Policy News -March 19, 2019
March 19, 2019

Last week, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the Healthy Families Act, a bill which would allow employees the opportunity to earn a minimum of 7 paid sick days per year to care for themselves and their families. Under the bill, paid sick time could be used by employees to care for themselves, or to care for a child, a parent, a spouse or “any other individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.”
Rep. DeLauro also introduced a bill to establish and strengthen projects that defray the cost of related instruction associated with pre-apprenticeship and qualified apprenticeship programs.
Congress will be in reccess this week, and will resume business on March 25th.

On Capitol Hill
Floor proceedings

House: in recess
Senate: in recess

Bills of Interest
· Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced a bill to allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families (H.R.1784)
· Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced a bill to establish and strengthen projects that defray the cost of related instruction associated with pre-apprenticeship and qualified apprenticeship programs, and for other purposes (H.R.1782).
· Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced a bill to allow for expedited approval of generic prescription drugs and temporary importation of prescription drugs in the case of marginally competitive drug markets and drug shortages (S.844)
· Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced a bill to allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families (S.840)
· Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced a bill to establish and strengthen projects that defray the cost of related instruction associated with pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, and for other purposes ( S.793)

At the Agencies

Department of Labor:
· Last week, the Department of Labor issued new opinion letters that address compliance issues related to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Treasury:
· The Department of the Treasury finalized the repeal of 296 obsolete tax regulations

SBA:
· The SBA announced National Small Business Week for May 5- 11

USTR:
· No relevant activities today

Commerce:
· No relevant activities today

Links You Can Use
For reviewing legislation and tracking appropriations: www.congress.gov
For reviewing proposed and pending regulation: www.federalregister.gov