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Possible Government Shutdown
Looms Over Capitol Hill this Week
The possibility of a government shutdown looms over Capitol Hill this week, with the current continuing resolution funding the federal government expiring on Friday, January 19. Negotiations on immigration issues also are continuing this week, and as a result it is expected that the Congressional GOP leadership will seek to pass another continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown. It remains to be seen if enough Representatives will support another continuing resolution and whether Senate Democrats will vote against the resolution until a DACA fix is agreed upon.
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Briefing Planned on the Soo Locks
and the American Steel Industry
Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at
2:30 PM
CVC Congressional Meeting Room North
A briefing by the Northeast-Midwest Institute on Wednesday, January 31, at 2:30 PM will examine the importance of the Soo Locks to American steel and manufacturing industries.
The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan serve as one of the nation's most economically vital systems, acting as a critical component in the American steel supply chain. More than 10,000 one-way trips and about 80 million tons of cargo annually pass through the Soo Locks, including nearly all of the iron ore that is mined for the American steel industry. According to a study released by the Department of Homeland Security, a six-month closure at the Soo Locks would lead to the loss of $1.1 trillion in gross domestic product and 11 million American jobs, directly impacting agriculture, appliances, automobiles, construction, and infrastructure industries.
The briefing will focus on such issues as the Soo Locks' role in the steel supply chain, efforts to modernize the Soo Locks, and the direct impact the Soo Locks have on American manufacturing. Presenters will include:
- Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Sugrue, Commander of Detroit District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Tom Dower, Senior Director, Government Relations, ArcelorMittal
- Matthew McKenna, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program, Northeast-Midwest Institute
For more information, please contact
Matthew McKenna
, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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FERC Declines to Subsidize
Coal and Nuclear Plants
Last week the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
rejected a proposal by Secretary of Energy Rick Perry to subsidize coal and nuclear energy. The rule would have rewarded plants that kept a 90-day supply of fuel on site, something that would generally be much easier for coal and nuclear plants to accomplish.
Perry's rationale for the rule was that coal and nuclear energy provide a resilient source of power, even during weather events like the recent cold snap. The proposal was
controversial, particularly among utilities with other forms of power generation. Opponents of the proposal argued that the recent unusually cold weather in much of the country demonstrated that subsidies were not necessary to ensure a resilient
grid.
However, FERC did not completely shut the door on the issue of resilience. In the same order rejecting Perry's proposal it ordered grid operators to submit information related to resilience to FERC within 60 days so that FERC can more thoroughly examine the problem. Afterwards, FERC may decide how to proceed, if at all.
For more information, please contact Joe Vukovich, Senior Policy Analyst for the Mississippi River Basin Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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This Week on Capitol Hill
A full list of key Congressional committee activity that impacts the region can be viewed below:
Wednesday, January 17
- The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation will hold a hearing entitled "The State of the U.S. Flag Maritime Industry" at 10:00 AM in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
Thursday, January 18
- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing to consider Department of Energy nominations at 10:00 AM in 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building. The nominees are:
- Ms. Melissa F. Burnison to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs)
- Ms. Anne Marie White to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Environmental Management)
- The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will hold a hearing to examine nominations at 11:00 AM in 216 Hart Senate Office Building. The nominees include:
- Barry Lee Myers, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
- Leon A. Westmoreland, of Georgia, to be a Director of the Amtrak Board of Directors
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NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation
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