Situational Awareness
The House and Senate return from their respective Independence Day recesses with full agendas for the month of July The House and Senate are in Washington and conducting business this week. The House will consider several bills on the expedited suspension calendar and is expected to take up the first omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2023. The Senate will consider several nominations.
First Omnibus Appropriations Bill This Week
The House will take up its first package of appropriations bills this week. The bill is expected to contain funding for the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs. While House action is assured and there is little expectation the Senate will take up the measure. Republicans have objected to an increased level of domestic spending and would like to see defense spending increased. The remaining appropriations bills funding agencies such as Labor, Health and Human Services and Defense will likely not see action and leadership has already begun discussions about a continuing resolution to fund the federal government past the November elections.
Arbitration Legislation Clears Judiciary Committee
Last week, the Department of Labor announced that U.S. employers added 372,000 jobs in June, which was much The House Committee on the Judiciary voted to advance the “Speak Out Act,” (H.R. 8227) by a bipartisan vote of 22-13. The Speak Out Act would limit the enforceability of non-disclosure agreements and non-disparagement agreement contract clauses relating to sexual harassment and sexual assault.
EEOC Updates COVID Screening Guidance
While the House has passed its version of President Biden’s Build Back Better economic package, the Senate has been bogged down in negotiations for the better part of a year to reach a compromise all 50 Democratic senators can support. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) have been the linchpins needed to advance any On July 12, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its COVID-19 frequently asked questions page with an emphasis on viral testing related to workplace safety. NCA sent a member alert last week to highlight the updated guidance, which indicated employee testing must be consistent with the circumstances surrounding the pandemic and workplace conditions. The update does not offer many specifics for employers, but labor attorneys advise employers to review their current testing protocols regarding mandatory testing for entry to the workplace to ensure they are consistent with the agency’s guidance.
NCA On The Hill
This week, I will meet with Rep. Anthony Cardenas (D-Calif.) as part of our Club Director series of interviews with members of the House and Senate. Look for the feature profiling the Congressman in the fall edition of the magazine. I will also be in Detroit this weekend for an event with Rep. Dan Kildee (D- Mich.) who NCA members will recognize from past editions of Club Director and NCA’s webinar series during the pandemic. I will also have the opportunity to spend some time with Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) over the weekend.
Register for Thursday’s Inflation Webcast
With June’s inflation numbers reported at a staggering 9.1%, there continue to be questions about the uptick in prices and the overall economy. This Thursday at 2 p.m. ET, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Curtis Dubay and I will lead a discussion addressing these issues to help clubs plan for the future. Register here.
This webcast is free for NCA members and $99 for non-members.
Access NCA’s full webcast calendar here.