Congress has completed its work for the year. Legislative activity will resume when the 108th Congress convenes on January 7, 2003.
The bill to create a new Department of Homeland Security (HR 5005) is now on its way to the President. Earlier this week, the Senate passed HR 5005 with some technical amendments. A unanimous consent request in the House to pass the amended HR 5005 was temporarily delayed when Democrats “expressed reservations” to protest the lack of action on legislation extending the number of weeks displaced workers may receive unemployment insurance. When the reservations failed to convince the House leaders to bring an unemployment extension bill to the floor, Democrats withdrew their reservations. HR 5005 then passed by unanimous consent. This is a huge legislative victory for President Bush. He is eager to sign the bill into law.
The federal government will continue to be funded through a continuing resolution. The Senate approved H. J. Res. 124, a continuing resolution which funds the federal government at 2002 spending levels through January 11, 2003. Having already been passed by the House, H. J. Res. 124 is now on its way to President Bush for enactment.
With respect to terrorism insurance, the Senate followed the House’s lead and passed the Terrorism Risk Protection Act (HR 3210). The bill has been cleared for the President’s signature. It is expected to be signed into law. Please see last week’s column for the description of the bill provided by Rep. Mike Oxley, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
In closing, it is appropriate to look ahead to the next Congress. Typically, each Congress begins with a clean slate. Members of the 108th Congress will not enjoy this situation. First, they will have to clean up the 2003 appropriations mess that has hamstrung the 107th Congress. They are likely to strive for quick action on this, since the President is required to submit his 2004 budget to Congress in February. With Republican control of both chambers of Congress and the Executive Branch, expect downward pressure to be exerted on domestic discretionary spending. Also, expect calls for new rounds of tax cuts as a means of economic stimulus. Another matter that will preoccupy the new Congress is oversight of the new Department of Homeland Security. Passing this bill was one thing; implementing it will be quite another. Recall how difficult the various HUD reorganizations have been. Now imagine consolidating several institutions such as the Immigrationa and Naturalization Service, the Secret Service, the Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration and portions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (agriculture inspection functions), U.S. Customs Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the State Department’s immigration visa issuance functions.
Consider that HR 5005 requires the president to submit a reorganization plan to the appropriate congressional committees 60 days after enactment. Then, consider the same bill expresses a Sense of Congress resolution that each chamber should examine its own committee structures in light of the government reorganization. All things considered, passing the Homeland Security bill may have been the easy part. The point is, simply stated; the unfinished business of the 107th Congress will dominate the early agenda of the 108th Congress.
Following the adjournment of Congress, the Heard in the Corridors Column will go on hiatus. The column will resume early next year when Congressional activity resumes. NAHMA members will continue to receive updates on breaking news through e-mail updates and the NAHMAnalysis.