Staff joined ceremonies for new and existing members of Congress while debate on the partial government shutdown continued in Washington.
1/3/2019 14:00
ACA International’s advocacy staff represented members and the industry on Capitol Hill Thursday for the swearing in of Republican and Democrat members of the 116th Congress.
Leah Dempsey, vice president and senior counsel of federal advocacy, and Rae Ann Bevington, vice president of congressional and political affairs, attended ceremonies in Washington, D.C. where Democrats took the majority in the House of Representatives.
Partial Government Shutdown Continues; Nancy Pelosi Named Speaker of the House
With the 116th Congress in session, Nancy Pelosi secured the post as Speaker of the House with a majority 220 of the 430 votes cast Thursday. U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., received 192 votes.
The House of Representatives also voted on a package of spending bills Thursday with the goal to end the shutdown; however the Senate is not expected to approve the funding, according to media reports. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would not advance a spending bill to the Senate for a floor vote because President Donald Trump will not sign it, according to The Hill. The House proposed and approved a bill without funding for a wall on the Mexican border—a debate between Congress and the president that prompted the partial government shutdown in December.
“We're hopeful that somehow in the coming days and weeks we’ll be able to reach an agreement,” McConnell said, according to The Hill, indicating the shutdown could continue for quite some time.
Meanwhile, regulatory agencies with oversight of the accounts receivable management industry, including the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission, halted operations as a result of the lapse in funding from the shutdown.
The FTC closed Dec. 28 due to the lapse in government funding, while the FCC has a detailed plan in place to suspend operations mid-day Thursday, Jan. 3 if the partial shutdown continues.
The FCC also released details on the impact of the partial lapse in government funding.
Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioners Michael O’Rielly, Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel will work through the shutdown, in addition to some employees designated to “protect life and property” and assist with disaster operations. In addition, the Office of the Inspector General will continue operations until further notice. The FCC will provide an update on its website when all operations are restored.
The FTC reports all commission events are postponed until further notice, while some online services remain available.
The partial government shutdown primarily impacted agencies with federal employees that rely on federal funding, such as the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau remains in operation due to its funding appropriations through the Federal Reserve.
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