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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 18

Another Shutdown Showdown Lawmakers return to Washington this week ahead of another potential government shutdown on Friday for roughly three-quarters of the federal government. The deadline is the second out of the two-tiered government funding stopgap Congress passed in recent weeks, splitting funding deadlines into two dates for different portions of the federal government. Congress […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 11

Government Still Open The House and Senate return to a fully-open Washington, D.C. after lawmakers passed a final appropriations bill fully funding departments set to shut down last Friday – including the Departments of Transportation, Justice, and Commerce – thus ending a drawn-out appropriations process that kicked off this time last year. Members have one […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 4

Shutdown Averted(?) Lawmakers from both Chambers return to Washington this week after passing another extension of short-term “laddered” government funding to March 8th and 22nd, all before reaching a final agreement on FY24 appropriations for those bills falling under the new March 8th deadline. Over the weekend, Members released the text of a partial appropriations […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 26

Shutdown Showdown House and Senate lawmakers return to Washington this week, cutting short their President’s Day recess in an attempt to pass a full appropriations bill ahead of a partial government shutdown this Friday (and a full shutdown next Friday).  The leadership of both parties will meet with President Joe Biden this week at the […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 12

Congress Back in Town The House and Senate return to Washington this week with a packed legislative agenda before leaving town for their Presidents Day week-long recess. The majority of House bills set for the week will be taken up on expedited procedures and deal with international issues, including human rights abuses in China, Indo-Pacific […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 5

Congress Debates the Border Lawmakers from both Chambers return to Washington this week after Senate negotiators released the text of a long-awaited national security proposal over the weekend providing $118.3 billion in both aid to Ukraine and changes in immigration policy. The proposal would provide $60 million for Ukraine as well as make several changes […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 29

Congress Back in Town Both Chambers of Congress are back in town after the House’s recess last week. Lawmakers continue to negotiate a bipartisan tax proposal and an ongoing Senate-led immigration reform package – both of which the White House has announced its support for. However, the timing for when either item will get to […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 22

Shutdown Delayed Lawmakers voted last week to pass another stopgap funding measure to keep the government open on a “laddered” structure through March 1st and 8th (up from January 19th and February 2nd). The move will give Members more time to negotiate a full funding deal for the prior fiscal year. Meanwhile, the House is […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 15

Congress Full Steam Ahead Congress kicked off its second work week of 2024 with two bipartisan, bicameral proposals: a tax package and a stopgap funding deal to avert a government shutdown at the end of the week. The stopgap proposal was released Monday by the Senate Appropriations Committee and has the backing of Senate Majority […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 8

The House: The House returns this week to continue discussions on the looming January 19th deadline to avoid a government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)  have negotiated an agreement on the top-line spending levels for the current fiscal, reducing the likelihood of a partial government shutdown on […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of December 11

The House: The House returns for its final scheduled working week of the year with several authorization bills teed up before Members leave town. Chief among the slated bills include a short-term FAA reauthorization through March 8th to give more time for negotiations amid the Senate’s stalled version. Others include the national defense authorization bill […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of December 4

Congress Back in Town: Congress returns to Washington this week down a Member after House lawmakers voted to expel now-former Rep. George Santos (R-NY).  This week, the Chamber is set to take up 11 bills under expedited procedures, including those dealing with veterans benefits, federal energy research, and commuter rail benefits. House lawmakers will also […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of November 27

Congress Closing Out 2023 With three working weeks left in the year, Congress returns to Washington this week from its Thanksgiving recess after extending government funding through two “staggered” dates – January 19th and February 2nd by which time Members will need to reach another funding agreement to avoid a shutdown. However, lawmakers are also […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of November 13

The House Congress returns to Washington in what is the last full week before the November 17th government funding deadline by which Members must pass a spending package to avoid a shutdown. House lawmakers will meet this week to vote on Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) “laddered” stopgap bill proposal that would fund one group of […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of November 6

The House House lawmakers return to D.C. in what will be Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) second full week on the job. This week, Members will take up the FY24 Transportation-Housing & Urban Development (THUD) and Financial Services bills, in addition to legislation under expedited procedures which include the following: Several bills authorizing land transfers and […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 30, 2023

The House Congress is back open for business again after House lawmakers elected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as the next Speaker of the House following three unsuccessful nominations of prior candidates. With a Speaker now in office, the House can now conduct normal floor business including advancing appropriations bills. Upon his election, Speaker Johnson set […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 23, 2023

The House:  House Republicans return to D.C. this week to pick their third nominee for Speaker of the House after Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) failed to win the necessary votes on the floor over three ballots. Announced Speaker candidates include the following: House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) Mike Johnson (R-LA) Jack Bergman (R-MI) Austin […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 16, 2023

Congress Trudges On: Congress is effectively paralyzed with the House of Representatives still lacking a Speaker. Last week, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) won his party’s nomination to be Speaker before withdrawing his name from consideration amid his narrow victory over House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan (R-OH). House Republicans then nominated Rep. Jordan to […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 9, 2023

Congress in Standstill: Just as Congress narrowly averted a shutdown late last month, the House of Representatives is effectively closed for business after Members voted to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as Speaker of the House. Running to replace McCarthy are House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) who […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 2, 2023

Shutdown Averted … For Now: In a surprise turn of events, Congress avoided a government shutdown over the weekend by crafting and passing a stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government open through November 17th and give lawmakers more time to negotiate a full appropriations package. House Republicans and Democrats joined together to pass […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 25, 2023

Shutdown Showdown: This is Congress’ last full week to pass an appropriations package by midnight Saturday to avert a government shutdown. While House lawmakers are setting up votes on four individual FY24 appropriations bills – Defense, Homeland Security, State-Foreign Operations, and Agriculture-FDA – thin voting margins in the Chamber may complicate that process. The Senate’s […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 18, 2023

The House: House lawmakers return to Washington this week with a stopgap funding proposal from Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and his leadership team to keep the government open past the September 30th deadline to allow more time to negotiate a full funding package. The stopgap would last through October 31st and would make an across-the-board […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 11, 2023

Congress Back in Session Washington, D.C. is back in full swing with the House returning from its month-long August recess. Both Chambers return to a packed agenda, including floor votes for various appropriations bills ahead of the September 30th deadline to avoid a government shutdown. The House will also vote on legislation dealing with sanctions […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 4, 2023

Congress Returns from Recess The Senate returns to DC this week from its month-long August recess, with the House to follow next week. Members have a lengthy agenda to attend to in the coming weeks, including passing a government funding package by September 30th to avoid a shutdown. Senate appropriators have marked up all 12 […]

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Becker Spotlight: Overview of the Current Status of Cryptocurrencies

Written by: Jose Molinelli, Legislative Intern Cryptocurrencies and digital assets have been a cause of growing fascination and concern since the emergence of large scale cryptocurrency markets in 2010. The lucrative yet volatile nature of cryptocurrencies have made trading them both an attractive and risky business; however, its growing adoption in commerce and government has led to […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 24, 2023

Congress’ Final Stretch Before Recess This week marks the final work week for Congress before breaking for its month-long August recess. In that time, Members plan to tee up several FY24 spending bills, in addition to key aviation and defense authorization bills, that they will need to clear before the September 30th government shutdown deadline. […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 17, 2023

Congress Chugs Along Lawmakers return to Washington for the penultimate work week ahead of Congress’ month-long August recess. The Senate will take up its version of the FY 2024 defense authorization bill following the House’s lead last week, although the differences between the two bills will ultimately need to be reconciled before final passage. In […]

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Becker Spotlight: The Status of AI and What Lies Ahead

Written by: Jose Molinelli, Legislative Intern Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a topic of growing interest in both government and business. Its myriad of benefits and risks pose a dilemma in striking a balance between incentivizing its development and mitigating its potential impacts on civil rights, national security, and democracy. This article summarizes the history […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 10, 2023

Crunch Time for Congress Both Chambers of Congress return to DC this week following a two-week recess, and have only three short weeks left to do business before the month-long August recess which signals the homestretch of this year’s session. The House The House is starting the week with a bang, as it will take […]

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Becker Spotlight: Latest Proposals for Immigration Reform in Congress

Written by: Jose Molinelli, Legislative Intern Amid the ongoing push for immigration reform from both parties in Congress, two proposals have recently emerged in the House of Representatives and the Senate: The bipartisan “Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2023” (DIGNIDAD), which was introduced by […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of June 19, 2023

The House The House returns to DC this week after Speaker McCarthy reached a tentative agreement to reopen floor votes after a handful of lawmakers initially blocked the process due to objections over the debt limit deal passed earlier in the month. Lawmakers will take up several bills under expedited procedures, including those concerning VA […]

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Becker Named Top-Performing Lobbying Firm by Bloomberg Government for Fourth Year

In 2022, lobbying spending in Washington reached a new high of $4 billion and Becker is proud to announce that once again the firm has been named to Bloomberg Government’s list of Top-Performing Lobbying Firms. Out of the registered lobbying firms that filed Lobbying Disclosure Act reports with the Senate during 2022, Bloomberg Government reviewed […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of June 12, 2023

Congress Back to Business The House returns to Washington this week after Speaker Kevin McCarthy sent Members home earlier-than-expected last week. The Chamber is expected to take up a number of bills under expedited procedures, including those calling for the release of American prisoners in Russia, providing block grants for crop losses, and creating a […]

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Becker’s Federal Lobbying Team Secures Millions in Federal Funding to Upgrade Safety at Rail Crossings in Broward County

Becker’s Federal Lobbying team secured more than $15 million in federal funding to upgrade safety at rail crossings on the busy Florida East Coast Railway line throughout Broward County. The grant, from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), was awarded to Broward’s Metropolitan Planning Organization in early June. It is part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of June 5, 2023

Congress Clears the Debt Limit Both Chambers of Congress return to Washington this week after swiftly passing the debt limit agreement negotiated by President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy. With the debt ceiling behind them, Members are returning to regular business. House lawmakers are set to take up a number of market-related bills this […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 29, 2023

Debt Limit Crunch Time All eyes are on Washington this week as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy sell their bipartisan debt limit agreement to Members of Congress for passage before the expected June 5th default date. The text of the nearly 100-page deal was released over the weekend, the key details of which […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 22, 2023

The House The House is the only game in town this week with the Senate out on recess. The Chamber will take up several bills this week, including the following: A package of veterans-related bills that would expand healthcare and cost of living benefit eligibilities, as well as modify a veterans education and employment program […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 15, 2023

Congress Both Chambers of Congress return to DC this week to take up usual business. First, the House is set to take up a number of bills under expedited procedures, including a bill adding requirements for court orders preventing electronic communications service providers from informing customers if the government searches its electronic database. The House […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 8, 2023

Congress Both Chambers of Congress are back in session this week with the House set to take up several bills, including the following: A bill restricting asylum eligibility, resuming border wall construction, and requiring employers to verify their employees legal status A bill allowing states to reclaim 25% of recovered fraudulent unemployment or pandemic-aid payments […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 1, 2023

Congress The Senate is the only game in town this week with the House out on recess until next week. Senators will begin this week by holding a confirmation vote on Anthony Johnstone to become a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, with additional votes lined up later in the week on three […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of April 24, 2023

Congress Back in Session Both Chambers return to DC this week to take up usual business. The House will consider several bills this week under expedited procedures, including those concerning the FCC’s oversight of satellites and authorization of spectrum usage to provide expanded emergency alerts. House Members will also take up Speaker McCarthy’s new Debt […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of April 17, 2023

The House House Members return to D.C. this week following a two-week recess for Easter and Passover. Lawmakers are hitting the ground running ahead of the next recess in June with a slate of floor votes on various measures. Three bills that will be taken up on expedited procedures include those condemning Russia for taking […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 27, 2023

The House The House returns to Washington this week before embarking on a two-week recess for Easter. This week, Members will take up legislation streamlining and increasing environmental permitting for domestic energy production, infrastructure projects, and other activities while reducing reliance on foreign minerals. Members are also set to take up several bills under expedited […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 20, 2023

The Senate The Senate returns this week to take up a repeal of the authorizations for use of military force against Iraq in addition to nominations which were teed up last week, although continuing health-related absences from Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) could complicate that process. The Chamber will […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 13, 2023

Congress The Senate is back in session this week while House Members are on recess. Senators are expected to take up a number of Administration nominees and a bill repealing a House-passed bill repealing a Biden Administration rule governing water and wetland protections. However, three Senators’ health-related absences may complicate the process.  Key nominations this […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 6, 2023

The House The House returns to DC this week to take up a number of bills, chief among them being a bill that would repeal the Biden Administration’s rule expending environmental protections for several bodies of water. Other bills include those concerning servicemember tuition reimbursements and VA operations such as offsite emergency healthcare coverage, medical […]

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The Becker Insider | February 2023

The Becker Insider provides recent news and unique perspectives into the Florida policy issues that matter most to you. At Becker, we believe that our strengths truly lie in our differences. Our local, state, and federal lobbying teams have deep and longstanding relationships across the political spectrum, allowing us to better champion the interests of […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 27, 2023

Congress Back in Session The House and Senate return to Washington this week following their respective recesses. House lawmakers are hitting the ground running by taking up a number of bills, including those that would extend the FCC’s spectrum auction power through mid-May and require the Commerce Department to provide congressional reports on mobile network […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 6, 2023

The House The House returns this week to take up a number of bills on the floor, including: A bill requiring the Energy Department to provide financial assistance to certain post-grad students enrolled in cybersecurity and energy infrastructure classes. A bill placing hundreds of acres of federal lands in trusts for the Pala Band of […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 30, 2023

The 118th Congress Continues Both Chambers of Congress return to Washington this week, with only the House scheduled to hold votes. The House will take up a number of bills, including those that would reverse a number of COVID-19-era policies such as the healthcare worker vaccine mandate, pandemic-era work-from-home for federal agencies, and the public […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 23, 2023

The House The House returns this week to take up a number of bills, beginning with a measure to require the Energy Department to craft a plan to increase oil and gas production leases on federal lands before it can continue to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The Chamber will then proceed to several measures […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 9, 2023

The 118th Congress Begins Washington officially has two working branches of Congress after a four-day, 15-ballot marathon where House Republicans elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as the next Speaker of the House. Republicans won a majority in the 2022 midterms, but their narrower-than-expected victory allowed some House Republican holdouts to initially deny McCarthy the gavel […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of December 19, 2022

117th Congress: The Final Countdown Congress returns for its final working week of the year to pass a year-long, roughly $1.7 trillion government funding bill before December 23rd to avert a government shutdown. Lawmakers had passed a short-term extension of last week’s funding deadline to provide more time for negotiations. House and Senate leaders have since agreed […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of December 12, 2022

The House The House is set to take up a number of bills under suspension of the rules, including those that would update federal procurement regulations to better flag conflicts of interests, provide more collective bargaining rights to certain Veterans Health Administration professionals, and establish a nationwide law enforcement de-escalation training program at the DOJ. […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of December 5, 2022

The House The House returns this week to begin the final month of the 117th Congress and plan for the 118th. House Republicans will begin the formal process this week to select next Congress’ committee chairs who will set the tone for the party’s legislative priorities. Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) also announced that he […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of November 28, 2022

117th Congress’ Final Weeks The House and Senate return to DC this week after the Thanksgiving Recess for its final stretch of the 2022 working period. Lawmakers still need to clear must-pass pieces of legislation during that time such as a government funding bill and a national defense authorization, but the impending transfer of power […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of November 21, 2022

Meet the 118th Congress The following provides an overview of the 118th Congress beginning January 2023, including expected leadership structures of House and Senate committees. House Republicans will take control of the Chamber and committees next year, making Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) the next likely Speaker of the House with Rep. Steven Scalise (R-LA) as […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of November 14, 2022

Congress’ Lame Duck Session Begins Lawmakers return to Washington this week for the first time in over a month following the midterm elections where Democrats held their Senate majority. While votes are still being counted and a Georgia Senate runoff is set for December 6th, Congress still has a slammed agenda to grapple with this […]

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Becker Spotlight: Congress’ Post-Midterm To-Do List

Lawmakers return from their midterm election recess on November 14th, at which time they’ll need to pass an omnibus government funding package and the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). They will also likely take up votes on extensions of tax benefits, same-sex marriage, and amendments to the Electoral Count Act. Congress already passed a […]

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IRS Announces Tax Relief for Victims of Hurricane Ian in Florida

September 29, 2022 – Washington, D.C. — Victims of Hurricane Ian that began September 23 in Florida now have until February 15, 2023, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced today. Following the recent disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the IRS […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 26, 2022

The Senate Senators return to DC tomorrow to take the lead on passing a stopgap funding bill to avoid a government shutdown this Friday. Lawmakers will hold a procedural vote Tuesday to launch the vehicle containing the continuing resolution (CR) which will last through mid-December and is expected to include $12 billion in aid for […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 19, 2022

The House The House is in this week and has yet to release text for a stopgap funding measure to keep the government running past September 30. However, it will take up 26 bills under expedited procedures, including the following: A bill reauthorizing the Peace Corps. A bill creating a Global Telecommunications Strategy commission within […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 12, 2022

The House All of D.C. is back in action this week with the House returning to session following its August and Labor Day recesses. House members have been scrambling to put together text for a stopgap spending measure to keep the government running through September 30 to avoid a shutdown. One issue that could derail […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 5, 2022

The Administration President Biden enters the month of September after signing key pieces of legislation last month, including the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as bills addressing funding for semiconductor chips and veterans’ toxic burn pits. This week, President Biden is holding a cabinet meeting at the White House with Vice President Harris attending. He […]

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Becker Organizes Washington, D.C. Advocacy Days for Hispanic National Bar Association

Becker’s Federal Lobbying team recently organized one of the first large-scale White House meetings (post-COVID restrictions) for client, the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA). The HNBA, which is the leading national voice of the Hispanic Legal Community, held its annual Washington, D.C. Advocacy Days in late May. The Becker team, including Bert Gómez, Alfonso Lopez, […]

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Becker Named Top-Performing Lobbying Firm by Bloomberg Government for Third Year

Becker is proud to announce that once again the firm has been named to Bloomberg Government’s list of Top-Performing Lobbying Firms. In 2021, the industry’s revenue hit an all-time high of $1.92 billion. Out of the registered lobbying firms that filed Lobbying Disclosure Act reports with the Senate during 2021, Bloomberg Government reviewed the firms […]

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Becker Lobbyists Welcome Newest Client, HP Inc.; National Reach of Firm Grows

Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast, announced its representation of HP Inc. to provide lobbying services on the federal level in Washington, DC, and on the state level in Sacramento, California. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, HP has a technology product and service portfolio of […]

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Becker Helps Secure $69 Million For the Virginia Port Authority

Congratulations to the Virginia Port Authority (VPA), a Becker federal client and one of the fastest growing ports in the United States, on securing a New Start and $69.3 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. Our Becker federal team was proud to have assisted in this important effort to deepen and widen the Norfolk Harbor […]

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Becker Spotlight: Legislative Outlook

Congress has only five legislative days until its Thanksgiving recess and just ten days until December 3 when the government funding stopgap expires. While Congress is set to conclude its 2021 business on December 10, Members may stay in town past that point to take up last-minute legislation. Legislative Outlook: Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act […]

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Becker Welcomes Norfolk Airport Authority as Newest Federal Lobbying Client

Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast, announces that they will be providing comprehensive federal government relations and legislative liaison services on behalf of their newest client, Norfolk Airport Authority (NAA). The NAA is political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia and an independent […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 18, 2021

The Administration Although Congress temporarily extended the debt limit through December 3, 2021, some experts believe the actual deadline will be much later. Flexible spending and collection from coronavirus relief, tax revenues, and a potential boost to the Highway Trust Fund through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan (should it pass) will impact when Congress passes the […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 11, 2021

The Administration President Biden faces compounding challenges with the embattled infrastructure deal, the ongoing pandemic, and record-low approval numbers – all of which threaten Democrats’ already slim majorities in Congress. The United States and the Taliban had their first formal meeting last weekend following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The two sides met in Doha, […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 4, 2021

Last Thursday – the end of the previous fiscal year – Congress staved off an impending government shutdown by passing a temporary stopgap measure to keep the government funded at current levels through December 3rd. In the interim, lawmakers will continue to negotiate various appropriations bills containing the President’s budget requests that failed to pass […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 27, 2021

Democrats face their biggest challenge in operating a united government this week by attempting to pass legislation advancing President Biden’s domestic agenda, avoiding a government shutdown, and keeping the United States from defaulting on its debts for the first time in history. This week, the House will consider the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package which passed the […]

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Becker Welcomes National Association of Waterfront Employers as Newest Federal Lobbying Client

Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast, announces that they will be providing comprehensive federal government relations and legislative liaison services on behalf of their newest client, National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE). NAWE is a Washington-based trade association whose member companies are privately […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 20, 2021

The House As recess concludes, House lawmakers return to D.C. to consider measures to fund the government before it shuts down in 10 days. They are likely to pass a temporary stopgap spending measure until a permanent appropriations bill is passed sometime in December. Though language has not been released, House Democrats are also expected […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 13, 2021

The House This week, House Committees will markup their portions of congressional Democrats’ $3.5 trillion reconciliation package, which Members hope to pass by the end of September. Those Committees are: Agriculture, Energy & Commerce, Financial Services, Judiciary, Veterans’ Affairs, Homeland Security, Transportation & Infrastructure, and Ways & Means. Because Democrats can only afford to lose […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 6, 2021

The House & The Senate There are a small number of hearings and markups this week, despite the ongoing congressional recess. The House Financial Services Committee will consider emergency rental assistance during the pandemic, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee will discuss the future of biomedicine. The Senate’s Special Committee on Aging […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of August 30, 2021

The Administration The nation is reeling from the tragic deaths of 13 U.S. servicemembers and dozens of Afghans during an ISIS-K attack on Kabul’s Airport. In the wake of the bombing, President Biden authorized a counteroffensive that eliminated two ISIS-K members. He has also committed that his Administration would evacuate as many willing U.S. citizens, […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of August 23, 2021

The House The House returns from its August recess this week to debate the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill, the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure package, and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The Democrat-only budget resolution sets a September 15th deadline for Senate and House committees to allocate $3.5 trillion among their areas of jurisdiction […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of August 9, 2021

The Senate The Senate moves closer to passing the $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure package this week. After a weekend of debate, 18 Senate Republicans joined all 50 Democratic Senators to limit further debate on the bill, indicating bipartisan support for the bill’s passage. During discussions, the Senate debated proposed amendments, one of the most notable […]

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Becker’s Federal Lobbying Team Welcomes Newest VA Client, the City of Virginia Beach

Joins Virginia Port Authority, Virginia Union University and Transurban Ft. Lauderdale, FL, August 2, 2021 — Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast, announces that they will be providing comprehensive federal government relations and legislative liaison services on behalf of their newest client, the […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of August 2, 2021

The Senate Weeks after President Biden and a group of bipartisan senators announced agreement on a bipartisan infrastructure framework, final bill language will soon be voted upon. For weeks, a bipartisan group of Senators have worked to finalize the legislative text and the plan’s pay-fors. Now, after bill language is polished, the legislation will move […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 26, 2021

The House As Senate leaders continue to negotiate bipartisan infrastructure, President Biden and Congressional Democrats are also constructing a social spending bill which includes items proposed by the President in his American Jobs and Families Plans that are not included in the bipartisan deal. At a proposed price tag of $3.5 trillion, the measure would […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 19, 2021

The House The House is prepared to vote on five appropriations “minibus” packages this week, including Commerce-Justice-Science, Defense, Homeland Security, Legislative Branch, and State and Foreign Operations. The remaining bills are set to be taken up next week, including Agriculture-FDA, Energy and Water, Financial Services, Interior-Environment, Labor-HHS-Education, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD. The House Oversight and […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 12, 2021

The House The House is back in session following the July 4th recess. The House Appropriations Committee will mark up its Subcommittees’ budget proposals after each Subcommittee’s respective markup. Key subcommittee bills are Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water Development; Labor, HHS, and Education; and Transportation-HUD. The Energy and Water Subcommittee’s bill proposes spending […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 5, 2021

The House & Senate Both Chambers of Congress are on recess this week following the July 4th holiday. It has now been six months since the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, and fears of future attacks on both the Capitol and members of Congress remain. In response, D.C. Capitol Police is enhancing security for members […]

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Becker Signs The Diversity in Government Relations Coalition Industry Pledge

Becker is proud to announce that the firm has signed The Diversity in Government Relations Coalition Industry Pledge. The DGR Coalition aspires to foster and strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion among entities that influence local, state, and federal policy through data collection, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement. This pledge is part of its greater non-partisan […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of June 28, 2021

The Administration We have a deal! Last week, President Biden and a bipartisan group of Senators announced that an infrastructure package had finally been agreed upon. The plan outlines $579B in new spending, with a total price tag of $1.2T over eight years, for traditional infrastructure investment. Specifically, $312B is allocated for transportation infrastructure, including […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of June 21, 2021

The House This week, the House will consider three Congressional Review Act resolutions to overturn Trump-era regulations. The resolutions have already passed the Senate and are supported by the White House: S.J. Res 13 will nullify an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rule which provides employers with information to resolve discrimination claims outside court; S.J. Res. […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of June 14, 2021

The House This week, the House will consider H.R. 256, which would repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force that sanctioned U.S. military operations in Iraq. The Biden Administration supports the effort. House Committees will also hold numerous hearings: House Financial Services Committee will conduct a hearing on digital currencies; House Education […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of June 7, 2021

The House The House is back from its Memorial Day recess. The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee will consider its INVEST in America Act this Wednesday. Committee Chairman Pete DeFazio (D-OR) has touted that the Bill largely aligns with President Biden’s original infrastructure proposal. The T&I Committee is one of five Congressional committees which […]

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Becker Spotlight: President Biden’s FY2022 Budget Request

President Biden released his $6 trillion budget proposal on May 28th, which calls for massive funding increases to address infrastructure modernization and climate change resiliency. It projects a $1.8 trillion deficit in the first year and at least a trillion-dollar deficit annually for the next decade. As a result of those deficits, the Administration projects […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 31, 2021

The House A House special election for New Mexico’s 1st District will be held this week. Former Rep. Deb Haaland vacated her seat to become President Biden’s Interior secretary. The seat will likely remain Democratic, adding one more vote to the Democrats’ slim majority in the House. The House began its Memorial Day Recess and […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 24, 2021

The House Last week, the House passed a bill to create an independent, bipartisan commission charged with investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol. 35 House Republicans voted to pass the bill, ignoring opposition from House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Despite President Joe Biden’s call on […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 17, 2021

The House Last week, the House Republican Conference removed Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) from her leadership post. Rep. Cheney was replaced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY). This week, the House is expected to establish a commission on the January 6 attack on the Capitol and to vote on a supplemental spending bill for U.S. Capitol […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of May 10, 2021

The House Republican members are poised to remove Liz Cheney (R-WY) from her conference leadership position and replace her with Elise Stefanik (R-NY). Some see this as retribution against Cheney for her outspoken criticism of former President Trump’s role in the violent January 6 attack of the Capitol and her subsequent vote to impeach the […]

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Becker Named Top-Performing Lobbying Firm by Bloomberg Government for Second Year

Becker is proud to announce that the firm, once again, has been named to Bloomberg Government’s list of Top-Performing Lobbying Firms. Lobbying hit an all-time high in 2020, emphasizing the importance of the influence industry during the economic uncertainty created by the global pandemic. Out of the 2,095 registered lobbying firms that filed Lobbying Disclosure […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of April 19, 2021

The House The House returns this week and will spend Monday evening voting on a series of bills under suspension of the rules. Among the mostly non-controversial legislation expected to receive a vote and pass under suspension is a package of bills related to the Department of Homeland Security, HR 1532 – the Improving Federal […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of April 12, 2021

President Joe Biden is pushing Congress to pass his hefty infrastructure and budget proposals only three weeks after it passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. His $2.2 trillion infrastructure plan aims to achieve physical infrastructure modernization, nationwide electric vehicle adoption, and other climate-related initiatives. His $1.5 trillion budget proposal would boost investments in similar […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 8, 2021

The House The House is back in session for four days of votes this week. At the top of the agenda will be the $1.9 trillion relief bill which the Senate, after some delay, passed over the weekend. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the bill could pass as early as Tuesday afternoon; it is […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 1, 2021

The House The House is back in Washington, D.C. for votes this week. After passing an initial draft of President Biden’s proposed American Rescue Plan early Saturday morning, the House will turn to other Democratic priorities as it waits for the Senate to take up the nearly $2 trillion COVID-19 relief legislation. One major bill […]

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Becker Lobbyists Welcome Newest Client, 3M; National Reach of Firm Grows

Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast, announced that it is proud to represent newest client, 3M, to provide lobbying services bicoastally at the federal level in Washington, D.C. and state level in California, beginning January 1, 2021. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, 3M […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 1, 2021

Both chambers of Congress are speeding towards passing President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package through budgetary reconciliation, which bypasses the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster rule in favor of a simple majority vote. In a 50-50 Senate, the move would require every Democrat – including centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) – to vote for the measure […]

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¡Felicidades! Becker Federal Lobbyists Named HNBA White House Liaisons

Becker is proud to celebrate the appointment of Alfonso Lopez, Omar Franco, and Bert Gómez as Hispanic National Bar Association White House Liaisons. The HNBA plays an integral role in the monitoring and advancement of substantive legal issues that impact Hispanic legal professionals and the U.S. Latino population at the local, state, and federal levels. […]

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Washington, D.C. Update: President Biden’s First Term Plans

While many of President Biden’s plans can be accomplished through executive orders, those requiring congressional approval will be met with slim Democratic majorities. Below are his current goals: Climate & Energy Ban new oil and gas permits on public land and water. Rejoin the Paris Climate Accords. End the Keystone XL Pipeline project. Make the […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of November 30, 2020

The House After cancelling scheduled votes for early in the week, the House will formally be back in session on Wednesday this week with much to accomplish before the end of the year. Federal government funding is currently set to expire in just eleven days. Last week, it was widely reported that House Appropriations Committee […]

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Becker Spotlight: November 17, 2020

The incoming Biden Administration began to take shape today with a formal announcement of President-elect Joe Biden’s top White House advisers. Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA) will be leaving a safely Democratic House seat to serve as a senior adviser to the President and Director of Public Engagement for the new administration. Jen O’Malley Dillion, who […]

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Post-2020 Election: Biden Transition and First Term

After a long week, most major media outlets are now reporting that Joe Biden has secured the votes needed to win the state of Pennsylvania, thus putting him over the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to win the election. Although Joe Biden is now widely accepted as the President-Elect as states continue the process of […]

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Becker’s Spotlight: The State of the House of Representatives Moving Forward

  The State of the House of Representatives Moving Forward Nearly a week after Election Day, Democrats across the country were celebrating as the major television networks declared Joe Biden the next President of the United States. That celebration, however, may be short-lived, as both parties prepare for two Senate elections in Georgia on January […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 26, 2020

The Elections That Will Determine Control of the Senate For the first time since 2014, control of what has been called the world’s greatest deliberative body – the United States Senate – feels truly up for grabs. The Senate of the current 116th Congress is comprised of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats (though two are […]

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Becker Helps Secure the #1 Domestic Port Development Award For the Virginia Port Authority

Becker’s Government Relations team helped secured $20M+ in government funding for the Central Rail Yard (CRY) expansion project at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT). The Port Infrastructure Development Grant will build on the investments already made across its two largest terminals, the NIT and Virginia International Gateway (VIG), to expand on-terminal rail capacity at NIT. The […]

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Becker’s Spotlight: Top 2020 House Races to Watch

  Top 2020 House Races to Watch After two years of unified Republican control of the White House and both chambers of Congress following the 2016 election, Democrats reclaimed a significant majority of the 435 voting seats in the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections. Republicans held an impressive 59-seat majority after the […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 29, 2020

The House The House formally returned to session today for the final legislative week before the November elections. There are a number of important hearings scheduled for this week: The Natural Resources Committee will hold both a markup and legislative hearing this week; The Oversight Committee is holding two days of hearings on prescription drug […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: House Passes Stopgap Measure to Avoid Shutdown

On Tuesday, the House passed a stopgap continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through December 11 on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote. It now awaits consideration in the Senate, where it is expected to pass in the next week before government funding runs out on October 1. Congress will attempt to finalize nearly $1.4 […]

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Updated Coronavirus Relief Fund Guidance for State and Local Governments

On Monday, September 21, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released updated guidance in the form of an FAQ document (click here to view) regarding Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) reporting requirements for state and local governments receiving CRF funds. Certain changes made (see questions 63, 70-72) appear to directly address bipartisan concerns […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 14, 2020

The House The House formally returns to session on Monday with a series of votes on a number of non-controversial bills in the evening. The pressure on House Democrats and Speaker Nancy Pelosi is increasing as negotiations on another coronavirus relief bill have stalled. Democratic Leadership has thus far been steadfast in their calls for […]

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Becker Lobbyists Excited to Begin Working with Newest Client – the Virginia Port Authority

Washington, DC, August 4, 2020 — Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast, announced that it will be providing comprehensive federal government relations and legislative liaison services on behalf of their newest client, the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) in support of their strategic expansion […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of August 3, 2020

Following a weekend of discussions, the four main players in the latest round of coronavirus relief negotiations – Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin – met again this afternoon in the Capitol. Despite meeting for two hours, it […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 20, 2020

The House The House is back in session today following a two-week absence. While the House is currently only scheduled to be in session for the next two weeks, Members are being advised that the start of August recess may be delayed by a week as the House has a number of important measures to […]

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Becker Recognized as Top-Performing Lobbying Firm by Bloomberg Government

Washington, D.C. – April 6, 2020 – Becker is thrilled to announce its recognition on Bloomberg Government’s list of 2019 Top-Performing Lobbying Firms. With lobbying revenue reaching levels not seen in a decade and growth only expected to accelerate, the annual analysis highlights the power players to know in Washington, D.C.’s influence industry. Out of […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 16, 2020

The House The House is in recess this week. Before adjourning for recess late Friday night, the House took legislative action to combat the spread and negative impact of the Coronavirus with the passage of HR 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Below are some of the bill’s key provisions: $250 million for HHS […]

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The Becker Insider | March 2020

The Becker Insider provides recent news and unique perspectives into the Florida policy issues that matter most to you. At Becker, we believe that our strengths truly lie in our differences. Our local, state, and federal lobbying teams have deep and longstanding relationships across the political spectrum, allowing us to better champion the interests of […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 9, 2020

The House The House returned to session on Monday. This week, the House is expected to vote on repealing President Trump’s travel ban in a way that limits Republican attempts to use a procedural tactic to significantly alter or delay legislation on the House floor. This could signal the beginning of the end for the […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of March 2, 2020

The House The House returns to session Monday evening. Following confirmed reports of the first U.S. death related to the coronavirus, the House is expected to vote this week on an emergency funding measure to provide $7 billion in funds to combat the disease. In addition to those focusing on the coronavirus, the House is […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 25, 2020

The House The House is officially back in session this evening. However, all recorded votes will be delayed until Wednesday at the earliest as many members are in South Carolina this evening for the Democratic debate. Once the majority of House members are back in Washington, there are a number of critical committee hearings this […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 10, 2020

The House The House is back in session this evening. Following the release of House Democrats’ infrastructure plan last week, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) is expressing cautious optimism of reaching a principle agreement on the proposal with the Trump Administration following a conversation with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin last week. Chairman […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 4, 2020

The House The House returned to session Tuesday evening. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) is expected to hold a news conference rolling out a legislative agenda aimed at supporting military families. Democratic Leaders in both the House and Senate will hold a news conference with healthcare patients ahead of the State of the Union address to […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 28, 2020

The House The House returned to session Monday evening. House Democrats are expected to release their infrastructure plans, which will likely include stated priorities of the Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce Committees, this week. There are also a number of important hearings in the House this week, including: Ways and […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 13, 2020

The House The House returns on Monday evening this week and is expected to take up legislation appointing House managers and transmitting articles of impeachment to the Senate. The vote is expected on either Tuesday or Wednesday this week. The House is also expected to hold a number of important hearings this week, including: The […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 6, 2020

The House The House formally returns to session on Tuesday evening this week. With tensions in the Middle East rising following the Trump Administration’s decision to authorize drone strikes in Iraq that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, the House is expected to introduce and take up a measure limiting the President’s power to authorize potential […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of December 16, 2019

The House The House formally returns on Tuesday with a full plate ahead of what is expected to be the final legislative work week of 2019. On the impeachment front, the House Rules Committee is expected to meet on Tuesday to set the guidelines for floor debate on Articles of Impeachment. A final floor vote […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of November 18, 2019

The House The House returns Monday evening when they are expected to consider a number of bills under suspension of the rules including a reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act and legislation which would require publicly traded companies to disclose the race, ethnicity, and gender of board members and executives. Additionally, this is a […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 21, 2019

The House The House returns to session Monday evening with a full agenda for a shortened week. Votes on Thursday have been cancelled following the passing of Congressman Elijah Cummings. Cummings will lie in state in the Capitol on Thursday. Following a ceremony for family and Members of Congress, the public will be permitted to […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of October 14, 2019

The House The House returns from a two-week break today with a number of bills under consideration for this week. Amid the ongoing trade dispute with China and the recent controversy that has directed public scrutiny towards the National Basketball Association’s relationship with the Chinese government, the House will take up a package of China-related […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 23, 2019

The House The House is back in session on Tuesday this week. While the House accomplished a great deal of its most pressing work last week in passing a Continuing Resolution aimed at avoiding another government shutdown at the end of the month and giving Congress breathing room as it works to pass spending bills […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 16, 2019

The House The House is back in session this week beginning on Tuesday as Congress continues work to avoid another government shutdown. The House is expected to begin work on a stopgap funding bill that would extend current government funding past the October 1st deadline in order to give lawmakers more time to work through […]

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Becker’s Spotlight: Fall Appropriations Outlook

  Fall Appropriations Outlook With the 2020 Fiscal Year beginning October 1st, Congress has less than three weeks to pass legislation to avoid another government shutdown. While Congressional Leadership from both parties have struck an optimistic chord on avoiding a shutdown, it is almost certain that a Continuing Resolution will be required in order to […]

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Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of September 9, 2019

The House The House returns this week from its six-week summer recess with a busy agenda. Monday evening, the House is expected to vote on a series of energy bills, including some that would block oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and the eastern Gulf of […]

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Becker’s Government Law and Lobbying Team Expands in D.C. and Florida: Alfonso Lopez and LaToya Sheals Join

Washington, D.C. and Florida – September 9, 2019 – Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast, announced today that Alfonso Lopez and LaToya Sheals have joined the firm as lobbyists in the Government Law and Lobbying practice. Mr. Lopez joins as a Senior Corporate […]

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Alfonso Lopez Joins Becker’s Federal Lobbying Team in D.C.

Washington, D.C.  – September 9, 2019 – Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast, announced today that Alfonso Lopez has joined the firm as a Senior Corporate and Government Relations Consultant in the firm’s Federal Lobbying Practice. He brings extensive experience to the firm, […]

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