Number of issues remain for Congress

With their tentative adjournment date of Dec. 14 clearly in sight — and several major issues still on the table — members of Congress could be looking at the mother of all lame duck sessions this year.

Reauthorizing the Farm Bill, completing the appropriations process for the first time in a decade or more, dealing with a package of tax extenders — those are just some of the issues awaiting the House and Senate when lawmakers return from their Thanksgiving break next week.

The “unified Republican government” still has three weeks to get something done before the 115th Session of Congress adjourns and Democrats take over the majority in the House. Will they roll up their sleeves and get to work, or kick the can down the road for another year?

If it’s the former, here’s some of the legislation that could be addressed in the coming weeks:

Farm Bill reauthorization

The House and Senate each passed versions of this five-year, $860 billion measure in June. Since then, a conference committee has been trying to hammer out differences between the two bills.

The House version includes new work requirements for adult food stamp recipients. The Senate version includes Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s legislation that legalizes hemp production.

Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, noted that the Senate version also has several provisions important to Idaho, including a bipartisan timberland innovation bill that promotes research and development of new wood products for building construction. It would also reauthorize the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration program, which helps pay for forest restoration projects.

“My understanding is that (the conference committee) is making good progress,” Crapo said. “I think there’s a strong hope that the differences have been worked out and we’ll have an opportunity to vote on the bill this year.”

Government funding showdown

Because Congress has been unable to pass the necessary appropriations bills, funding for the Department of Homeland Security and several other federal agencies is scheduled to expire Dec. 7.

Congress still has time to approve an omnibus appropriations bill that would keep the agencies open. However, President Donald Trump has threatened to veto legislation that doesn’t include funding for his Mexican border wall.

Another option — one that Congress regularly resorts to — is to kick the can down the road by passing a continuing resolution, which would keep agencies funded at current levels for a set period of time.

By law, Congress is supposed to pass 12 separate appropriations bills each year, covering all discretionary spending for federal agencies. However, it has only accomplished this feat four times in the past 40 years. The last time was 1997.

Tax extender reauthorization

“Tax extenders” is a term used to describe a variety of special interest tax breaks that are supposed to expire each year, but that typically get extended.

“They’re the cockroaches of the Washington establishment; they can’t seem to die,” said Steve Ellis, executive vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Crapo noted that House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, has been working hard on legislation to eliminate tax breaks that are no longer justified.

“My understanding is he’s close to coming out with that proposal,” Crapo said.

If it’s introduced in the next week or so, there’s a possibility it could pass before Congress adjourns in December. Otherwise, the tax breaks likely will be extended into next year, when the issue will be taken up once again.

National Flood Insurance reauthorization

This program was supposed to expire in September of 2017, but Congress passed a series of temporary extensions that pushed the deadline to Nov. 30.

“If the program lapses, it puts a halt to real estate transactions (in flood-prone areas),” said Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Alexander noted that the program “is very much in the red.” It insures nearly 5 million homeowners nationwide, including more than 1.5 million in Florida. However, the program doesn’t collect enough in premiums to cover its loses, so it has had to borrow billions of dollars from the federal government.

Some members of Congress want to boost premiums and eliminate incentives to build high-priced homes in flood-prone areas. Others want to shift the burden to taxpayers by forgiving the federal loans.

“Some people want to see the program move to a private-sector solution, while others want a government solution,” Crapo said. “It’s almost like the health care debate. It doesn’t look like we’re going to reach a compromise. We just can’t get to yes.”

The flood program falls within the jurisdiction of the Senate Banking Committee, which Crapo leads (see related story). He said if a deal isn’t worked out in the next few weeks, another temporary extension will be approved and it will be taken up again next year.

Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.