GOP priorities in the debt deal, staged a surprising revolt on the House floor that surprised their Leadership and blocked legislation from coming to the House Floor. Such a move has not occurred since 2002. So, while hard-core conservatives may not have moved to ‘vacate’ the Speakership after the debt deal, they did not waste time signaling their intention to re-assert themselves on the House agenda. One of their key targets are the Fiscal Year 2024 annual appropriations bills. While the debt limit deal set a limit for both domestic and defense discretionary spending, House conservatives are demanding even lower spending levels as well as policy “riders” that will make for an even more complicated path for passage of these annual “must pass” spending measures. The House Appropriations Committee has yet to release a new schedule of subcommittee and full committee mark-ups which were underway but suspended when work began in earnest on the debt deal. Senate Appropriations concluded their scheduled hearings this week with a closed-door Defense hearing. House Appropriators are now more likely to write bills that are closer to the FY22 spending limits called for in the House-passed debt limit.

Here’s what else you may have missed this week:

Investigations
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability early this week released a resolution recommending that the House of Representatives find FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress for his refusal to comply with a subpoena lawfully issued by the Committee in its investigation into the Biden family. However, Wray relented at the last minute and granted the Committee access to the document, forestalling a vote on the contempt resolution. Wray and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas are scheduled testify before the House Judiciary Committee next month.

House and Senate NDAA Markups are set. Speaker McCarthy rejects need for Defense Supplemental. House Armed Services Committee for the FY 24 NDAA Subcommittee markups will begin June 13th with a full committee markup scheduled for June 21st. Senate Armed Services Committee will markup their version of the FY 24 NDAA at Subcommittee June 20 & 21 with Full Committee markups starting June 21st. During last week’s Senate debate on the debt limit legislation, Senate leaders issued a joint statement saying the “debt ceiling deal does nothing to limit the Senate’s ability to appropriate emergency supplemental funds.” They gave this reassurance after some Republican senators balked at voting for the debt deal because they thought it didn’t sufficiently fund defense programs. However, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy this week made clear his view that the debt deal already provides for increased FY 24 defense funding and there is no need for a supplemental.

Merck sues the Biden Administration over implementation of last year’s reconciliation law that allows the Health and Human Services Department to negotiate for lower prices on drugs. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, argues that the negotiation program is “extortion” and violates the Fifth Amendment by not paying the company “just compensation” for its products. “By coercing Merck to provide its drug products at government-set prices, the Program takes property for public use without just compensation in violation of the Fifth Amendment,” Robert Josephson, Merck’s executive director of global media relations, said in a statement. The reconciliation law passed by congressional Democrats in 2022 allows Medicare to negotiate for lower prices for a certain subset of drugs. HHS Secretary Becerra responded the same day to the Merck lawsuit by stating price negotiations are as “American as apple pie” at a public health forum in Washington.

More entrants to the Presidential contest. This week, former Vice President Mike Pence, New Jersey’s former governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum joined the ranks of Republican Presidential contenders.

Local Government G-News June 7, 2023

DWPA Staff on June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY24 Brownfields Job Training (JT) Grants applications due August 2, 2023

This notice announces the availability of funds and solutions applications from eligible entities, including government entities, redevelopment agencies, and nonprofit organizations, to deliver Brownfields Job Training programs that recruit, train, and retain a local, skilled workforce by prioritizing unemployed and under-employed residents to obtain the skills and credentials needed for pathways into full-time employment in various aspects of hazardous and solid waste management and within the larger environmental field, including sustainable cleanup and reuse, and chemical safety.

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Marketing Service Local Meat Capacity Grant applications due July 19, 2023

The purpose of the Local Meat Capacity Grant program is to build resilience in the meat and poultry supply chain by increasing processing capacity and promoting more competition in the sector. The program supports independently owned meat and poultry processing businesses with funds to provide more and better processing options for local livestock producers by modernizing, increasing, diversifying, and decentralizing meat and poultry processing capacity, including support for rendering.

U.S. Department of Commerce; Economic Development Administration FY2023 Build to Scale Program applications due July 28, 2023

The Build to Scale (B2S) Program provides grants designed to increase regional capacity to strengthen ecosystems that equitably and inclusively support diverse technology innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups. This year’s funding opportunity solicits applications for two competitions, the 2023 Venture Challenge; and the 2023 Capital Challenge. The Venture Challenge supports technology entrepreneurship and accelerates company growth in their community, region, or combination of regions. The Capital Challenge provides operational support for the formation, launch, or scale of investment funds that seek to raise equity-based capital to deploy in scalable startups (e.g., angel, seed, or venture funds) or organizations that expand equity-based capital access and deployment within a community, region, or regional industry (e.g., angel networks or investor training programs).

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Supporting Communities to Reduce Lead Poisoning applications due July 31, 2023

This funding opportunity supports organizations to work with partners from different sectors, provide better access to resources and services for families and children, increase knowledge and skills related to lead poisoning, and educate the community about the risk of lead exposure and disparities in blood lead levels based on factors like race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography. To be eligible for this opportunity, applicants must receive less than $2 million per year in federal funds within the last five years, directly or indirectly, and demonstrate a record of successful work in underserved communities.

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