EIW Today - April 3rd, 2025

Prism Group's Daily Summary

FAR-REACHING TARIFFS SET TO TAKE EFFECT... On Wednesday, President Trump unveiled and subsequently enacted a baseline 10% tariff on imported goods, with higher levies targeted at several dozen nations. A separate Executive Order also explicitly does away with the $800 duty-free de minimis threshold for goods imported from China. The action follows the implementation of a new 25% tariff on foreign automobiles.   

SENATE GOP MOVES ON RECONCILIATION... Senate Republicans unveiled their budget reconciliation bill yesterday as party leaders look to show progress on a broad tax and border security package. The measure is carefully crafted to allow Republicans leeway to address tough issues such as spending cuts and an increase in the debt limit later down the road. Notably, Senate Republican Leader John Thune says the chamber’s Parliamentarian has effectively signed off on a scoring method known as “current policy baseline,” which could address concerns from some in the party regarding the price tag of the final bill.  

VISITING ANGELS HOSTS FIRST-EVER FLY-IN TO ADVOCATE FOR HOME CARE... Visiting Angels recently held its first-ever fly-in, bringing franchise owners to Washington, D.C. to advocate for policies that support in-home senior and veteran home care. During meetings with lawmakers and their staff, Visiting Angels emphasized the urgent need for solutions to expand access to home care services and strengthen the caregiving workforce. As the nation faces a growing senior population, Visiting Angels works hard to ensure older Americans can age with dignity in the comfort of their own homes.

THE STATE OF THE STATES

SESSIONS BY THE NUMBERS: 

Forty-four states are in regular session. Maine is in special session. 

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING: 

Alabama has joined a growing list of Southern states enacting paid parental leave for state employees, with a new bipartisan law offering up to eight weeks of leave for mothers and adoptive parents, and two weeks for fathers starting July 1, 2025—impacting over 135,000 public workers statewide. 

New York State Senator April N. M. Baskin’s (D) “Cure Act” doubles the time small business owners have to correct minority and women-owned business certification errors from 30 to 60 days, easing access to state contracts and supporting equitable economic growth. 

LAWMAKERS... IN OR OUT? 

The House... convenes today at 11:00 AM. The full schedule may be found here. 

The Senate... convenes today at 10:00 AM. The full schedule may be found here. 

HAPPENING ON THE HILL  

The House...  

Committee on Small Business will hold a joint hearing Tuesday, 4/8 at 10:00 AM entitled, “Prosperity on Main Street: Keeping Taxes Low for Small Businesses."  

House Financial Services will hold a hearing, Tuesday, 4/8 at 10:00 AM entitled, “Decades of Dysfunction: Restoring Accountability at HUD.” 

House Financial Services will hold a hearing, Tuesday, 4/8 at 2:00 PM entitled, “U.S. Treasury Debt in the Monetary System.” 

House Financial Services will hold a hearing, Tuesday, 4/9 at 10:00 AM entitled, “American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets Aligning the U.S. Securities Laws for the Digital Age.” 

Committee on Appropriations will hold a hearing, Tuesday, 4/8 at 8:00 AM entitled, “ASSESSING THE PRESIDENT’S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF (PEPFAR).” 

Committee on Appropriations will hold over five member-day hearings next week.  

Committee on Ways and Means will hold a hearing, Tuesday, 4/8 at 10:00 AM entitled, “on Lowering Costs for Patients: The Health of the Biosimilar Market.” 

Committee on Ways and Means will hold a hearing, Tuesday, 4/8 at 2:00 PM entitled, “Government Watchdog Findings: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program In Need of Reform, Better State Accountability, and Fraud Protection.” 

Committee on Ways and Means will hold a hearing, Wednesday, 4/9 at 10:00 AM entitled, “The Trump Administration’s 2025 Trade Policy Agenda with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.” 

Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a Markup, Tuesday, 4/8 at 10:00 AM.  

Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing, Wednesday, 4/9 at 10:00 AM entitled “Converting Energy into Intelligence: the Future of AI Technology, Human Discovery, and American Global Competitiveness." 

The Senate...      

Committee on Judiciary will hold a hearing TODAY, 4/3 at 10:15 AM entitled, “Executive Business Meeting.”  

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will hold a joint hearing, Tuesday 4/8 at 10:00 AM entitled “Joint House & Senate Small Business Committee Hearing: Prosperity on Main Street: Keeping Taxes Low for Small Businesses.” 

Committee on Finance will hold a hearing Tuesday, 4/8 at 10:00 AM entitled “The President’s 2025 Trade Policy Agenda.”  

Committee on Judiciary will hold a hearing Tuesday, 4/8 at 10:15 AM entitled, “The Freedom of Information Act: Perspectives from Public Requesters.”  

Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold an executive session, Wednesday, 4/9 at 10:00 AM on the following bills “S. 588, S. 163, and S. 932.” 

Committee on Judiciary will hold a hearing Wednesday, 4/9 at 2:30 PM entitled, “A Time for Truth: Oversight of Meta’s Foreign Relations and Representations to the United States Congress.” 

BILLS OF INTEREST 

Check back next week for a possible update. 

AT THE AGENCIES  

The U.S. Department of Labor The U.S. Department of Labor 

The Department of Labor released this week's Unemployment Insurance report. 

The U.S. Department of the Treasury 

Check back next week for possible updates. 

The U.S. Department of Commerce 

Check back next week for possible updates. 

The U.S. Trade Representative  

Ambassador Jamieson Greer issued the following statement in support of President Donald J. Trump invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose responsive tariffs to address the national emergency driven by the absence of reciprocity in our bilateral trade relationships. 

The U.S. Small Business Administration 

Check back next week for possible updates. 

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