Lame Duck Session of Congress–Surety Issues Remain Alive
Shortly after voters decide who is going to be our country’s next president, Congress will return during its lame duck session (after the November General Election Day, but before the next Congress convenes in January 2013) to address some of the country’s major issues left unfinished when it adjourned in late September. Among those issues are whether or not to extend the Bush-era tax cuts, which are set to expire December 31 and how to address the $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts (sequestration) to defense and domestic programs that are scheduled to begin in 2013 unless Congress can approve a budget, which seems highly unlikely given the current environment on Capitol Hill.
Furthermore, Congress needs to approve a Farm Bill, which expired at the end of the September, as well. Besides these major budgetary issues, H.R. 3534, the “Security in Bonding Act,” remains pending before the Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC). As reported in the last edition of Pipeline, H.R. 3534 was scheduled to be marked up in late June in HSGAC; however, it was removed from committee’s calendar, and subsequently has not been rescheduled for another markup. Since late June, NASBP has met with every member and their staff assigned to HSGAC, and NASBP continues to maintain its presence with these offices in an effort to move the bill. It is possible that HSGAC may hold one final markup in November, and H.R. 3534 may be included.
However, should this not occur, NASBP has placed this issue at the top of its list of NASBP legislative priorities for 2013. Some positives to remember are NASBP has built a coalition of 14 organizations that support the bill and has established excellent working relationships with U.S. Congressional offices that know and understand the importance of this issue. Both points will be significant when Congress returns in January for its 113th session and NASBP begins to seek supporters for reintroduction of the “Security in Bonding Act,” if needed.
