Empathy List Archives

        Thanks!Jeff---- On Mon, 18 Dec 2017 11:14:27 -0500  Deborah Kennedy<deborah.kennedy@key-words.us> wrote ----Jeff, thanks for this update, and congratulations on your election! CEF is in good hands with you in the lead.DeborahDeborah KennedySenior Consultant / Owner, Key WordsPresident, National Coalition for Literacyoffice: 202-364-1964 (September-May)office: 603-293-2402 (June-August)www.key-words.uswww.national-coalition-literacy.org---- On Mon, 18 Dec 2017 10:59:31 -0500 Jeff Carter <jcarter@literacypolicy.org> wrote ----Latest policy info. As usual, much of it culled from recent CEF updates/conversations. Not following DACA/DREAMER process that closely, so if anyone as anything to share, please do! -JeffFY 2018 AppropriationsEarly last week, House Republican leaders filed a bill to keep the government running after the continuing resolution (CR) expires on December 22. The bill would temporarily extend funding for most government agencies at current levels until Jan. 19, while providing full-year funding for defense programs at $650 billion — far above the existing sequester-level caps for defense, which the bill conveniently lifts. This bill is dead on arrival in the Senate where Democrats can block it because of the chamber’s 60-vote filibuster threshold. And everyone knew this — I was told by Republican staff last week that putting this out there was simply throwing a bone to the Freedom Caucus and defense hawk folks.Democrats oppose the bill because it abandons the parity principle — that is, it lifts defense spending and its of of the caps on defense spending, while it doesn't lift the non-defense discretionary (NDD) caps or even make final decisions on NDD programs for the year. If the sequester were to be lifted for defense only now, there would be little leverage for Democrats to come back in January and insist on raising the NDD caps.There is also no DACA fix in the bill, and there is also the matter of disaster relief – both items that different groups in Congress have demanded be included in a year-end funding bill.So the bottom line is that this Republican House bill is not the solution to keeping the government running after December 22, but it’s not clear what the solution is. There is very little time left. The House is not expected to vote on their bill until Wednesday at the earliest – after it acts on tax reform. That would leave little time for the Senate to take it up, amend it — possibly by deleting the defense portion and sending it back to the House as just a CR for all the government, with or without some of the other items included. It’s unclear if either side has interest in another short-term CR to punt all of this into the next year.IMPORTANT: A Republican staffer on appropriations told us last week that in terms of advocacy, it probably doesn’t make sense for groups to make their final push on funding for specific programs until after they get their final number —  that is, until after a final full-year spending agreement is reached and presumably caps are raised and they know how much money they have to play with.Tax Reform On Friday, Republicans published the tax reform bill that emerged from the House/Senate conference committee. (BTW, the conference committee on the tax reform bill met for the first time after news that a deal had already been reached. So that tells you a lot about who the decision-makers were.) I’ve attached their joint report. Yesterday Republicans were still saying that they expected Congress to pass it this week, with a Senate vote as early as Tuesday and President Trump signing the bill by week’s end.It seems very, very, very likely that the tax bill will become law. The election of Doug Jones to the Senate last week can’t stop it, he won’t be seated in time. It would require an unusual set of circumstances for it to fail. But weird things can happen. Look at the Steelers last night. Your scorecard of Republican waiverers or potential absences looks like this:Sen. Rubio - Says he will vote yes.Sen. Corker - Says he will vote yes.Sen. Collins - Still unclear. “she’s still reviewing the bill” Remember she had struck a deal to provide subsidies for the ACA health insurance marketplaces in return for her vote. As of last night, it was not clear whether those provisions will be included in any final accord, and if not, what she will end up doing about it.Sen. Lee - Probably a yes. Positive statements although has not explicitly said he would vote for it. Sen. Flake - some reports are that he is still undecidedSen. Cochran - has been ill but his office is telling reporters that he was expected to vote bill. Sen. McCain - battling cancer, as you all know, and back the hospital. Rumors swirling here that will not be back, at all. At the very least, his office says he won't be in town this week for any votes.CEF NewsAt CEF’s annual meeting Friday, I was elected to serve as President of CEF in 2018. As we have discussed, we’ll want to think about how to best leverage this role in the months ahead. Let me know your thoughts.https://twitter.com/edfunding/status/941715600740638720https://twitter.com/edfunding/status/941713260390338561_______________________________________________ National Coalition for Literacy Members mailing list Members@lists.national-coalition-literacy.org To unsubscribe: http://lists.national-coalition-literacy.org/mailman/listinfo/members_lists.national-coalition-literacy.org

members@lists.national-coalition-literacy.org

Policy Update 12/18/17