Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | August 1, 2023
Dear Friends,
As the House and Senate settle into August recess, let’s take a quick look at where things stand on the Hill and what looms ahead in September. Despite a lot of promises from both sides of the Capitol, the appropriations process is barely inching along, raising fears of a possible shutdown. Both chambers did manage to pass their versions of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, but it’s anyone’s guess how the sharp differences between the two will be reconciled.
Also running up against deadlines are FAA Reauthorization, a version of which has passed the House, and the Farm Bill, for which there is still no legislative text in either chamber. Speaker McCarthy has also floated the possibility that the House may begin an impeachment inquiry into President Biden in the coming months. With so many priorities competing for time, and seemingly intractable differences complicating a lot of them, we are in for a tense and uncertain fall.
To help explain some of the dynamics currently playing out on the Hill, we’re thrilled to feature a piece this month from Matthew Green, Professor in the Politics Department at Catholic University. Professor Green, who recently published a fascinating book on former Speaker Newt Gingrich, shares his insights on the challenges of the modern speakership and Kevin McCarthy’s attempts to navigate them.
Your friends at GAI are taking some time to recharge this month, but we’ll be back in full swing in September and through the end of the year. We’ve also released our class schedule for the first half of 2024, so you can check it here and start planning ahead. As always, if you don’t see what you’re looking for, just let me know how we can help.
Wishing you a relaxing August,
Kristin
Categories: Director's Desk, Media Center, Updates