July 28, 2021
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Congress’s continuing discussions on infrastructure remains this week’s hot topic. Patrick Robertson’s Washington Whispers details the latest on all the moving parts of an agreement and how the August recess weighs on the process. Congressman Erik Paulsen writes about the risks – immediate and long-term – of relinquishing intellectual property protections on medicines like the COVID-19 vaccines. Al Jackson shares recent progress of the House and Senate versions of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. Ramona Lessen reviews two recent Senate committee hearings covering cryptocurrencies and the implementation and enforcement of the USMCA (U.S.-Mexico-Canada) trade agreement.
Read MoreJuly 28, 2021
Total Spectrum strategic consultant and former congressman Erik Paulsen writes about the President’s global minimum corporate tax proposal and the disadvantages it will place upon American companies and workers, as published by The Hill.
Read MoreJuly 14, 2021
Heard on the Hill covers the continuing and changing-by-the-minute story of the President’s traditional and social infrastructure agenda. We also wade into the President’s 20-page executive order on competition. Congressman Erik Paulsen writes about six tax incentives that will play a major role in the President’s agenda. Steve Ruhlen brings us up to speed on the appropriations process for the 2022 fiscal year. Ramona Lessen reviews a recent House Small Business Agriculture and Rural Development Subcommittee hearing on economic recovery in rural America.
Read MoreJune 23, 2021
Patrick Robertson writes about the round-and-round (and round) negotiations we’ve seen on infrastructure in this issue’s Washington Whispers. Todd Smith and Blake T. Fulenwider take a closer look at the Supreme Court’s latest defense of the Affordable Care Act, Al Jackson updates us on activities impacting the defense sector, and Ramona Lessen summarizes a Senate Commerce hearing on building resilient networks. Congressman Erik Paulsen has a special and vitally important Total Spectrum Spotlight interview with Jay Timmons, the President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers. This is the last This Week for our friend and colleague Erica Wrublik, who is leaving the Arizona Chamber. Dana Marston and I wrote a short article about Erica’s great help and assistance in producing This Week and Total Spectrum Spotlight.
Read MoreJune 10, 2021
In a glimmer of hope for American businesses, President Joe Biden’s administration appears to be steering away from hardline Democrats who want to impose the highest corporate income tax in the industrial world — 28 percent. Total Spectrum Strategic Consultant and former Congressman Erik Paulsen cautions that this doesn’t necessarily mean the the threat of a harmful increase is going away anytime soon. “It’s good that the new administration is floating new ideas as alternatives rather than just a straight increase to 28 percent, which is what many Democrats in the House and Senate would still like to see,” said Paulsen, a former leading member of the chief tax writing House Ways and Means Committee.
Read MoreJune 9, 2021
Americans – finally and thankfully – are coming out of our COVID cocoons. One of the things I have been thinking about over this past year is how a changing society is forcing some changes on Congress, and sometimes how the structure and traditions of Congress are pushing back. It is an important subject, and not just an academic or historical one, because we are seeing it play out in the Senate in its deliberations over the President’s infrastructure bill. Heard on the Hill is about the potholes on the road to an infrastructure bill, but it is really about the struggle between ‘want to’ and ‘can do’… and how this bill ultimately gets done. Ramona Lessen provides reviews of two key legislative hearings – one before the Senate Finance Committee on the IRS budget for 2022, and another of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee discussing threats to our critical infrastructure.
Read MoreMay 19, 2021
Congressman Erik Paulsen breaks down some of President Biden's proposed tax increases on individuals and households and how they will hit – and hurt – a great many middle-income families.
Read MoreMay 19, 2021
There is an exceptionally high level of distrust between Republicans and Democrats in this Congress. Patrick Robertson writes in Washington Whispers about how this distrust and the ghosts of past negotiations could impact the current attempt to develop bipartisan legislation. Congressman Erik Paulsen writes about the Biden Administration’s proposal to increase taxes on the wealthy, and how it would impact people who are not so wealthy. Al Jackson brings us up to date on the Biden Administration’s national security budget in his Defense Update. Total Spectrum Spotlight is designed to bring you interviews with news makers and news shapers – and Congressman Drew Ferguson (R-GA) is both. A graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in dental medicine, Congressman Ferguson founded a successful family dental practice and was Mayor of West Point, Georgia before being elected to Congress. He is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Chief Deputy Whip for House Republicans. Erik Paulsen’s interview with Congressman Ferguson is both entertaining and informative.
Read MoreMay 5, 2021
This is a recess week in Washington – at least for the Senate – so I took the time to reflect rather than report in Heard on the Hill about President Joe Biden and Senator Tim Scott. The President gave his State of the Union message last week and Senator Scott gave the Republican response; two very different speeches by two very different individuals. Congressman Erik Paulsen wrote an article on the President’s estate tax proposal and the impact it will have on family businesses, ranches, and farms. Total Spectrum Senior Partner John McKechnie has been working in and with the financial services sector for over 30 years. He has written an update on pending activity in the Senate and House Financial Services Committees. Ramona Lessen provides briefs on two House hearings held this week, one on lowering the cost of prescription drugs and another on climate and energy research at the Department of Energy.
Read MoreMay 3, 2021
Total Spectrum strategic consultant and former congressman Erik Paulsen writes about the President’s estate tax proposal and the impact it will have on family businesses, ranches, and farms, as published by The Well News.
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