12/9 Weekly legislative update

NATIONAL

HOW DID YOUR MOCs VOTE LAST WEEK?

H.Res. 546: Disapproving the Russian Federation’s inclusion in future Group of Seven summits[…] [PASSED House]
VISCLOSKY: YEA
WALORSKI: YEA
BAIRD: YEA

S. 178: Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 [PASSED House]
VISCLOSKY: YEA
WALORSKI: YEA
BAIRD: YEA

S. 151: Pallone-Thune TRACED Act [PASSED House]
VISCLOSKY: YEA
WALORSKI: YEA
BAIRD: YEA

H.R. 2534: Insider Trading Prohibition Act [PASSED House]
VISCLOSKY: YEA
WALORSKI: YEA
BAIRD: YEA

H.Res. 326: [Supporting a two-state solution for Israel & Palestine] [PASSED House]
VISCLOSKY: YEA
WALORSKI: NAY
BAIRD: NAY

H.R. 4: Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 [PASSED House]
VISCLOSKY: YEA
WALORSKI: NAY
BAIRD: NAY

Senate Nominations & Confirmations:
The following nominees were CONFIRMED:
Dan Brouillette; Secretary of Energy
Eric Komitee; US District Judge for Eastern NY
John Sinatra, Jr.; US District Judge for Western NY
Sarah Pitlyk; US District Judge for Eastern MO
Douglas Cole; US District Judge for Southern OH
R. Austin Huffaker, Jr.; US District Judge for Middle AL
David Barlow; US District Judge for Utah
Richard Myers II; US District Judge for Eastern NC
Sherri Lydon; US District Judge for SC
Robert Duncan; Governor of US Postal Service

SEE ALL OF LAST WEEK’S VOTES ON COUNTABLE

UPCOMING ISSUES

H.R. 729: The Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Act
This bill creates three avenues to address climate change for coastal communities: Coastal resilience/economic enhancement, fisheries research/conservation, and modernizing data needs for these communities. Collectively this would pave the way for more federal grants and research efforts.

H.R. 5038: Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019
Among other things, this bill would create an avenue for “alien” workers to apply to become Certified Agricultural Workers (CAW). Those with pending applications would not be subject to deportation by DHS, and upon completing a season of work would have 60 days to secure new employment. This bill would also provide financing assistance for rural rental housing and off-farm labor housing and rental assistance for qualified tenants, and allow the Department of Agriculture to help farm workers secure housing.

H.R. 3: Lower Drug Costs Now Act
Drug prices would be negotiated directly between pharmaceutical companies and the Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS). All Americans would have access to these negotiated prices, which would remain unchanged until a given drug has at least two generic competitors. Additionally, this bill seeks to end international discrepancies in drug pricing by capping prices based on the average price of the same drug in countries similar to the US.

CONFIRMATIONS:
Patrick Bumatay: U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Lawrence VanDyke: U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
John Sullivan: Ambassador to Russia
Stephen Han: Commissioner of the Food & Drug Administration
Aurelia Skipwith: Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

SEE THIS WEEK’S FULL SCHEDULE AT COUNTABLE

STATE OF INDIANA

Education issues will be a priority for Democrats in the Indiana House during the upcoming 2020 legislative session.  (Herald Bulletin)

A company that provides electricity to dozens of Indiana communities has been working to add at least 17 solar farms to its system, officials said.   (Journal Gazette)

Congress is again overdue to pass the bills to fund the government. Indiana Senator Todd Young has an idea: do it half as often.  (WIBC)

2020 is not a budget year at the statehouse, but legislators will be debating some new spending anyway — and disagreeing about how much. (WIBC)

The former state director for former Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly and a regional director for Sen. Evan Bayh is jumping into a local race for St. Joseph County commissioner. (South Bend Tribune)

Indiana House Republicans Monday unanimously named State Representative Todd Huston of Fishers Speaker-elect. He will take the place of current Speaker Brian Bosma near the end of the next legislative session.  (Indy Politics)

Fishers Deputy Mayor Leah McGrath, a Republican, announced Monday that she’s running for Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma’s seat.  (IBJ)

An environment and animal rights advocate from Gary is entering the contest to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Gary, in Congress.  (Times of Northwest Indiana)