June 2019 Washington Letter

Help End Veterans Homelessness

On May 22nd, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee held a legislative hearing that included a bill aimed at curbing homelessness among veterans. The Homeless Veterans Prevention Act, S. 980, was sponsored by Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Jon Tester (D-MT) and supported by all witnesses, including Veteran Service Organizations, the VA, and many advocates, including the ABA, who sent letters of support.

ABA Makes Significant Progress on Child Welfare

Significant progress has been made recently regarding child welfare, legal representation, and efforts to curb child abuse and neglect now that Congress and the U.S. Children’s Bureau are moving to expand protection for children and their legal representation.

What Does Patent Eligibility Mean for Industry?

Congress is considering important patent eligibility reforms that will have far-reaching implications for innovative industries like the technology, life sciences, and medical diagnostic sectors. Earlier this month, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property held a series of hearings on The State of Patent Eligibility in America.

House Panel Approves Beneficial Ownership Legislation

ABA concerned the bill could harm small businesses and their lawyers The House Financial Services Committee approved anti-money laundering legislation June 12 that would impose burdensome and intrusive regulations on millions of small businesses and their lawyers.

Federal Government

House panel’s contempt efforts face uncertain legal road

With the House Judiciary Committee recommending that Attorney General William Barr should be cited for contempt of Congress, a newly posted ABA Legal Fact Check details the legal difficulties ahead to enforce such a citation.

National Security

Program cuts for unaccompanied immigrant children could violate settlement, lawyer says

This article was published in the ABA Journal on June 5, 2019. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the cuts to the Washington Post. Funding is being eliminated, said spokesman Mark Weber, for activities that are “not directly necessary for the protection of life and safety.”