- On Monday, July 19th President Obama made blatant comments blaming Republicans for holding up a bill to reauthorize extended unemployment benefits. In a public address he made it clear of his intent to have the reauthorization as well as a small business tax lenders package passed by the end of the week.

- Financial Reform finally passed both houses and the President is expected to sign the bill on Wednesday. There is still much work to do with regulators to make sure important parts are in place.


House

- There will be a suspension on H.R. 1855, Sectors Act, introduced by Rep. Loebsack from the Education and Labor Committee. This Act includes Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Reauthorization, manufacturing job creation and workforce investment.

- The House has passed Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional (HR 1855/S 777- introduced in April 2009 by Senator Sherrod Brown). The aim of the bill is to require the Department of Labor to initiate grant programs that would create partnerships between businesses that share common workforces. There are two different grants a “three-year implementation grants of up to $2.5 million for established training partnerships, and renewal grants of up to $1.5 million to extend funding for implementation grant recipients for an additional three years.” The hope is that job training programs will improve so the unemployed moving back into the workforce will be properly acclimated to the particular industry.

Senate

- The Kagan nominations should be complete by weeks end.

- Senator Reid prepares to have an energy bill introduced this week. His plan is to debate the bill week of July 26 .

- The Senate according to Reid is prepared to pass unemployment one Tuesday (H.R. 5618). Senator Byrd’s named replacement Carte Goodwin will be sworn in Tuesday, July 20th at about 2:15 pm then quickly proceed to addressing the unemployment bill- which according to the Congressional record is 2:30 p.m. After it hopefully passes in the Senate, the bill goes back to the House for another vote regarding a Senate amendment. Thereafter, the bill will go to President Obama and be signed into law. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also made it clear today that the Administration, come November will push for another extension if unemployment is still hovering around8.5-9 percent unemployment.

- Last week Senator Reid made it clear that he would bring the Disclose Act to the floor; however, due to the loss of support from Senator Brown and Snowe, that effort has been rescinded.