Congressional Record

10 years after DACA began, the program remains embroiled in legal challenges. The acceptance of new DACA recipients has been paused and advocates are now pushing congress to address DACA before the end of the 117th Congress.

For a deeper dive into the topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/daca-background-and-policy-and-legal-issues

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Over the past few years, many parts of the country have experienced a rise in violent crime. While the numbers are still much lower than the highs of the 1980s and ‘90s, it is an issue that is top of mind for many Americans and was a key issue during the recent midterm elections. Lawmakers on both sides have recognized rising crime as an issue, but they disagree on the root cause and potential solutions to it.

For a deeper dive into the topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/addressing-the-rise-in-violent-crime

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As social media platforms have evolved, how people use social media has changed drastically. What used to be a way for people to stay in touch with friends and family is now a key information source and platform for political engagement. This has only increased the number of content moderation decisions companies face and the difficulty of keeping up with engagement on the platform. This episode, we chat with Shoshana Weissmann from R Street Institute on social media policy, content moderation, and Section 230.

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Inflation was a top issue in last week’s election. High prices have made many people question whether we’re in a recession, or at least headed towards one. Despite two consecutive quarters of decreased GDP, which many use as a measure for a recession, most economists are arguing that the U.S. is not in a recession yet as low unemployment and fairly consistent job growth keeps the economy running.

For a deeper dive into the topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/defining-recession

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Just three easy installments of $19.99. But is it really so easy? Americans have had installment payment plans in some form or another for decades: layaway, point-of-sale financing, traditional credit cards, and now Buy Now, Pay Later. They are all essentially the same concept, purchase something now and pay for it over time, but new Buy Now, Pay Later platforms are facing scrutiny with its rising popularity.

For a deeper dive into the topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/buy-now-pay-later

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For many decades, only 20-40% of Americans have responded that they trust the government to do what’s right most of the time. These low levels of trust have had real world consequences, whether it’s disillusionment with elections or distrust of federal guidance around COVID and vaccines. This episode, we chat with Loren DeJonge Schulman from the Partnership for Public Trust on public distrust, Schedule F, and alternative proposals to improve accountability and trust in the government.

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Most Americans support organ donation, but just over half are signed up as organ donors. As a result, there's a gap in need versus supply and many candidates for organ donation wait 3-5 years on the waitlist to receive a transplant. But it's not just the limited supply that complicates matters. The operation of the organ matching system has come under fire recently for lack of oversight and insufficient safety measures.

For a deeper dive into the topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/organ-donation

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This hurricane season started off unusually with no named hurricanes through September, which has only happened twice since 1960. However, by mid-September, two major hurricanes landed in the Caribbean and Florida. Hurricanes continue to break records in these past few years and this is only likely to worsen with climate change. This has led to some reckoning on the U.S. government's current capacity to mitigate and respond to disasters.

For a deeper dive into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/federal-emergency-management-and-hurricanes

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In the second episode of our housing affordability series, we talk with Emily Cadik of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition. The U.S. is short 3.8 million homes to keep up with Americans' needs. To incentivize the construction of more affordable housing, the federal government created the Low Income Housing Tax Credit in the 1980s. This complex program is the cornerstone of federal policy for affordable housing development.

For a deeper dive into the topic, check out our Prolegis Briefing:
- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/low-income-housing-tax-credit

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In this first part of our series on housing affordability, we talk with Emily Hamilton of George Mason University's Mercatus Center. Housing affordability has been taking up headlines after a record year of inflation for rental and housing prices. Although policymakers have attempted to provide relief, one often forgotten piece of the puzzle is zoning policy.

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Sen. Joe Manchin and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer aimed to include provisions to reform permitting in the continuing resolution that must be passed by September 30th to avoid a government shutdown. However, they were unable to overcome the strong pushback from both progressive Democrats and Republicans against the proposal, despite agreement across parties that federal permitting processes for energy and infrastructure projects require reforms.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/energy-and-infrastructure-permitting

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Over the summer, airlines were regularly cancelling flights because they did not have enough staff to cover their scheduled flights, especially over holiday weekends. While the worst may be over, many are looking to the government to fix problems that contributed to this summer's difficulties for the future, but the government's authority is more limited than it once was.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/flight-or-fright-whats-going-on-in-commercial-aviation

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For many industries and workplaces, the pandemic pushed employers to create new normals for their workplace, whether that meant adjusting to a fully remote workforce or changing shifts to limit contact between employees. For some workers, the pandemic also meant they had a new opportunity to reevaluate their work-life balance. Now, some legislators are proposing a shortened workweek for all.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/four-day-workweek

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Growing medical debt is not a new issue, as millions of Americans have been burdened by unpaid bills for years. However, the issue has recently begun to receive attention from elected officials, with action occurring at both the federal and state levels.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/medical-debt-policy-issues

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The IRS estimates that it loses out on about $1 trillion in tax revenue every year because of tax evasion. Last month, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, a climate, energy, and healthcare bill that also includes increased funding to the IRS to improve the agency’s ability to enforce tax laws as a means of paying for the legislation.

To dive deeper into the topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/irs-funding-and-tax-evasion-background-and-proposals

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TikTok has joined the ranks of Twitter and Facebook in just four years since it was launched. It faces many of the same challenges and critiques as these legacy social media platforms, but has faced additional scrutiny due to its connections with China. This episode, Prolegis' Jason Lemons talks with Geoff Cain about why TikTok’s data collection and storage is concerning to some policy makers and whether Congress will be taking any action soon.

For the full version of this interview, check out the video on Prolegis: https://hubs.la/Q01l0PLh0

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The Social Security program provides a monthly income to over 65 million retirees and people with disabilities. Many Americans have relied on the program since it was created by the New Deal in 1935, but young workers today fear whether the program will remain solvent for their retirement. Recently, the Social Security Administration’s annual report stated that it will not be able to pay the full amount of benefits by 2035.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/social-security-program-explainer

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Flooding is becoming a more frequent problem for Americans as extreme weather events like Hurricanes Maria and Harvey become more common. Sea level rise is putting more and more homes at risk of flooding, but residential and commercial developments continue to be built in flood-prone areas. With the National Flood Insurance Program up for reauthorization again this year, policymakers and disaster management experts are debating how to update it to reflect modern challenges.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/national-flood-insurance-program

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After the 2020 election, gaps in existing election law became clear when challenges were made on January 6. Since then, Congress has been negotiating how to reform elections, and how to update the Electoral Count Act, the 11887 law that dictates how electoral votes are counted by Congress. Last month, a bipartisan group of senators released a proposal on updating this law, among other reforms.

In this interview, we speak with Kevin Kosar about the specifics of the bipartisan proposal, but also what led to these negotiations and the bills’ political futures. Kevin Kosar is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. To learn more about the work Kevin does, check out his:

- Book titled "Congress is Overwhelmed: The Decline in Congressional Capacity and Prospects for Reform," https://tinyurl.com/yckte5bm

- His "Understanding Congress" podcast, https://www.aei.org/tag/understanding-congress-podcast/

- His Twitter account @kevinrkosar

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Enrollment in health insurance on the exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act skyrocketed in 2022. This was due in part to the expansion of subsidies to cover more enrollees and decrease rates through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The subsidies were put in place for just two years, meaning they will be expiring at the end of this year. If the subsidies expire, nearly everyone with marketplace coverage will likely have to pay higher premiums next year, and some may no longer be able to afford their coverage. This looming subsidy cliff is one of the primary areas of focus for policymakers before the midterms.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/affordable-care-act-subsidies-background-and-policy

Drug prices have continued to rise and become a concern for the American public. A report found that 13% of adults prescribed a diabetes medication skipped dosages, took lower dosages, or delayed filling a prescription due to the cost of insulin and other medications.

Policymakers have responded to these concerns at both the state and federal levels, with proposals from both sides of the aisle. This month, Democratic senators released legislative text on prescription drug pricing reforms that they intend to include in a revived reconciliation package.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/fy-23-reconciliation-drug-pricing-reforms

In this episode, we speak with Ananda Bhatia, a congressional staffer on the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress about her recent efforts to innovate the flag request process in Congress.

The flag request process allows constituents to receive flags that have been flown on the Capitol for special occasions, but the flags can often get stuck in the process between offices. Ananda and the Modernization Staff Association have proposed a new solution for tracking these flags.

More young people are using social media than ever before. 90% of teens use social media, and 45% of teens report using social media every day. Now there is growing concern about how these sites manage young people’s private data.

Even though social media has been around for almost two decades, it still remains somewhat uncharted territory for government regulation and oversight. But concerns about how social media use is impacting youth mental health is pushing policymakers to propose reforms to current laws governing children’s privacy online.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/child-online-privacy

E-cigarettes have exploded in popularity over the last decade, but policymakers are unsure of how to address e-cigarettes' growing adoption by teens and young adults.

In March, Congress amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to give the Federal Drug Administration authority to regulate synthetic nicotine in the same way it regulates other tobacco products. Regulators hope to close the loophole that allowed companies to continue selling flavored e-cigarettes, which many say enticed teens and young adults, even after the FDA cracked down on flavored e-cigarettes back in 2020. Congress’s move to clamp down on flavored nicotine products is part of regulators and policymakers' larger push to deter rising nicotine use among teenagers.

In this episode, we speak with Taylor J. Swift of Demand Progress about the topic of congressional unionization.

In March, the House passed a resolution that would extend protections for legislative staff to unionize. As a result, staffers will soon be able to organize their offices. In this interview, Taylor answers questions about the history of unionization, the implications of this historic vote, and what staffers can and cannot bargain for.

For more information on congressional unionization, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/congressional-staff-union

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health concerns, especially in youth populations. The demand for high quality and accessible mental health care for children is at an all-time high, motivating members of Congress to take action.

For sources and more information on this episode, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/youth-mental-health-background-and-policy-issues

Rising inflation has been plaguing the Biden administration. Mounting pressure to address inflation has pushed the administration to reconsider the current tariffs on Chinese imports which were originally implemented by the Trump administration in 2018.

For more on this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/revisiting-the-tariffs-on-chinese-imports

Stablecoins present a unique challenge for financial regulators and legislators. The digital currency has similarities with several existing regulated assets, meaning there are multiple ways in which stablecoin providers could be regulated. Legislators have taken an active role in examining the issue, with the House and Senate holding back to back hearings on a Treasury report on stablecoins.

For more information on this episode, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/what-are-stablecoins-how-should-they-be-regulated

With student debt reaching record highs, Congress is considering ways to address the burden of student loans and the overarching problems the debt level brings. Presidents Trump and Biden extended temporary relief through the COVID pandemic, but that relief is set to expire in August. After months of rejecting calls to provide broad student loan forgiveness, President Biden has indicated that he may reverse course in the near future.

Learn more with this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/public/briefings/student-loan-debt

Last month, House and Senate leaders announced that they would convene a conference committee after a year-long stalemate over how to address U.S. innovation and competition policy. This is the first conference committee of the 117th Congress, where policymakers will resolve differences between the House's America COMPETES Act and the Senate's US Innovation and Competition Act.

To learn more about these bills, including a section-by-section summary, check out these Prolegis Briefings:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/us-china-strategic-competition-recent-congressional-proposals

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/conference-committees-background-and-overview

Last month, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act. The bill would federally legalize marijuana by removing it as a Schedule I drug, while also retroactively decriminalizing it for federal offenses. Beyond the question of whether or not to legalize or decriminalize marijuana, Congress will also have to grapple with issues related to banking, taxation and interstate trade.

Read more about this topic with these Prolegis Briefings:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/federal-cannabis-policy-background-and-issues

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/the-marijuana-opportunity-reinvestment-and-expungement-more-act

This episode, tune into our policy roundtable on the appropriations process with panelists Mark Harkins and Kimber Colton. These experts discuss the timeline for appropriations, how to engage with appropriations committee staff, and how to navigate the community project funding process.

The Biden administration announced this month that it would terminate Title 42, a program that has suspended the entry of many asylum seekers into the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision has been welcomed by advocates concerned about the human rights consequences of Title 42, but it has also drawn criticism due to fears that it will lead to a spike in asylum claims at the border that may overwhelm the immigration system.

For a deeper dive on this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/title-42-background-and-recent-policy-issues

Earlier this month, Major League Baseball and its players association ended a protracted lockout after failing to come to a collective bargaining agreement. The highly publicized nature of the lockout has led many, including members of Congress, to look at potentially stripping the MLB of its antitrust exemption.

For a deeper dive on this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/major-league-baseballs-antitrust-exemption-background

Working on Capitol Hill is rarely as glamorous as it’s portrayed in TV and movies. High staff turnover, long hours, and stressful jobs are common, and recent studies have identified staffers’ challenges with inadequate pay. Changes may be coming for congressional staff pay after the omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2022 passed with a 21% boost to Members Representational Allowances, which funds House office budgets.

To learn more about this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/congressional-staffer-salaries-background-and-recent-proposals

The backlog of cases across the immigration system has been growing for over a decade, resulting in prolonged wait times and a variety of adverse consequences as cases remain “in limbo”-- sometimes for multiple years.

For additional resources on this topic, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/reforming-the-immigration-court-system-addressing-the-backlog

The Biden administration has announced the most restrictive sanctions on Russia in history–targeting Russia’s central bank and oil and gas exports. While Russia’s economy is already feeling the weight of these actions, it has yet to stop its military operations in Ukraine.

Want to read more about this topic? Check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/the-response-to-russia-invasion-of-ukraine-sanctions

There are many regulatory questions legislators are exploring in establishing frameworks for how to oversee the crypto industry. Two priority issues for policymakers this year are taxation of cryptocurrency and the energy and environmental impacts of crypto.

For more on these two issues, check out these Prolegis Briefings:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/taxation-cryptocurrency

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/cryptocurrencies-energy-use

Efforts by the U.S. and foreign governments to crack down on digital currencies have caused volatility in cryptocurrency exchanges in the past few years. Regulatory clarity is necessary to guide the development of digital currencies but many investors are concerned about how authorities will regulate cryptocurrencies.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series next week!

Check out our sources for this episode here:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/cryptocurrency-background-and-policy-issues

A push to unionize Congressional staff in member and committee offices gained sudden momentum as Speaker Pelosi signaled support at the beginning of the month. Soon after, the newly formed Congressional Workers Union formally announced efforts to unionize staffers and Representative Andy Levin introduced a resolution to guarantee the right to unionize for legislative staff.

For more on this topic, check out these Prolegis Briefings:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/congressional-staff-union

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/staff-diversity-in-congress

The opioid crisis is a public health emergency that has claimed the lives of nearly 500,000 people. It has evolved over time, and so has the federal government’s response, which has included bipartisan legislation. Still, the federal government is playing catch up as a surge in synthetic opioids has led to a resurgence of overdoses.

For more on the opioid crisis, check out these Prolegis Briefings:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/the-opioid-crisis

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/illicit-fentanyl

As the most recent continuing resolution to fund the federal government is set to expire on February 18th, a government shutdown was potentially on the horizon. However, legislators came to a last minute deal to pass another continuing resolution this week. This will only cover government funding until March 11, meaning the threat of a government shutdown has only been delayed, not avoided.

For more on this topic, check out these Prolegis Briefings:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/history-of-government-shutdowns

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/what-happens-during-government-shutdown

The ability of members of Congress to trade individual stocks has repeatedly been a source of controversy. Activists, the news media, and fellow members of Congress have questioned the propriety of Members profiting off of companies that may be impacted by the work of Congress.

For more information on this episode, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/congressional-insider-trading-laws-and-ethics-of-members-trading-stocks

Members of Congress have been debating how to best address surprise medical bills for two years. A compromise was finally reached in the 116th Congress, when the No Surprises Act passed as part of the omnibus spending legislation. The No Surprises Act, which bans surprise medical bills, finally went into effect in the beginning of 2022, but industry groups and policymakers are pushing back against the Biden administration’s implementation of the law, arguing that it deviates from congressional intent.

For more details and sources on this episode, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/surprise-medical-billing

With a wide range of policy agenda items stalled in the Senate, there is mounting pressure in the Democratic caucus to reform the Senate filibuster to help move their agenda. Majority Leader Schumer vowed to bring a vote on the filibuster to the Senate floor before January 17, but Senators Manchin and Sinema rejected proposals to change the filibuster.

To learn more about the filibuster, check out these Prolegis Briefings:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/filibuster-proposals-for-reform

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/history-of-the-filibuster

The U.S. and Germany announced an agreement to allow the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline to be completed, with requirements for Germany to provide investments and diplomatic support to Ukraine. The U.S. has long been opposed to the construction of the pipeline, but the Biden administration reversed course, citing intentions to improve relations with Germany. Recently, Majority Leader Schumer agreed to a vote on Senator Ted Cruz’s legislation imposing sanctions on the pipeline as a deal to clear the passage of a slate of Biden’s State Department nominees.

For more on this topic, check out the Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/nord-stream-background-and-policy

Sneakerheads, gamers, and parents have had highly anticipated drops and holiday presents thwarted by scalper bots--bots that buy up high-demand items to be resold for a profit. During a period in which supply chains are already weakened, policymakers are concerned about the impact of such bots on consumer welfare. Congressional Democrats have reintroduced a bill to ban such bots.

Control of the Senate, the House, and the Presidency gives Democrats the ability to bypass the Senate filibuster for some legislation using a process known as budget reconciliation. Congressional Democrats utilized this tool to pass the American Rescue Plan earlier this year and are hoping to pass the Build Back Better Act through the same process. One figure that has been the center of controversy during the debate around the budget reconciliation bills is the Senate parliamentarian. The Senate Parliamentarian plays a key role in determining the rules and procedures for the Senate. A recent, key decision by the Senate Parliamentarian on the Build Back Better Act, has many reflecting on the position, its influence, and role in the legislative process.

In this episode, we will discuss the details of the budget reconciliation mechanism and the role of the Senate parliamentarian in the legislative process.

For deeper dives into these topics, check out these Prolegis briefings:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/budget-reconciliation-process-and-limitations

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/senate-parliamentarian-background-and-issues

The U.S. policy on Taiwan has followed the framework of “strategic ambiguity” for many decades. Despite the escalation in tensions between the U.S. and China and the increasing presence of Chinese military power in the Taiwan Strait, the Biden administration has remained committed to this framework.

In this episode, we discuss the history of U.S.-Taiwan relations, U.S. policy towards Taiwan, and government perspectives and related legislation.

For a deeper dive into this episode, check out this Prolegis Briefing:

- https://www.prolegis.com/briefings/u-s-taiwan-relations-history-and-policy-issues