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    May 2020 Washington Letter

     

    Federal Government

    The Latest COVID-19 Relief Bill

    On May 15, the House narrowly passed, by a vote of 208 to 199, the latest bill designed to provide relief in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic -- the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act (H.R. 6800).

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    Federal Government

    Historic Rule Change in the House

    In a historic rule change on May 15, 2020, Chairman Jim McGovern (D-MA) of the House Rules Committee introduced H. Res. 965 to authorize remote voting by proxy in the House of Representatives and remote committee proceedings during the COVID-19 public health emergency for a 45-day period. This 45-day period may be extended for an additional 45 days or terminated earlier, depending on the status of the emergency. Proxy voting had been allowed in House committees previously, but never on the House floor in its 231-year history.

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    The ABA Washington Letter is a monthly publication produced by the Governmental Affairs Office to report and analyze congressional and executive branch action on legislative issues of interest to the ABA and the legal profession. The newsletter highlights ABA involvement in the federal legislative process and focuses on the association's legislative and governmental priorities and other issues on which the ABA has policy.

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