Will we wake up to a federal government shutdown on October 1st? Many of the ingredients required for a shutdown are present. There may be a breakthrough that will allow Congress to coalesce around an approach to appropriations. However, Congress may not get on track to pass all of the appropriations packages by the end […]
How will FDA and USDA operate during a Government Shutdown? Read More »
On May 18, 2022, the White House Office of Public Engagement held its first biweekly stakeholder call providing updates on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health planned for September 2022. The purpose of the session was to provide preliminary information about upcoming virtual regional public listening sessions to hear ideas and learn
White House Updates Plans for Nutrition Conference Read More »
The Biden-Harris transition team is announcing the names of individuals being appointed to White House and other Executive Branch positions multiple times each week. We are maintaining a list of all announcements based upon the formal notice actually issued as opposed to news reports suggesting who may be appointed. We will update the list on
BIDEN-HARRIS POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS Read More »
The Biden-Harris transition team is announcing the names of individuals being appointed to White House and other Executive Branch positions multiple times each week. We are maintaining a list of all announcements based upon the formal notice actually issued as opposed to news reports suggesting who may be appointed. We will update the list on
BIDEN-HARRIS POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS Read More »
The Biden-Harris transition team is announcing the names of individuals being appointed to White House and other Executive Branch positions multiple times each week. We are maintaining a list of all announcements based upon the formal notice actually issued as opposed to news reports suggesting who may be appointed. We will update the list on
BIDEN-HARRIS POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS Read More »
You may recall that back in October we told you about Executive Order 13957, “Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service” which would have removed certain civil service protections for thousands of federal employees involved in decision and policy making roles. Today, as part of multiple Executive Orders, President Biden eliminates Schedule F. Read more about this
UPDATE: ATTACK ON FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HALTED Read More »
The Biden-Harris transition team is announcing the names of individuals being appointed to White House and other Executive Branch positions multiple times each week. We are maintaining a list of all announcements based upon the formal notice actually issued as opposed to news reports suggesting who may be appointed. We will update the list on
Biden-Harris Political Appointments Read More »
It appears that Reverend Warnock (D) has unseated Senator Loeffler (R) in Georgia and John Ossoff (D) is currently leading Senator Perdue (R). While we await the final results in Georgia, we thought it would be of interest to look at who is likely to chair the various Senate Committees should Democrats take the Senate majority.
Who Might Chair Senate Committees With A Democratic Majority Read More »
While so many are paying attention to the transition from the Trump to Biden Administrations, keep in mind that there is another transition going on in Washington – the movement on Capitol Hill from the 116th to the 117th Congress. Majorities will be tighter in both the House and Senate. House leadership is not expected
Transitioning to the 117th Congress Read More »
President Trump issued an Executive Order (Reorganization EO) on March 13 directing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit a comprehensive plan to reorganize Executive Branch departments and agencies. OMB has now issued a Memorandum for heads of Executive Departments and Agencies calling for a Comprehensive Plan for Reforming the Federal Government an
What Would You Change About the Federal Government? Read More »
We know that people often disagree with any number of the different regulations that have been put in place for the administration of USDA’s programs – agricultural program operations, nutrition programs, rural development programs, energy programs, conservation programs, and the list goes on. Well, now is the chance to speak up. In the Federal Register
So Which USDA Regulations Would You Like to Change? Read More »
Congress has completed action on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2015 (the Act), which funds eleven of the twelve regular Appropriation bills through September 30, 2015, the balance of fiscal 2015. Funding for the Homeland Security bill is provided under a Continuing Resolution through February 27. The House approved the Act on Thursday, December 11,
Every new Congress brings changes in committee membership and sometimes in committee leadership. The 114th Congress will follow this pattern, and will bring very significant changes as a result of the new Republican majority in the Senate. Republicans will have more seats on every Senate Committee, and Democrats fewer. Newly elected Senate and House members
Anticipating Committee Changes in the 114th Congress Read More »
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees with oversight of FDA have been very busy. Both voted out draft bills for FY 2015 that include appropriations for FDA and released draft reports. Roger Szemraj and the rest of our government relations practice have scoured the draft bills and reports looking for insight into what FDA drug-related activities
The Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee also voted today by voice vote to approve its draft FY 2015 bill and report it to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The full Committee is scheduled to consider this bill on Thursday, May 22. Neither the bill text nor the
The House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee today voted by voice vote to approve its draft FY 2015 bill and report it to the full House Appropriations Committee. The full Committee is expected to consider this bill on Thursday, May 29, with the goal of having the bill
Even though the President has yet to submit his FY 2015 Budget Proposal, including his detailed requests for all agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have announced important dates for the submission of public statements to the Committees. These statements will become
Important Dates for FY 2015 House and Senate Appropriations Committees Announced Read More »
According to an advance copy of the rule made public earlier today, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service will be making permanent the elimination of weekly maximums on grains and meat/meat alternates, and the allowance of processing frozen fruit with sugar, within the National School Lunch Program. The rule will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, January
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) announced a two-year budget agreement that, in their words, “reduces the deficit—without raising taxes…it cuts spending in a smarter way…prevent(s) another government shutdown and roll(s) back sequestration’s cuts to defense and domestic investments in a balanced way.” While this budget
The Budget Agreement and Some Thoughts About Next Steps Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), announced today that the first meeting of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) will be held on June 13, 2013 from 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. E.D.T. and June 14, 2013 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. E.D.T.
The Development of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Begins Read More »
The House of Representatives and Senate have now given final approval to the FY 2013 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill (the Bill) as part of a combined multi-Department omnibus measure, clearing it for the President’s expected signature. The current Continuing Resolution expires on March 27, 2013. The Bill
Congress Clears Final Agriculture/FDA Spending Measure for FY 2013 Read More »
On February 8, 2013, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a proposed rule entitled “Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” (the proposed rule). The proposed rule can be found here. Public comments are invited
Competitive Foods Rule Read More »
Congress did not complete three significant budget matters in 2012: an alternative to sequestration, full federal fiscal year appropriations legislation, and a budget resolution. Each of these items is interrelated, and expected to be taken up over the course of the next several months. They are likely to have significant implications for the FY 2014
Federal Budget Process Outline and Outlook Read More »
The fiscal cliff is behind us, or over us, depending on your point of view. But with deadlines looming for extension of the debt limit, for avoiding the across-the-board cuts required by sequestration, and the need to extend the Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government operating, it certainly looks like we have weeks of
More Budget Cliffs – Get Ready for Weeks of Bungee Jumping Read More »
By Marshall L. Matz and Roger R. Szemraj, as published in Agri-Pulse There has been a lot of discussion lately about converting various food assistance programs from their current status as entitlement programs into a block grant. This is not a new idea. It was part of the “Personal Responsibility Act” included in Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 1995-1996 Contract
Block Grants: Over Sold – Under Thought Read More »
