Congress stalled on appropriations



As we approach the end of the federal fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2018, it seems less and less likely that Congress will be able to pass a budget deal. A recent Politco article argues that Congress and the White House continue to be unable to find common ground on appropriations for a veteran’s health program. This is the latest in a string of disagreements that has left the appropriations process stalled. Even with both the House and Senate remaining in Washington through their typical August recess, there does not appear to be enough time for both chambers to reconcile a bill before the end of the fiscal year. The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is also expected to consume considerable lawmaker attention. Another continuing resolution is likely. 

Connecting Communities to host webinar on Opportunity Zones

On Thursday, July 26 at 3 p.m. EDT, Connecting Communities will host a free webinar on the new Opportunity Zones, which were introduced in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Opportunity Zones aim to incentivize long-term investment in distressed communities by providing tax benefits on investments in these zones. Speakers will discuss how the tax incentive is expected to work and what the implementation of this new program will look like. Presenters include Rachel Reilly of Enterprise Community Partners, Eric Robertson of Community LIFT and Amanda Roberts of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Daniel Davis of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis will moderate. You can register for the webinar here. Registration is free and required.

Upcoming CFBP nomination hearing

On Thursday, July 19, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs will hold a nomination hearing for Kathleen Kraninger, who has been nominated to be the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This hearing will take place at 10 a.m. EDT in Dirksen 538. You can watch a live stream of the nomination hearing here.

House Committee on Energy & Commerce holds hearing on the benefits of rural broadband

Today, the House Committee on Energy & Commerce held a hearing entitled, “Realizing the Benefits of Rural Broadband: Challenges and Solutions.” According to a memo from the committee majority staff, “Expanding broadband access and deployment, particularly in rural America, is a top priority for the Subcommittee to ensure its benefits are enjoyed by all Americans.” This hearing was joined by a number of private business leaders in the broadband industry, who offered their perspective on the issue. You can watch a recording of the hearing here.

Follow up: Congressional briefing on the nation's housing shortage and affordability crisis

Last Thursday, July 12, NHC member Up For Growth hosted a “Briefing on the Nation’s Housing Shortage and Affordability Crisis.” The briefing featured a diverse group of individuals within the affordable housing industry. Each panelist gave their unique insight into the challenges that face creating affordable housing. Additionally, the event was joined by Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), and Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.), who each acknowledged that there is a housing crisis in America and expressed their desire to work across the aisle to find common ground and implement solutions. Rep. Heck, who is particularly passionate about housing, moderated a brief Q&A session at the end in which he expressed his strong desire to bring more public attention to the issue. Without increased public attention, Rep. Heck argued that issues such as health care and higher education will continue to receive more attention than housing.