Weekly Washington Outlook — May 31, 2016
What to Watch This Week:
Congress:
House:
The House is in recess this week, returning Tuesday, June 7.
Senate:
The Senate is in recess this week, returning Monday, June 6.
White House:
On Tuesday, the president will visit the FEMA headquarters to receive the annual hurricane season outlook and preparedness briefing. In the afternoon, President Obama will welcome the NCAA Champion Villanova University Men’s Basketball team to honor the team and their 2016 NCAA Championship.
On Wednesday, the president will return to Concord High School in Elkhart, Ind. – the site of his first trip as president. More than seven years after that visit, President Obama will highlight the economic progress that Elkhart and America have made, the economic challenges that remain, and the decisions that face Americans in communities like Elkhart. While in Elkhart, the president will take part in a town hall hosted by PBS, where he’ll have the opportunity to hear directly from Elkhart residents.
On Thursday, President Obama will address the 2016 graduates at the United States Air Force Academy commencement ceremony. In the evening, the president will return to Washington.
On Friday, President Obama will travel to Miami, where he will attend DSCC and DNC events. In the evening, the president will travel to Palm City, Fla., where he will remain through Sunday.
Also this Week:
Puerto Rico – Legislation to aid the territory passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee last week by a 29-10 vote. The bipartisan bill still faces some obstacles as it heads to the floor of the House of Representatives, tentatively next week. Some conservatives believe the bill will harm creditors’ rights and would set a precedent for troubled U.S. states, while some Democrats and organized labor interests object to the authority of the control board, as well as provisions related to the minimum wage and overtime regulations.
Consumer Financial Protections – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is expected to release a proposed “payday lending” regulation this week. It is possible the regulation will cap allowable interest rates. It may also limit the number of times a small-dollar loan can rollover, seeking to end a debt cycle that traps many consumers. The regulation could be announced at a planned field hearing on June 2, in Kansas City.