Recently in Washington 

The House recently passed H.R. 4909, the STOP School Violence Act of 2018, as amended, by a vote of 407 to 10.  The bill creates a grant program to train students, teachers, school officials, and local law enforcement how to identify and intervene early when signs of violence arise, creates a coordinated reporting system, and implements school threat assessment protocols to prevent school shootings before they happen.  The House also passed H.R. 1116, the TAILOR Act of 2017, by a vote of 247 to 169.  The bill replaces onerous “one-size-fits” all regulatory compliance burdens for smaller community banks and credit unions with a regulatory approach that fit their business models and needs. 

On Thursday, the House passed H.R. 4263, the Regulation A+ Improvement Act of 2017, by a vote of 246 to 170.  The bill raises the investment threshold to exempt securities offerings by small and emerging companies from SEC registration requirements.  The House also passed H.R. 4545, the Financial Institutions Examination Fairness and Reform Act, by a vote of 283 to 133.  The bill streamlines the process for financial institution appeals review through the creation of a centralized Office of Independent Examination Review.  Congressman Simpson supported all four of these bills.


Committee Schedule 

Tuesday
At 10:00 a.m., the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a hearing regarding the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request for the Department of Education.

At 10:00 a.m., Chairman Simpson will host a House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee hearing regarding the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Thursday
At 9:00 a.m., Chairman Simpson will host a House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee hearing regarding the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request for the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, and Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.


Floor Schedule 

MONDAY, MARCH 19TH

On Monday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) S. 2030 - Ceiling Fan Energy Conservation Harmonization Act (Sponsored by Sen. Thom Tillis / Energy and Commerce Committee)

2) H.R. 5074 - DHS Cyber Incident Response Teams Act of 2018, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Michael McCaul / Homeland Security Committee)

3) H.R. 4176 - Air Cargo Security Improvement Act of 2018, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Bennie Thompson / Homeland Security Committee)

4) H.R. 5099 - Enhancing DHS’ Fusion Center Technical Assistance Program Act (Sponsored by Rep. Ron Estes / Homeland Security Committee)

5) H.R. 4227 - Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act of 2018, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Bob Latta / Homeland Security Committee)

6) H.R. 5079 - DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Don Bacon / Homeland Security Committee)

7) H.R. 5131 - Surface Transportation Security Improvement Act of 2018, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman / Homeland Security Committee)

8) H.R. 4467 - Strengthening Aviation Security Act of 2018, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Jody Hice / Homeland Security Committee)

9) H.R. 5089 - Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2018, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Nanette Barragán / Homeland Security Committee)

10) H.R. 4851 - Kennedy-King National Commemorative Site Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. André Carson / Natural Resources Committee)

11) H.R. 835 - To update the map of, and modify the maximum acreage available for inclusion in, the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (Sponsored by Rep. Doug Lamborn / Natural Resources Committee)

TUESDAY, MARCH 20TH

On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

H.R. 4566 - Alleviating Stress Test Burdens to Help Investors Act, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Bruce Poliquin / Financial Services Committee)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21ST AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK

On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 11:00 a.m. for legislative business.

On Thursday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

On Friday, no votes are expected in the House.

Consideration of Legislation Making Further Appropriations for FY18

Possible Consideration of H.R. 5247 - Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2018 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick / Energy and Commerce Committee)

H.R. 4061 - Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act of 2017, Rules Committee Print (Closed Rule, One Hour of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Dennis Ross / Financial Services Committee)


In the News

With bills on the table, Congress must heed the call to fix our national parks

BY Tom Wathen and Marcia Argust, The Hill, 03/16/18

Congress created the National Park Service (NPS) in 1916 and tasked it with caring for our nation’s treasured parks. As our National Park System begins its second century, it should be a showcase of smart technology, energy and cost efficiencies, and best practices in visitor and facility management. Instead, the NPS lacks the resources it needs to carry out its mission on behalf of the American people.

The NPS manages over 400 sites of significant natural and historic value across all 50 states and the U.S. territories.

However, because of inconsistent annual funding as well as aging infrastructure at many parks, it has difficulty keeping pace with necessary repairs and currently has a maintenance backlog estimated at $11.6 billion. More than two-thirds of that total consists of priority needs, such as deteriorating historic buildings and employee housing; failing water and electrical systems; eroding trails; and crumbling roads.

The repair backlog degrades parks’ natural and cultural resources, diminishes the visitor experience, and harms the economies of nearby communities. So nearly3,000 local and national groups — businesses and chambers of commerce; cities and counties; veteran organizations; unions, builders, and contractor associations; and the travel, tourism, and recreation industries — have urged policymakers to take action to fix our parks.

Congress is listening. Three legislative measures introduced over the past year would direct more annual federal funding to park maintenance needs:

·         The National Park Service Legacy Act — introduced by Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Representatives William Hurd (R-Texas), Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), and Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii) — has a diverse roster of Republican and Democratic co-sponsors, including a number of appropriators, and would direct nearly $11 billion to park maintenance over 30 years.

·         The Land and National Park Deferred Maintenance (LAND) Act, sponsored by Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID), would allocate $375 million to park maintenance each year for seven years and provide funding for maintenance needs in other public land agencies. It would also appropriate $450 million each year for seven years for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

·         The National Park Restoration Act — introduced recently by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Angus King (I-Maine), Representative Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), and Representative Simpson — is a bipartisan proposal that has the potential to direct billions of dollars to national park repairs over 10 years.

These measures would use onshore and offshore mineral revenues that aren’t obligated for other purposes—such as the Historic Preservation Fund, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or discretionary state funds—to finance park maintenance. This is not a new idea.

The Mineral Leasing Act and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act are decades-old statutes that authorize the Department of the Interior to charge royalties and fees to companies that develop oil and gas projects on federal lands or waters. Those payments go into the general treasury.

We hope that the best provisions from the three deferred maintenance proposals, which share many of the same sponsors and co-sponsors, can be enacted as part of a legislative package in this Congress.

According to an analysis commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts, investing in park repairs would create or support 110,000 jobs nationwide. This would be in addition to the 318,000 jobs that were generated in 2016 as a result of over 330 million park visits.

These visits led to $35 billion in national economic output — demonstrating that in addition to educating Americans about our nation’s history and culture and providing unmatched opportunities for outdoor recreation, the National Park System can create jobs and strengthen the economies of nearby communities.

It is vital that Congress seize this opportunity to invest in our parks. Tens of millions of Americans come to the national parks expecting excellence, and the NPS should have the tools it needs to meet those expectations.


Sincerely,