As part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 that was enacted in November of that year, the debt ceiling was suspended until March 15, 2017. As of March 16, 2017, the debt ceiling is now back in place, requiring Congress to take action to raise it by some time in Fall (likely October or November).

Last week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions released a memo in which he ordered federal prosecutors to seek the toughest penalties for nonviolent drug offenders. The result of this change in sentencing policy means more nonviolent e will be subject to mandatory minimum sentences.

Last month, Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-Conn.) announced that he will not seek, and he will not accept, the nomination of his party for another term as governor. This is not all that surprising as he sits at at a 66 percent disapproval rating, tying him for the second highest disapproval rating of any governor.

On May 5, 2017, Gov. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) signed SB 5035, making Washington the 35th Right to Try state. The Right to Try law allows drugs that have passed the initial phase of FDA testing to be tried by various individuals despite the fact the drug has not yet gone through the lengthy process of full approval by the agency.

The internet has been buzzing about late-night talk show comedian John Oliver’s resurgence of interest in the regulations on internet broadband providers, about which he had an extended monologue on his show this week. But his misguided call-to-action has already had repercussions, including cyber-attacks on the FCC’s website, ruining the ability for them to receive comments on what the public thinks of the ”Restoring Internet Freedom” proposal presented by Ajit Pai.

Perhaps the most controversial policy proposal in the House Republican blueprint for tax reform is the "border adjustment tax." Also known as a destination-based cash-flow tax (DBCFT), the border adjustment tax serves two key purposes in the blueprint.

In New Hampshire, there has been much controversy over the past few years over the “Northern Pass,” a transmission line project that would bring hydroelectric power from Canada to New England. One of the particular things that helped build the controversy was its potential use of Eminent Domain to help acquire land for the project to be built on during construction.

On Friday, March 24, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh vetoed a new $15 minimum wage that would have been implemented by 2022. This makes passing the measure’s future in serious doubt since an override of the mayor’s veto requires 12 out of 15 city council members to vote against and already several who voted for the measure have decided not to support an override.

Three months ago, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted against becoming the 29th “Right to Work” state, which would have made it the first “Right to Work” state in New England. Despite support from Gov. Chris Sununu and the state Senate, it was not able to break the necessary threshold to get out of the house.

Good tax policy means having low rates and a broad tax base. To finance a reduction in individual and corporate income tax rates and the lowering of capital gains and dividend tax rates to spark economic growth, Congress, which is gearing up for fundamental tax reform, will look for ways to broaden the tax base through the elimination of certain tax loopholes, such as tax credits and deductions, that taxpayers can currently claim when they itemize when filing their tax return.