Update

Omnibus Review (Dec. 15)

Mike & Co. — House and Senate budget negotiators said tonight they are near final terms on text of legislation covering the FY 2016 budget, the extenders, and more.  Before midnight, they hope they can release the draft bill, negotiated quietly but relentlessly for five days now, and proceed to votes on Thursday.   More on the main terms of …

Omnibus Review (Dec. 15) Read More »

Omnibus Situation (Dec. 14)

Mike & Co. — Congressional negotiators appear near a bipartisan deal on a year-end spending and tax package tonight that would increase domestic and military funding, lift the ban on crude oil exports and extend several tax breaks for businesses and individuals.  The omnibus negotiations have been going on around the clock almost without pause since Friday but every passing …

Omnibus Situation (Dec. 14) Read More »

Customs Bill (Dec. 8)

Mike & Co. — Most of the activity on Capital Hill this week is focused on the FY 2016 budget, but it has become so rider-ridden that few expect it to be competed by the Friday deadline for passage.  Instead it is becoming likely that Congress will adopt a short-term continuing resolution that will push votes on …

Customs Bill (Dec. 8) Read More »

Tax Extender Negotiations (Dec. 6) 

Senior Senate Finance and House Ways and Means staff were at the negotiating table much of this weekend, working on a growing tax extenders-plus package now rumored to cost in the $700-800 billion over ten-year ballpark.  The package began with the Senate Finance bill reported in July extending or making permanent the 50-odd tax breaks known as …

Tax Extender Negotiations (Dec. 6)  Read More »

Brown on HTF (Dec. 4)

Mike & Co. — The November jobs report (200,000-plus net jobs added) is another key green light to a Fed primed to lift rates in two weeks. FWIW, reported from Shelby last night re talks with Tester on Shelby 2.0: “We’ve been talking even tonight — we’re trying to see if we can work out …

Brown on HTF (Dec. 4) Read More »