Page 6 - ATD29NOV2016

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 29 November 2016
American Politics:
Lame-duck Congress works to set stage for President Trump

ERICA WERNER “We’ve got a lot to do,” gan and other cities repair programs for preventing workplace discrimination
AP Congressional Corre- Majority Leader Mitch Mc- aging water systems that and treating the abuse of by Pentagon contractors
spondent Connell said on the Senate are poisoned by lead — is opioids and other addic- based on sexual or gender
WASHINGTON (AP) — The floor Monday. in House-Senate talks. tive drugs. It would also ex- orientation. Another battle
lame-duck Congress is A look at the legislation McConnell and House pand government mental is over how much addi-
gaveling in for its final work awaiting action: Speaker Paul Ryan have health programs. tional money to spend on
session of 2016, and its last SPENDING promised that Flint assis- The measure is supported weapon systems that the
under President Barack Pentagon didn’t request in
Obama, as lawmakers its budget.
face a Dec. 9 deadline
for spending legislation to IRAN SANCTIONS
keep the government run- Congress must act to re-
ning. new a decades-old law
Republican leaders want that allows the United
to pass a short-term spend- States to hit companies
ing bill to extend existing with economic sanctions
funding levels into next for doing business with Iran.
spring, allowing a new Congress first passed the
President Donald Trump Iran Sanctions Act in 1996
the opportunity to play and has extended it sev-
a bigger role in crafting eral times since then. The
agency budgets. sanctions law, which is sep-
Congress is also trying to arate from the landmark
finalize legislation to ad- nuclear deal, is to expire
dress lead-tainted water at the end of the year and
in Flint, Michigan, and pass there is strong bipartisan
a bill to promote medical support for legislation that
research and innovation. would extend it by another
And House Democrats will decade.
be voting in a new leader- In this Nov. 18, 2016, photo, the U.S. Capitol dome is seen at sunset on Capitol Hill in Washington.
ship team Wednesday af- The lame-duck Congress is gaveling in for its final work session of 2016, and its last under Presi- COAL MINERS
ter a delay sought by law- dent Barack Obama, as lawmakers face a Dec. 9 deadline for spending legislation to keep the Lawmakers are pushing a
makers angry over Demo- government running. bill to protect health care
crats’ poor showing in this (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) and pension benefits for
month’s federal elections. about 120,000 retired coal
Minority Leader Nancy Pe- Work on 11 of the 12 an- tance will be approved by pharmaceutical and miners and their families.
losi of California is expect- nual agency spending bills in the lame-duck session. other medical industry The bill would ensure re-
ed to prevail over Rep. Tim has sputtered and a stop- Michigan lawmakers say groups. But some consum- tired miners receive more
Ryan of Ohio, but she has gap spending measure is they intend to ensure that er advocates say it goes than $250 million a year in
promised some changes keeping the government Ryan and McConnell keep too far in relaxing testing benefits now at risk amid
meant to give newer law- running until Dec. 9. Re- their word. standards, and Democrat- the coal industry’s steep
makers a bigger voice in publican leaders have de- ic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of decline.
the Democratic caucus, cided to punt the remain- CURES ACT Massachusetts attacked it Several Republican in-
which has been led for ing measures into next The House plans to vote Monday as “political cover cumbents supported the
years by the same aging year, in part because they Wednesday on legislation for huge giveaways to gi- bill during the fall cam-
lawmakers and committee may have better chances beefing up brain, cancer ant drug companies.” paign, including Sens. Rob
chairmen. of winning additional Pen- and other research at the DEFENSE Portman of Ohio and Pat
A number of other odds tagon spending from the National Institutes of Health Toomey of Pennsylvania,
and ends await action as incoming Trump admin- and accelerating the House and Senate negoti- who both won re-election.
well. And throughout, GOP istration. Another tempo- Food and Drug Administra- ators hope to wrap up the But McConnell and oth-
leaders in the House and rary spending bill is in the tion’s approval processes defense policy bill, which ers are wary of bailing out
Senate will be working with works that would keep the for pharmaceuticals and Congress has passed every unionized workers.
Trump’s transition teams to government open until the medical devices. A Sen- year for more than five de-
craft an agenda for next end of March or later. ate vote could come next cades. ENERGY BILL
year, when Republicans FLINT’S WATER week. The 21st Century House Republicans are The House and Senate re-
will control both chambers Cures Act would provide seeking to use the must- main far apart as they seek
of Congress and the White A popular water projects $6.3 billion over the next pass $602 billion defense to approve the first ma-
House for the first time in a measure — including $220 decade, including $1 bil- policy bill to reverse pro- jor energy bill in nearly a
decade. million to help Flint, Michi- lion for state grants for tections imposed against decade.q