7 Things Congress Might Actually Agree On

TThe grind of divided government has reduced legislative expectations in the 118th Congress. However, even though lawmakers are still divided on many subjects, there seems to be room for compromise on Capitol Hill.

When Democrats They controlled all three branches and were able to pass legislation like the Inflation Reduction Bill A bipartisan bill to control gun violence. This kind of big-picture legislation won’t make it through both chambers but there are many bipartisan efforts.

HOUSE CONDEMNS CHINA’S ‘BRAZEN SUVEILLANCE’ FOLLOWING SPYBALLOON INCIDENT

China is the Challenge

The House of Representatives Passed A resolution was adopted at the start of this month. China It is a great product. “brazen violation of United States sovereignty” After the military downed a Chinese surveillance ballon and three other unrelated aerial crafts, These incidents raised bipartisan concerns about China’s military and surveillance capabilities. Although it is not clear how the U.S. Senate will react, lawmakers are currently examining dozens of anti China trade and foreign policy provisions.

The Foreign Relations Committee’s two top senators are working on details for a bill to challenge China’s economic growth and improve American competitiveness. Legislators who are the heads of the Senate House Armed Services Committees sound the alarm about China’s military and nuclear expansion in an effort to address these concerns in their annual defense legislation.

Challenging Russia

A bipartisan group comprises senators who are trying again to pass a bill which would make it mandatory for the president to sign. State Department Designate the Wagner GroupAs a terrorist foreign organization, the Russian paramilitary group, This private army group is well-known because it supports Russia’s military during invasions. Ukraine.

The legislation was not passed by the lawmakers in time, but it has bipartisan support in both houses. This measure will go further than what the Treasury Department did last month, which designated the bill as the Wagner Group Transnational criminal organization that is responsible for widespread human rights violations.

A delegation from the legislature attended the Munich Security Conference. They sent a strong message to support Ukraine and marked the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion.

SENATORS PUSH RUSSIA’S WAGNER GROUP TO BE DESIGNATED A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

Prescription drugs

Since Medicare beneficiaries now pay only $35 per month for life-saving medication, President Joe Biden called on Congress to also pass the benefit for private insurance. It was rejected by Congress in the final session of Congress, when it was part a comprehensive economic and climate package.

After a decision made by the Senate parliamentarian that the insulin provision was not in compliance with budget rules, the move was expected. Although the vote was defeated, seven Republicans voted for the provision with Democrats. This could indicate sufficient support for the measure to be introduced in this session.

Sens. Maria Cantwell (D–WA) Chuck Grassley (R – IA) Legislation was reintroduced to highlight deceptive or unfair tactics employed by pharmacy benefit managers. This issue is still under discussion in the House. To lower costs and offer more options to consumers, lawmakers are currently discussing the possibility of changing the patent laws for generic drugs.

Tech regulation

Bipartisan support exists to pass legislation protecting children online. Last year, a number of bills related to the subject were introduced with the support of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. The Children’s and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act The Kids Online Safety Act.

This legislation would have increased federal protections for young users’ activities via digital platforms. The first bill establishes rules regarding data sharing. Another bill would require apps create more safety measures for users younger than 16 years old. It would also provide parental supervision tools, and channels to report any harm. These bills would have been among the first to update online children’s protections since 1998.

These bills were supported by both parties and passed out of committee. However, they did not receive a vote on the floor due to fierce opposition from the industry. However, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,, believes that lawmakers could reach an accord during this session.

Drug sentencing reform

Legislation to eliminate federal crack cocaine sentencing disparity might gain traction during this session. Sens. Cory Booker (D–NJ) Dick Durbin (D–NJ) and Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), introduced legislation recently that would close the gap between crack and powder cocaine sentences, and would apply it retroactively for those already convicted.

A similar bill was passed by the House last session with strong bipartisan support. It was also supported by Kevin McCarthy (R. CA), now-Speaker. However, it failed to pass the Senate. It is possible that the measure will gain momentum in this session.

Crypto

Both chambers are having discussions about how to regulate cryptocurrencies. In an effort to create a regulatory framework, Sen. Sherrod (D-OH), who is the chairman of Senate Banking Committee, wrote a letter last year to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D.MA), is trying to gain support behind a bill which would have broad implications for industry. The bill would include tougher anti money laundering restrictions and require that more crypto providers verify customers identities. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) is working together with Sen. Roger Marshall, R-KS, to recruit more conservatives and progressives.

January was a busy month for the Biden administration Appelled for Congress’s increased efforts To regulate the cryptocurrency market. Officials warned that it would be a “grave mistake” To pass legislation that would strengthen ties between traditional and crypto finance.

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Bills that must be passed

The list of bills that lawmakers must address is endless. For example, they must increase the nation’s borrowing limit. According to the Bipartisan Policy Centre, the federal government could reach its statutory limit of debt by the early fall or summer 2023. Legislators must also pass funding for government beyond September, including a Federal Aviation Administration renewal and the farm bill.