In This Issue:

Energy and Climate Debate; Congress; Administration; Department of Agriculture; Department of Commerce; Department of Defense; Department of Energy; Department of Interior; Environmental Protection Agency; General Services Administration; Government Accountability Office; Personnel; State; International; and Miscellaneous

Excerpt from Energy and Climate Debate

As the August recess looms and the country looks toward the November elections, energy issues continue to play a role in the debate. In addition to the introduction of numerous energy bills in Congress last week, the New York Times announced July 27 that it is launching a new series on energy and climate policy.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is negotiating with Republicans to permit the Senate to clear a major cybersecurity bill and a tax extenders package before the five-week August recess and the political conventions. After months of contentious negotiations, the Senate voted, 84-11, late last week to invoke cloture on a motion to proceed to Senator Joe Lieberman’s (I-CT) bill (S. 3414) and begin debate. Additionally, as none of the fiscal year 2013 appropriations measures have been enacted, House and Senate leadership have been debating the details of a continuing resolution, ranging from three to six months long, that the chambers will have to pass in September in order to ensure that the federal government is funded when the fiscal year begins October 1. On July 26, congressional leadership approached a deal to fund the government for six months, retaining government funding at the same levels as last year’s debt limit law; the bipartisan funding bill could be rolled out early this week. Finally, House leadership plans to bring votes to the floor on rival Senate and House tax bills as well as a one-year extension of the farm bill by the end of the week.