2018 Government Affairs Outlook Examines and Highlights Congress’ Packed Legislative Agenda
Washington, D.C. (January 22, 2018) — Bloomberg Government today issued its 2018 Government Affairs Outlook, which looks at the year ahead in key issue areas including agriculture, budget, education and defense. The Outlook also provides a snapshot of the 2018 elections and campaign finance. This year, Congress will prioritize the following issue areas:
- Agriculture: the farm bill, food aid and trade are at the top of 2018 agriculture agenda
- Budget: appropriations work for fiscal 2018 are in for a late start, with more stopgaps likely
- Defense: defense strategy, nuclear review, defense authorization are all in play
- Education: A higher education bill is a major priority in 2018 battles
“Government affairs professionals have to stay on top of all the issues in front of Congress in 2018, including how the upcoming elections will play a pivotal role in key priorities and decisions,” said Arielle Elliott, vice president and general manager, government affairs, at Bloomberg Government. “We’re excited to have a team of talented and dedicated reporters providing our clients with the information they need to make the best business decisions in 2018.”
A copy of the Government Affairs Outlook is available for complimentary download at https://about.bgov.com/downloads/2018-government-affairs-outlook/.
Highlights of the Outlook include:
Agriculture: The need to reauthorize farm programs, proposed changes to federal food assistance and international trade are likely to top Washington’s agriculture agenda in 2018.
Budget: The essential budget and appropriations work of 2018 can’t begin until lawmakers make the spending decisions they deferred in 2017. K Street strategists say current-year appropriations may not be complete until well into February – or almost six months into the 2018 fiscal year that began Oct. 1.
Defense: Restoring a military strained by continuous operations over the past 17 years will be the overarching goal for both Capitol Hill defense hawks and the Pentagon in 2018.
Education: Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate agree on the need to update federal higher education programs. It’s the divergent paths they’ll take to get there that raise doubt whether 2018 will see the first comprehensive higher education overhaul in a decade.
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