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Tax Credits Senate Democrats are working to include $49 billion on a two-year boost for the child tax credit expansion that could also be paired with business tax breaks renewed for a similar duration. The proposal is a sign that negotiations between Senate Finance Chair Wyden and House Ways and Means Chair Smith are getting…

Inflation Cools The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that inflation sank to 3.2 percent in October over a year earlier, the lowest since July as energy prices continue to decline. “Core” inflation, minus food, and energy costs, dipped to 4 percent, down from 4.1 percent and the smallest increase since September 2021. On a month-over-month…

This Week in Congress Congress continued to craft legislation to avert a government shutdown next week with the current stop-gap funding measure expiring November 17th.   The House voted on the Financial Services and Transportation-HUD spending bills and the Senate resumed consideration of Monica Bertagnolli’s nomination to head the National Institutes of Health, along with working…

ASA Protects our Nation’s Vital Water Infrastructure by Supporting H.R. 1740 ASA protects U.S. taxpayers, subcontractors, small businesses, and workers by supporting H.R. 1740. This legislation ensures the common use of payment and performance insurance bond protections are applied on water infrastructure projects where federal funds are being used. Ultimately, H.R. 1740 would help ensure…

Click Here to Register for this Webinar Today! Upcoming ASA Webinar: U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of the National Ombudsman Join us on November 14th, 2024, at Noon Eastern for the presentation, “U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of the National Ombudsman”, presented by John Kelly. If you’re a small business, association, or not-for-profit and are…

The House Announces the Construction Procurement Caucus The House Administration Committee approves the Construction Procurement Caucus (CPC) as a Congressional Member Organization (CMO) of the U.S. House of Representatives for the 118th Congress. The Committee has determined that both the described purpose of the organization and the registration information appear to be in full compliance…

This Week in Congress This week was a rare moment in Washington, D.C., a return to normalcy in Congress with both chambers in session.  There’s a Speaker, no immediate government shutdown looming, and both chambers scheduled a fairly routine legislative schedule.  In the spirit of Halloween, I hope this is not “a trick,” but maybe…

Supplemental Funding Request This week, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken testified on the Administration’s $106 billion package for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and border security funding.   Republicans raised questions about whether assistance for Israel should be sectioned off and voted on as a stand-alone bill.  House Speaker…

Government Funding Beyond November 17th… With the current continuing resolution (CR) expiring on November 17th, there will need to be another funding extension to avoid a government shutdown. Speaker Johnson said he was prepared to back a CR through January 15th to allow enough time to complete full-year bills and avoid the specter of another…

The House’s Three Disciplinary Measures The House voted on three disciplinary measures against members of both parties this week, including Rep. Santos (R-NY). Santos’ fellow New York Republicans are seeking to expel him from the House over the federal criminal charges he’s facing.  Rep. D’Esposito (R-NY) notified the House last week of his intent to…