Congressional Outlook

Committee Activity

Shelby finalizing allocations for fiscal 2020 bills; first markup Sept. 12

The Senate's Transportation Plan Reckons With Climate Change

Lindsey Graham Forcibly Passes Asylum Bill After Democrats Stall For Seven Weeks

Congress Last Week

Weekly Digest of the Congressional Record

Floor Activity Headlines

Trump signs 9/11 victims compensation bill

Senate fails to override Trump veto on Saudi arms sale

Senate confirms Trump's deputy Defense secretary

Rand Paul declares Tea Party dead as fellow Republicans endorse behemoth spending bill

Senate confirms Craft as ambassador to the United Nations

Senate confirms 13 Trump judges ahead of August break

Senate approves Trump-backed spending, debt limit bill

House Committee Schedule

Thursday — August 1, 2019

Colorado's Roadmap for Clean Energy Action: Lessons from State and Local Leaders
Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

Expanding Opportunities for Small Businesses at Military Bases
Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access (Committee on Small Business) 

Source: House.gov

Senate Committee Schedule

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Armed Services
Business meeting to consider pending military nominations.

Armed Services
Hearings to examine the nomination of Gen. John E. Hyten, USAF, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Hearings to examine regulatory frameworks for digital currencies and blockchain.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Hearings to examine unprecedented migration at the United States southern border, focusing on what is required to improve conditions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Business meeting to consider the nominations of Sharon Fast Gustafson, of Virginia, to be General Counsel, and Charlotte A. Burrows, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member, both of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Finance
Hearings to examine the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Senate Floor Schedule

Program for Monday: Senate begins consideration of the veto messages with respect to S.J. Res. 36, providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services, S.J. Res. 37, providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services, and S.J. Res. 38, providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services, and votes on passage of the joint resolutions, the objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding, in the order listed, at 5:30 p.m.

A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that when the Senate receives H.R. 3877, to amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, to establish a congressional budget for fiscal years 2020 and 2021, to temporarily suspend the debt limit, it be placed on the calendar and not be required to lay over a day before a motion to proceed is in order.

Thursday, 7/25, Senate began consideration of the following:

Congressional Outlook

Committee Activity

Mueller said he wouldn't answer questions on Russia investigation origins or Steele dossier

Byron York: Confused performance by Mueller raises questions about handling of investigation

House Oversight readies subpoenas for White House aides' personal email, text messages

House Judiciary Democrats ramp up probe of Trump: 'This is an impeachment investigation.'

'The squad' goes on fact-free vaping rant


Floor Outlook

Senate to vote Monday on overriding Trump's Saudi arms deal vetoes

Trump poised to win Saudi arms sales standoff in Senate next week

Divided House Democrats punt border bill until after recess

Congress Last Week

Weekly Digest of the Congressional Record

Floor Activity Headlines

Senate confirms new defense secretary

Congress clears permanent funding for Sept. 11 victims fund

House passes bill opposing BDS, exposing divide among Democrats

Senate confirms Trump's pick to lead FAA

House clears bill to relieve onslaught of robocalls plaguing Americans

Senate confirms Trump judge despite Dem concerns about his membership in Catholic org

House approves loan program for troubled pension plans

U.S. House passes debt limit and spending bill, sends to Senate


Floor attempts to protect human life, prohibit infanticide

House: Tuesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Thursday, Thursday

2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom

Last week the State Department hosted the second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the largest religious freedom event of its kind in the globe. More than 1,000 civil society and religious leaders, and more than 100 foreign delegations were in attendance. Last year’s Ministerial was the first to focus solely on religious liberty. This year’s ministerial highlighted several survivors of religious persecution and those still living in systematic persecution.

Pro-Life Implications of Budget Agreement

On Monday evening, President Trump and bipartisan Congressional leadership reached a budget agreement for fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

Regarding the appropriations process, the agreement states that “there will be no poison pills, additional new riders, additional CHIMPS, or other changes in policy or conventions that allow for higher spending levels, or any non-appropriations measures unless agreed to on a bipartisan basis by the four leaders with the approval of the President.”

This agreement indicates that longstanding pro-life protections, including the Hyde Amendment, will be retained and that provisions in House appropriations bills that attack the Trump Administration’s pro-life achievements will not be included. This is contingent on the four leaders and the President putting this arrangement into effect as the appropriations process continues.

There are currently nine pro-life problems in House-passed appropriations bills for fiscal year 2020 that need to be addressed:

House Committee Schedule

Monday — July 22, 2019

How Regulations Stifle Small Business Growth
Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access (Committee on Small Business)

Weathering the Storm: Improving Hurricane Resiliency through Research
Subcommittee on Environment (Committee on Science, Space, and Technology)

Source: House.gov


Tuesday — July 23, 2019

Protecting Every Citizen: Assessing Emergency Preparedness for Underserved Populations
Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (Committee on Homeland Security)

Restoring the Partnership: The Future of Federalism in America
Subcommittee on Government Operations (Committee on Oversight and Reform)

Learning from Whistleblowers at the Department of Veterans Affairs
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Committee on Veterans' Affairs)

• H.R. 397 — Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act of 2019;
• H.R. 3239 — Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act
Committee on Rules

Source: House.gov