Congress tries to find a speaker while Israel goes to war with Hamas
Congress hopes to elect a new speaker this week as Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) serves in the role temporarily. Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) squared off Oct. 11 with a secret ballot election within the Republican Conference, resulting in a vote of 113-99 in favor of Scalise. The conference also voted to table a proposed rule change led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) that would require the speaker-elect to get support from the majority of the entire House, not just the majority of the conference. The change was tabled by a vote of 135-88. It is unclear when a vote on a speaker will come to the floor, because Scalise seems to be short of the necessary 217 votes to assume the gavel.
This chaos comes amid a barbaric weekend in Israel as the terrorist group Hamas launched a surprise attack on border communities that killed at least 1,200 people and injured thousands more, including Americans. The group also is holding more than 150 people hostage, some of whom are Americans. Israel has since begun a counter insurgency as a full-blown war rages on. Generally, until a speaker is chosen, no other legislative business can come to the floor, including bills to keep the government funded past the mid-November deadline or legislation related to Israel. However, the House is a self-governing body, and exceptions can be made at any point with a majority of members in support of doing so.
Support ROOFPAC at NRCA’s fall meetings in Nashville!
Join your friends and colleagues for a cocktail reception featuring live music in support of ROOFPAC on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Dogwood Nashville ($175 per person/$225 per couple). Members of NRCA’s Political Insiders Council and Capitol Hill Club are invited to attend complimentary as a benefit of their membership. We also would like to thank our sponsoring partner, Holcim, whose portfolio includes Elevate, Duro-Last, Gaco and Malarkey, for making this event possible. To RSVP or for more information, please visit nrca.net/roofpac-fall-event or contact NRCA Director of Political Affairs Teri Dorn at tdorn@ncra.net or (202) 510-0920.
DHS begins program to accelerate processing of work permits
On Oct. 1, the Department of Homeland Security began implementing plans to accelerate the processing of Employment Authorization Documents, also known as work permits, for qualifying migrants who recently arrived in the U.S. The agency indicates it will “dedicate additional personnel and implement improvements” to decrease processing times to 30 days for EADs associated with individuals who legally entered the U.S. through a new temporary parole program established earlier this year for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. The expedited processing also will include some asylum candidates processed under the new CBP One mobile app. These individuals are eligible for work permits, which allow them to legally seek employment within the U.S., but major backlogs in processing at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have caused months-long delays in the issuance of EADs. The accelerated processing of work permits is a part of the administration’s efforts to improve border security given the record numbers of illegal crossings at the U.S. southern border in recent months.
EEOC issues proposed guidance regarding harassment in the workplace
On Oct. 2, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued proposed guidance, “Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace.” The proposed guidance is intended to outline how the agency enforces federal laws that prohibit workplace harassment and provides updated examples regarding a wide range of scenarios. Key provisions include guidance regarding issues related to pregnancy and childbirth, sexual orientation and gender identity, “virtual” harassment and social media use. Employers and other stakeholders who want to provide feedback regarding the proposal must submit comments by Nov. 1.
