The House and Senate are in session this week.

COVID-19 relief:

  • President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan is expected to come to the floor for a vote on Friday.  This could be delayed due to some policy aspects as well as parliamentary procedure.
  • The Senate Parliamentarian is expected to give her opinion by Friday, on whether a $15-an-hour minimum wage provision can be included in the bill.
  • Under the budget reconciliation rules that would prevent a GOP filibuster of the legislation, the wage provision must be free from enacting change to present policy. If the parliamentarian rules that the provision cannot be included, this will provide a more difficult path to passage.
  • Republicans have yet to support the legislation, as of this writing.
  • The White House and Democratic Congressional leadership would like to see COVID-19 legislation passed before current benefits, from December’s stimulus bill, expire on March 14.

Congress:

  • Interior Secretary designee, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM), after receiving a tough review from Senate Republicans over her views on fossil fuels, received a boost as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced that he would support her nomination.
  • Office of Management and Budget nominee Neera Tanden’s confirmation vote has been postponed after several moderate senators from both parties indicated their opposition. This has put her confirmation in jeopardy.
  • The Senate will hold confirmation hearings for Energy Secretary nominee Jennifer Granholm and a vote on Education Secretary nominee Miguel Cardona.

Letters:

ASA signed onto a letter urging House and Senate Finance Leadership to support the Main Street Tax Certainty Act that would retain 199A pass-through deductions, among other items.

State legislation tracking:

  • Arizona (HB 2286/SB 1037): Water efficient plumbing fixtures.
  • California (AB 100):  Endpoint water fixtures/lead reduction.
  • Hawaii (HB 116): Energy Efficiency.
  • Maryland (HB 33): Establishing a Climate Crisis Initiative in the Department of the Environment for certain purposes; establishing a greenhouse gas reduction target of 60% from 2006 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2045.
  • Massachusetts (HD 1296): An Act to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Permitting Local Option All-Electric Buildings and Homes Ordinances.
  • Massachusetts (SB 13): An Act creating a next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts climate policy.
  • New York (S 1559): Establishes a Green New Deal.
  • Virginia (HB 1811): Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for energy-efficient and water-efficient goods. Provides that in the course of procuring goods, if a public body receives two or more bids for products that are Energy Star certified, meet Federal Energy
  • Management Program (FEMP) designated efficiency requirements, appear on FEMP's Low Standby Power Product List, or are WaterSense certified, such public body may only select among those bids.
  • Washington (HB 1084): Reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by achieving greater decarbonization of residential and commercial buildings.
  • Washington (HB 1091): Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuel.