CR Adopted by the Senate

Posted on December 11, 2020

Earlier this afternoon, the Senate approved by voice vote a one-week continuing resolution (CR), which, if signed by the President, would keep the government funded through next Friday. The current CR expires at midnight tonight.

The extension is designed to buy some more time for negotiators to come an agreement on the FY2021 spending package and possibly on another COVID relief bill. The extra week also gives Congress time to potentially vote to override a promised-veto on next year’s defense authorization legislation.

House Clears Another CR

Posted on December 9, 2020

Earlier this afternoon, the House cleared another short-term funding measure by a vote of 343 to 67. Assuming that the Senate approves it and it is signed by the President before midnight Saturday, the negotiators will have bought themselves another week to produce a FY2021 spending package as well as, possibly, another COVID relief bill before officially adjourning the 116th Congress.

McMorris Rodgers Becomes Top Republican on Energy and Commerce

Posted on December 3, 2020

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (5th District) was chosen yesterday by her conference as the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee for the 117th Congress. The committee has jurisdiction over a wide range of issues.

DeLauro Wins Appropriations Gavel, Kelly Sworn In

Posted on December 3, 2020

Earlier today, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut was chosen by the House Democrats to serve as the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee when the new 117th Congress convenes in January. She beat out Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida. Marcy Kaptur, who was expected to run as well, dropped out at the last minute.

DeLauro won the vote of Democratic Steering and Policy Committee yesterday but she needed the approval of the full Democratic caucus. She is currently the chair of the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee and takes over the full committee’s gavel from Nita Lowey of New York, who is retiring at the end of this Congress.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Capitol, Democrat Mark Kelly of Arizona was sworn in yesterday as the newest member of the Senate. He defeated Martha McSally in a special election, which enabled him to be sworn in this Congress. With Kelly, the Republican majority in the Senate now stands at 52 – 48. Two Senate elections are scheduled in Georgia for January 5.

Bipartisan COVID Relief Bill Unveiled

Posted on December 1, 2020December 1, 2020

A bipartisan group of Senators have introduced a “middle ground” COVID relief bill which they hope can work for both sides of the aisle and pass before the holidays. The $908 billion bill includes some relief for state, local, and tribal governments, the USPS, $300/week unemployment supplements, help for small businesses, testing and tracing, housing assistance, a reauthorization of the paycheck protection program, and more. The bill does not include another round of $1,200 stimulus checks.

An overview is available here, however the actual bill has not been made available yet.

Some of the $908 billion is repurposed from prior spending bills, rather than new spending.

It is unclear whether the bill has enough support to pass in either chamber, or whether the President would sign it. Democrats continue to push for greater spending while Republicans want a smaller price tag.