DC Insight - 4/14/23

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Advocates Eye Farm Bill to Avert Drop in Affordable Rural Housing
Roll Call – April 11, 2023
Housing advocates are turning to this year’s farm bill in an effort to steer rural communities away from an affordable housing cliff ahead.
Without action from Congress, rural communities stand to lose more than 100,000 affordable rental units in the next decade as federally subsidized loans used to build the apartments are paid off, ending landlords’ obligations to keep rents low. In a second blow for those renters, they will lose their eligibility for the Agriculture Department’s rental assistance. 

GOP Faces Difficult Budget Fight as It Nears 100 Days in Power
The Hill – April 12, 2023
Republicans took control of the House vowing fiscal discipline and touting ambitious spending goals, but achieving those goals has emerged as their greatest challenge after 100 days in power.
The conference is faced with crafting a budget blueprint that can win the support of its slim majority. But its path is all but clear.

Biden Looks to Boost EV Sales With Plan to Cut Vehicle Emissions
Reuters - April 12, 2023
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday proposed sweeping emissions cuts for new cars and trucks through 2032, a move it says could mean two out of every three new vehicles automakers sell will be electric within a decade.

Lawmakers question ‘rushed’ US-Japan EV minerals deal
Roll Call – April 10, 2023
The U.S. struck a trade deal with Japan that aims to allow Japanese cars to qualify for a new electric vehicle tax credit and push China out of their critical mineral supply chains. But it’s not clear if Japanese automakers can shake off China in time to meet its increasingly strict sourcing rules. Congress has been critical of the Biden administration’s implementation of electric vehicle subsidy sourcing rules since it can take years to build out aspects of mineral supply chains.

Supreme Court Won’t Block Student Loan Class-Action Settlement
The New York Times – April 13, 2023
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to block a class-action settlement that forgave $6 billion in federal loans for students at for-profit schools or vocational programs. The case is not related to the Biden administration’s pandemic-related debt relief program, which involves $400 billion in student loans owed by 40 million Americans. The justices heard arguments in challenges to that program in February and are expected to rule by June. The new case arose from accusations of fraud against 151 institutions, nearly all of them for-profit schools or vocational programs.