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Morning Briefing...
Thursday, September 10, 2009
8:15 AM

The Senate yesterday voted 79 to 19 to pass the Travel Promotion Act (S.1023), legislation that would establish a non-profit entity -- called the Corporation for Travel Promotion -- tasked with promoting international tourism in the United States. The corporation would be funded by fees collected from private travel industry firms as well as new fees imposed on the visa waiver program. S. 1023 also requires the corporation to provide useful information to people interested in traveling to the United States, correct misperceptions regarding U.S. entry policy, and to develop and maintain a publicly accessible website.

"At a time when we need jobs, this [bill] is about jobs," said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), the primary sponsor of S. 1023. "At a time when we need to find ways to address budget deficits, this is one piece of legislation that is not going to cost money."

The Senate today considers the nomination of Cass R. Sunstein to be the Office of Management and Budget's Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The vote on confirmation is expected to occur this evening.

The House yesterday cleared the Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act (H.R. 445) without amendment. The bill directs the secretary of energy to establish a program that provides up to seven grants to carry out projects to advance research and development and to demonstrate technologies for advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles, including plug-in hybrid technology. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) has introduced a companion measure (S. 679), which currently awaits consideration by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. No word on when -- or whether -- the Senate energy panel will consider the legislation.

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Appropriations Scorecard

The House also passed the following bills during yesterday's session:

Wind Energy Research and Development Act (H.R. 3165) - Authorizes $1 billion over five years for a Department of Energy research and development program to improve wind energy technologies.
Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act (H.R. 2664) - Requires the chairs (or designees) of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to testify annually before the House Financial Services Committee on their efforts to reduce the complexity in financial reporting.
Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (H.R. 2571) - Aims to streamline the regulation of nonadmitted insurance and reinsurance by authorizing states to establish procedures to allocate among themselves the premium taxes paid to an insured's home state, among other provisions.

Today the House is scheduled to take up the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act (H.R. 965), legislation that would permanently authorize appropriations for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) intends to propose a substitute amendment that would authorize appropriations at the existing authorized funding level for an additional five years.