The Weekly Trek: December 11, 2015

Weekly Trek

December 11, 2015

Transportation

• House reauthorizes freight rail oversight panel. The Hill
• Ford investing in ride-hailing services, expanding electric vehicles. Reuters
• AAR, APTA offer an industry outlook from the association perspective. Progressive Railroading
• House passes visa waiver reform bill with strong bipartisan support. Washington Post
• Bypass controversy heated up again on Thursday. Newberg Graphic

Energy & Natural Resources

• Paris climate talks edge toward deal but discrepancies remain. Wall Street Journal
• Water demands and drought are top of mind for Oregon experts. Portland Business Journal
• Columbia Gorge water bottling ban closer to ballot. Statesman Journal
• How climate change has already ravaged Oregon. Portland Business Journal
• Nuclear reactors developed in Corvallis can be ‘game-changer,’ energy secretary says at climate talks. Bloomberg News

Labor

• Congress pushes for delay in ‘Cadillac Tax’ on health plans. Wall Street Journal
• Exclusive: Uber winning make or break legal battles across America. Reuters
• UAW contracts left open health care change. Wall Street Journal

Taxation, Trade, & Defense

• Lawmakers to push for more scrutiny of foreign visitors. The Hill
• Deal to end oil export ban in sight. The Hill
• McConnell warns that trade deal can’t pass Congress before 2016 elections. Washington Post
• Ex-Im Bank back open, but Boeing, GE deals left out for now. Seattle Times
• There’s still hope for large, year-end tax package. Washington Post

Top Political News

• House passes short-term spending bill to avoid government shutdown. Wall Street Journal
• The Paul Ryan way. Politico
•  GOP preparing for contested convention. Washington Post
• The ‘snail’s pace’ of Omnibus negotiations. Roll Call
• Nations on cusp of climate pact. The Hill
• The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics. Politico

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