Congressional lawmakers, in their home districts and states for August recess, will have significant items on their to-do list when they return to Capitol Hill in early September, including agreeing on a short-term appropriations bill to avert a government shutdown Oct. 1.
Last week, the Senate Committee on Appropriations marked up four spending bills, including the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025. Although this bill saw no amendments in the markup, it faces a difficult reconciliation with a competing House version. This means a continuing resolution likely will be needed to continue funding the agencies into the new fiscal year, as lawmakers sort out differences.
Other Hill Activity Last Week
The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs last week met for a hearing to consider a statutory ban on noncompete agreements. The hearing follows regulatory action earlier this year by the Federal Trade Commission to ban most noncompete agreements in all industries, including health care.
At the July 30 hearing, witness R. James Toussaint, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, brought a health care perspective to the discussion.
Subcommittee Democrats and witnesses largely opposed the use of noncompete agreements, arguing that they reduce workers’ wages, hinder job mobility, diminish productivity and motivation, and negatively impact the economy by stifling business formation, slowing innovation, and increasing consumer prices. Subcommittee Ranking Member John Kennedy (R-La.) argued that noncompete clauses and agreements can sometimes be beneficial when the parties have similar negotiating strengths. However, he also acknowledged that noncompete clauses can harm entry-level workers in other situations.
Committee Activity This Week
The Senate has joined the House on its annual August recess. Both chambers will be out of session all of August and reconvene Sept. 9.
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