Murkowski Morning Meeting for Thursday,October 6, 2011

Murkowski Morning Meeting
The DC Daybook with Alaska in Mind
Thursday, October 6, 2011

U.S. Senate – Events

Alaska’s Homeowners and Tax Reform

Alaskan Impact: The home ownership rate in Alaska is 65.7%, and many take advantage of the mortgage interest deduction. The last time America reformed its tax code was 1986. It’s actually possible to have had a child and seen her/him graduate from college since then. There are reforms like the Buffett Rule being tossed around, but not even Warren Buffett wants to see that become a reality. Given the need for wholesale tax reform, today the Senate Finance Committee examined if the mortgage interest deduction may be phased out over time.

6:00am AKDT
Senate Finance Committee Hearing
Topic: “Tax Reform Options”
Testimony from:

• Former Sen. John Breaux, D-La.
• Dr. Karl “Chip” Case, Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies
• Robert Dietz, assistant vice president for tax and policy, National Association of Home Builders

Questioning/Hearing: http://1.usa.gov/oN1yx2

Question: “Shouldn’t the housing market stabilize before we try phasing the deduction out?”

House of Representatives – Events

Healthcare Costs on the Rise

Alaskan Impact: Alaska’s families, businesses and employees all read the headline: “US Health Care Costs Rose Sharply in 2011.” The Kaiser Family Foundation believes health insurers are bracing themselves for health care reform by raising costs. Whether you’re on a family plan paying over $4,000 for your insurance or an employer paying the $10,000 for the rest of that plan, today the House Oversight Committee heard about this problem from the temporary worker angle.

5:30am AKDT
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Hearing
Topic: “Healthcare Employer Penalty and Its Impact”
Testimony from:

• Ed Lenz, senior vice president of the AmericanStaffing Association
• John Uprichard, president and CEO of Find Great People Intl.
• Tav Gauss, president and CEO of The Action Group – Human Resources Solution

Questioning/Hearing: http://1.usa.gov/p0PvtA

Off the Hill – Events

Back to Work: Hiring America’s Heroes

Alaskan Impact: Today, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee partnered with the Microsoft Corporation to discuss opportunities for training and hiring America’s unemployed veterans. With 77,000 veterans in Alaska, Senator Murkowski has co-sponsored the “Hiring Heroes Act” to help train our men and women in uniform when
the return home from combat.

6:15am AKDT
Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and Microsoft Corporation – Discussion
Topic: “Labor”
Participants:

• Senate Veterans Affairs Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash.
• Senate Veterans Affairs ranking Republican Senator Richard Burr, R-NC
• Brad Smith, Microsoft general counsel

Soon in the Senate – 10:15am AKDT

Access to Infrastructure in Native Communities

Alaskan Impact: In communities like Kake and Buckland, being able to flush a toilet for the first time is cause for celebration – and brings hope that continued infrastructure development isn’t far behind. Today, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee will explore the unique challenges faced by Alaska Native communities in developing access to telecommunications in rural and remote destinations – and how to move forward with developing much needed infrastructure in these communities.

For more information on what’s happening in Washington,
D.C. or to find out Senator Murkowski’s view on these issues – contact the
Communications Office at 202-224-9301.
www.murkowski.senate.gov