Weekly Trek: June 5, 2015

12 Jun Weekly Trek: June 5, 2015

Weekly Trek

June 5, 2015

Top Political News

• The economy added 280,000 jobs in May, the Labor Department reported Friday, up from April’s increase of 221,000 jobs. Unemployment was 5.5 percent, essentially unchanged from April’s 5.4 percent, and average hourly private-sector earnings were up 8 cents, more than double April’s 3-cent increase. WSJ
• Is a third political party straining to break out in America? WSJ
• Lincoln Chafee and Rick Perry join the expanding field of presidential contenders.
• Supreme Court justices assume we know how many Americans can vote. But we have no idea. Politico
• Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is vowing to use Senate rules to block the entire appropriations process. Politico

Transportation

• Airlines launch petition against airport ‘tax’. The Hill
• Democrats are threatening an aggressive confrontation with Republicans over federal highway money, foreshadowing yet another round of brinkmanship with the GOP and raising the specter of a temporary shutdown of transportation construction sites nationwide. Politico
• How a decaying infrastructure hurts U.S. manufacturing. WSJ
• JetBlue calls out fellow US airlines over Open Skies. TravelPulse
• Proposing a fix that could put an end to the feud over Passenger Facility Charges, the U.S. Travel Association put forth a plan this week that’s likely to spur a different fight. Proposal
• The final passage of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill is expected June 9.

Energy & Natural Resources

• Oregon wildfire danger expected to spike above normal in July. The Register-Guard
• Global warming ‘hiatus’ challenged by NOAA research. NY Times
• P.A. to Set New Limits on Airplane Emissions. NY Times
• The Obama administration is conducting the final review of its controversial rule to limit carbon emissions from power plants. The Hill
• How Europe’s climate policies led to more U.S. trees being cut down. Wash Post

Labor

• Missouri Governor vetoes Right to Work measure. WSJ
• SCOTUS wants solicitor general’s take on ERISA venue clauses. Law360
• President Obama, the Senate, and state private-sector retirement laws. Oxford University Press

Foreign Affairs, Trade, & Defense

• The FBI operates a fleet of several dozen low-flying planes for surveillance obscured behind fake companies. AP
• The White House is aggressively courting House Democrats on fast-track trade legislation ahead of a contentious summer vote. The Hill