Insights: Policy

Following three rounds of negotiations with Iran on reaching a new nuclear deal, President Trump yesterday threatened secondary sanctions on any country that does business with Iran. Those comments come after Trump said last week that he is open to meeting with Iranian leadership to secure a new nuclear deal and that he still prefers diplomacy to...

The House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Committee is targeting next Wednesday (May 7) for a vote on its portion of Republican’s reconciliation (tax/spending) legislation. Ahead of that vote, there have been a variety of developments that will influence the scope and scale of the Medicaid cuts being considered by the committee.

Bank Capital/Stress Tests

The Fed has issued a proposed rule to reform the stress testing framework for banks. The proposal would average the results of the stress tests over two years to reduce the volatility of banks’ capital requirements. Furthermore, the proposal would also give banks three more months to come into compliance with the capital requirements that are...

While President Trump last week said that he’s not considering firing Fed Chair Powell, there are lingering questions about whether he has the authority to do so, and whether he may eventually choose to re-shape the Fed Board’s makeup by firing other governors (or potentially change his mind about firing Powell). Courts have already clarified...

Student Lending

Recent/upcoming events… Republicans on the House Education Committee & Workforce (E&W) Committee have passed – on a party-line 21-14 vote – their portion of the party’s reconciliation (tax/spending) legislation. E&W had been given a minimum spending reduction goal of $330b, but preliminary estimates from the...

Tech / Media / Telecom

Antitrust (Meta)

Recent/upcoming developments… The FTC’s antitrust trial against Meta has begun. The trial – which is being heard in the DC District Court by Judge Boasberg – is expected to last around two months and conclude in mid-June. A decision in the case is expected in ~Q3 (though this could slip). To the degree Meta is found guilty by the court of...