May 4, 2022
Heard on the Hill covers Monday’s leak of an early draft of the Supreme Court’s majority opinion on the upcoming Roe v. Wade case – and the security, legal, and political implications of both the leak and the ultimate decision. Al Jackson brings us his Defense Update, and features news on the Administration’s plans impacting Arizona’s Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Ramona Lessen monitored Tuesday’s hearing before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity on Artificial Intelligence Applications to Cyberspace Operations.
Read MoreApril 20, 2022
Congress is on their Easter in-state work period. Staff has been preparing throughout this recess for what must get done during the balance of the year and before the November elections. Patrick Robertson has written an excellent article on that subject, highlighting the internal frustrations among Democrats and the choices that Democratic leadership will need to make very soon. Now I want to make a REALLY SPECIAL announcement. We started Total Spectrum Spotlight in the fall of 2020 so we could highlight for you news makers, news shapers, and people who fairly interpret the news. We overcame COVID, the work restrictions placed on us during the pandemic, we ironed out the wrinkles that are bound to be in any new product – and we produced some very good short interviews. Now it is time to take Total Spectrum Spotlight to the next level, so I am very pleased to announce Total Spectrum Spotlight 2.0. Congressman Erik Paulsen will continue to bring you timely and topical discussions with both national leaders and individuals who can help us understand the news. But you’ll see and hear the difference immediately, as we are now partnering with Big Whig Media in Washington, D.C. to really sharpen the final product we deliver to you, our viewers.
Read MoreApril 6, 2022
Today’s Heard on the Hill leads with the Leader – Senator Mitch McConnell. I was a consultant to him in his first campaign, and we reconnected recently at a series of events. I summarized his comments on key issues, and I think you’ll find this look into the Leader both informative and interesting. I also summarized the most current information on Rule 42, which could drastically change the number of illegal border crossings, and also the pending legislation that would provide additional funding for COVID tests and medications. Congressman Erik Paulsen helped write the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as a member of the House Ways & Means Committee. He has written an excellent article about the reasons why Congress should make the 2017 tax cuts permanent. Al Jackson brings us up to date on defense and defense appropriations happenings, while Ramona Lessen reports on the House Homeland Security Committee’s April 5 hearing on mobilizing our cyber defenses.
Read MoreMarch 24, 2022
Winter is waning, and we’re approaching cherry blossom time. Congress will pretty much be focused on the midterm elections after July 31st, so Administration and Congressional leaders are feverishly putting together a list of legislative things that must get done – and can get done – in the next few months. Patrick Robertson’s Washington Whispers is an important guide to possible legislative activity. Ramona Lessen reviewed two hearings – Monday’s Senate Judiciary Hearing on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and Tuesday’s Senate Banking Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Hearing entitled “Building a Resilient Economy by Shoring up Supply”. A great number of industries were hurt during the pandemic, but the restaurant industry is at or near the top of the list. Congressman Erik Paulsen interviewed Dwayne Allen for Total Spectrum Spotlight. Mr. Allen is the Co-Founder and owner of the Breadfruit and Rum Bar in Phoenix, and he is a member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. He describes the rewards and the challenges he and many other local restaurants are facing. It’s a great interview and I hope you’ll watch it. We started Total Spectrum Spotlight last fall at the request of the Arizona Chamber, and the response has been excellent. Congressman Paulsen has lined up some excellent interviews to share with you over the next couple of months, so stay tuned. Thanks again for reading This Week in Washington and watching Total Spectrum Spotlight. We’ll be back in two weeks for the next issue of This Week.
Read MoreMarch 9, 2022
The House of Representatives is trying to pass today a $1.5 trillion omnibus appropriations bill. The President and the House Democratic leadership wanted to include $15 billion in additional pandemic relief funding, but Republicans correctly objected to additional funding without an audit to determine where the trillions previously appropriated had gone. House Democrats from several states objected to the legislative maneuvering because they thought their states were getting shortchanged on COVID aid, so the Speaker pulled COVID from the appropriations bill. A number of things could happen – but two things are for sure. The first is that funding for the federal government runs out Friday night, so they have a continuing resolution ready if they get to a ‘break the glass in an emergency’ moment. The second thing that is for sure is that Steve Ruhlen, my colleague who has spent years working and understanding the appropriations process, will explain it all in his update article. Heard on the Hill covers Washington’s reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a possible new legislative agenda for Senate Democrats, final passage of postal reform in the Senate, and a few parting words about the end of the worst part of COVID. Congressman Erik Paulsen served on the House Ways and Means Committee and as Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee. He is concerned about the impact of our ever-growing national debt on each of us, and I think you will be concerned too when you read his article. Ramona Lessen monitored two hearings for This Week. The first is timely, given this weekend’s shift to Daylight Savings Time. You can see her coverage of a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce entitled, “Changing Times: Revisiting Spring Forward and Fall Back.” The second hearing was before the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on examining mandatory arbitration in financial services products.
Read MoreFebruary 23, 2022
Washington is quiet – in fact, it’s beyond quiet. Both the Senate and the House are on a state or district work week. Congressional staff, folks involved in partisan politics, and people in the advocacy world are taking a few days to catch their breath. Add in the thousands of folks who have not yet returned to their offices, and you get a real sense why both Capitol Hill and downtown Washington are listless. Restaurants are near-empty (except for Valentine’s Day), retail stores are holding on, and cabs are virtually non-existent. But this is a very eerie quiet because there’s a lot of things happening below the surface and across the ocean.
Read MoreFebruary 9, 2022
Senator John Thune’s announcement that he was staying in the Senate was music to the ears of those who believe that Republicans can pick up a couple of seats in November’s election and regain the majority. Congressman Erik Paulsen interviewed Senator Thune last Monday, and we sent it out as a special edition of This Week. Some people missed this important interview, so we have been asked to include it in this week’s edition. Heard on the Hill covers subjects as diverse as a postal reform bill, a continuing resolution to keep the government open for another month while appropriators try to reach an agreement on a new budget, Supreme Court Associate Justice Breyer’s retirement, what it’s like to try to run a legislative agenda in a 50-50 Senate, and what Washington, D.C. is like two years after the start of the pandemic.
Read MoreFebruary 3, 2022
Total Spectrum Spotlight brings you an exclusive interview with Sen. John Thune, the Republican Whip in the U.S. Senate and #2 in Senate Republican leadership. With so much going on - Russia threatening Ukraine, rising prices and inflation in the U.S., health mandates being imposed on businesses, worker shortages, and President Biden’s legislative agenda stalling out – Congressman Erik Paulsen hears Senator Thune’s perspectives and insights on these topics and more, plus the legislative agenda for this mid-term election year.
Read MoreJanuary 26, 2022
Patrick Robertson starts off this edition with his Washington Whispers. Congressman Erik Paulsen writes about the important need to increase private investment in renewable energy. Al Jackson updates us on Defense and related appropriations issues, and Steve Gordon continues surveying the scene for this year’s legislative calendar and the November elections in today’s Heard on the Hill.
Read MoreJanuary 12, 2022
About once a year I restate our vision of providing an accurate view into congressional activity, the Administration’s actions, and national politics exclusively for members of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. My perspective is as of a Republican, as is that of Congressman Erik Paulsen. Patrick Robertson provides his as a Democrat. This week’s Heard on the Hill is a benchmark report on where Republicans and Democrats are as we start a reelection year. It focuses on Senator John Thune’s decision to run for reelection, and how this election year could have been impacted if he had announced his retirement. Our friend Al Jackson provides his monthly Defense Update, and Ramona Lessen shares the schedule of hearings and happenings on Capitol Hill.
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