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News and updates

This Week in Congress, March 13-17

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March 14

 

Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Hearing to examine opportunities to improve American energy infrastructure

10am, 366 Senate Dirksen Office Building

 

March 15

 

House Committee on Agriculture

Hearing to examine “Agriculture and Tax Reform: Opportunities for Rural America”

10am, 1300 Longworth House Office Building

 

House Committee on the Budget

Markup of Reconciliation Submissions

10am, 1334 Longworth House Office Building

 

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Hearing to examine “Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Innovation, Integration, Successes, and Challenges”

10:00am, 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building

 

House Committee on Energy and Commerce

Hearing on “Disrupter Series: Advanced Materials and Productions”

10:15am, 2322 Rayburn House Office Building

 

Senate Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies

Hearing to examine “STEM Education: Preparing Students for the Careers of Today and the Future”

10:30am, 138 Dirksen Senate Office Building

 

March 16

 

House Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research

Hearing to examine “The Next Farm Bill: Agriculture Research”

10am, 1300 Longworth House Office Building

 

House Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, House and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

Oversight hearing to examine the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development

10am, 2358-A Rayburn House Office Building

 

House Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry

Hearing to examine “The Next Farm Bill: Forestry Initiatives”

2pm, 1300 Longworth House Office

Four States Seek Temporary Restraining Order Against New Immigration Order

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The attorneys general of four states—Washington, Oregon, New York, and Massachusetts—asked U.S. District Judge James Robart on Thursday to issue a temporary restraining order against the new Trump Administration immigration order, which was issued earlier this week. The attorneys general have argued, in essence, that the ruling that barred the initial immigration order should apply to the new order, which is scheduled to go into effect on March 16.

The request follows a lawsuit filed by the state of Hawaii on Wednesday against the new order.

Senate Repeals Teacher Education Regulations

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Employing the same method used by the House in February, the Senate rolled back on Wednesday the regulations issued by the Education Department in the last days of the Obama Administration aimed at teacher education and training programs at institutions of higher education.

Mark Up Still Going

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The House Ways and Means (W&M) Committee finished their portion of the Republican ACA repeal measure around 4:30 am this morning. The Committee approved their marked up draft by a vote of  23-16. The panel worked through the night, with Republicans overcoming Democratic protests that the process was rushed and the bill would force Americans to lose insurance coverage. 

The House Energy and Commerce  (E&C) Committee continues to mark up their section of the measure — 23 and a half hours as of this posting. Watch the hearing live here. For both committees, it has been an exercise in procedural maneuvering , particularly for E&C. To wit, it took E&C 12 hours to debate and then vote on the first amendment offered to the bill, which came from Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NY), to rename the bill “Republican Pay More for Less Care Act”. It failed along party lines. They are still working, and Democrats have asserted the they have “hundreds” of amendments.

During the week of March 13, the House Budget Committee is expected to package the W&M language with provisions from the E&C. The House will vote on the combined measure later in the week.

House Passes FY2017 DOD Approps Bill

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Today, the House voted 371 to 48 to pass HR 1301, the FY2017 Defense Department spending measure.

The legislation replaces the continuing resolution  for the Pentagon and falls well within the budget control law’s caps on overall defense spending with a total of $577.9 billion. That is is below the sequester levels may allow it to move through both chambers without too much opposition. The measure includes $61.8 billion for overseas operations, an account that is not limited by law.