Daily Policy Note for December 5, 2014
RPC News
November 2014 Jobs Report: The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 5.8 percent for November, unchanged from October. It reported an increase of 321,000 nonfarm jobs over last month. Of this figure, 314,000 were jobs created in the private sector. Employment for September was revised upward from 256,000 to 271,000 jobs created, and October was revised up from 214,000 to 243,000.
GOP Committee News
Energy: Sen. Murkowski Presses FERC Nominee to Protect Reliability: U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today addressed the need for balance within the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Colette D. Honorable to be a member of the independent agency.
Environment: Vitter Urges Dept. of Commerce to Discard Controversial Red Snapper Proposal: U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, today sent a letter to Penny Pritzker, Secretary of the Department of Commerce. In the letter, Vitter urges Secretary Pritzker to deny a request by the Gulf of Mexico Regional Fishing Management Council (Gulf Council) to divide the recreational red snapper sector.
Today’s Headlines
Politico: It’s official: President Obama to name Ash Carter as defense chief: President Barack Obama will formally tap Ash Carter to become his fourth secretary of defense Friday morning, an announcement that follows the president’s surprise decision last week to push out Chuck Hagel.
The Hill: Reid to senators: Brace for long week: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) warned senators that next week could be a long one. “Next week could be a long, long week spilling into the next week,” Reid said on the Senate floor Thursday night. “We have imperative things we have to do.”
Second Opinion
Associated Press: Average Affordable Care premiums going up in 2015: Many people covered under President Barack Obama's health care law will face higher premiums next year, the administration acknowledged Thursday. While the average increases are modest, it's more fodder for the nation's political battles over health care.
New York Post: Correction officers’ union claims ObamaCare will bankrupt them: The union representing the city’s correction officers has quietly filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, claiming ObamaCare will bankrupt its health-care fund, The Post has learned.
Economic News
Wall Street Journal: U.S. Payrolls in November Grew 321,000; Jobless Rate 5.8%: U.S. employers ramped up hiring last month, continuing a stretch of robust payroll gains and keeping the economy on track to record its strongest year of job creation in 15 years.
Red Tape Review
Wall Street Journal Editorial: Obama’s New Web Tax: It’s now almost unanimous: President Obama ’s new plan to regulate the Internet would cost consumers billions. On Monday a leading Democratic think tank warned about the looming tax hike on America’s Internet users.
Tweets
@marcorubio: #GoOrion First step in a long journey for #NASA and #NASA_Orion
@SenTedCruz: Go #Orion. A huge step toward taking humans farther than they've ever gone before!
Floor Schedule for Friday December 5, 2014
Today, the Senate is not in session.
Key House Action
Today, the House is not in session.
House Passes Bipartisan, Bicameral Defense Authorization Agreement: House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement today praising House passage of the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act
