H.R. 849: Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act of 2017

This was a vote to pass H.R. 849 in the House.

This bill repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that established the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). The IPAB was supposed to submit Medicare spending plans to Congress if projected spending growth exceeds certain thresholds. The Affordable Care Act would authorize IPAB proposals to take effect automatically unless Congress enacted alternative legislation to reach required savings levels. No IPAB members have been appointed yet and the spending threshold has not yet been reached. President Trump said in his budget proposal that IPAB should be repealed. Opponents of H.R. 849 say it would cost taxpayers $17.5 billion over 10 years.

Passed.

 H.R. 3903: Encouraging Public Offerings Act of 2017

This was a vote to pass H.R. 3903 in the House.

This bill amends the Securities Act of 1933 to encourage initial public offerings (IPOs) for private companies by reducing regulatory barriers. The bill extends provisions of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act to all issuers of initial public offerings. Currently, the provisions benefit only emerging growth companies. The bill allows issuers to submit draft registration statements for confidential non-public review by the Securities and Exchange Commission before the public filing of IPO registration statements. The issuers would be able to submit draft registration statements for confidential non-public review of an offering within one year following an IPO. In addition, they could test the waters with institutional investors before committing to an IPO.

Passed.

H.R. 2936: Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017

This was a vote to pass H.R. 2936 in the House.

This bill is intended to reduce risks of wildfires by thinning national forests while giving forestry companies greater economic opportunities. It would shorten environmental reviews required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 before forestry companies could remove trees and underbrush likely to provide fuel for fires. The environmental reviews would not be required on as much as 30,000 acres a year that the U.S. Forest Service determines is at risk of wildfires. Disputes about risk to wildlife protected by the Endangered Species Act from the forest thinning would be referred to an arbitrator for faster resolution, rather than litigating them in courts. The bill seeks to grant the U.S. Forest Service more secure funding for firefighting. It grants the U.S. Forest Service access to Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster funding when the money earmarked for firefighting runs out.

Passed.

H.R. 2521: South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017

This was a vote to pass H.R. 2521 in the House.

The South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017 amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to add South Carolina to the Virginia/Carolina peanut producing region. The legislation gives South Carolina more influence in the peanut industry by allowing state agricultural officials to appoint its members to the Peanut Standards Board. The board advises the Department of Agriculture on quality and handling standards for domestically-produced and imported peanuts. South Carolina officials say the change is needed because in the past 15 years their peanut industry has grown substantially, now producing about 8 percent of the nation’s peanuts.

Passed.