Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Reports

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions declined

Kamala Harris swears in Nebraska's Pete Ricketts into US Senate

Senators spoke on the Senate floor about the March for Life Tuesday

McConnell knocks DC officials over crime in city (Full Speech)

House — Bills • Actions passed

Representatives recognized the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade decision

House amendments: cheaper by the dozen • Lawmakers submit more than 140 amendments as House opens process for first time in seven years (Amendments offered 1/24, 1/25) • rule change opens door for Democrats to score political points • House passes bill aimed at restricting presidential releases of reserve oil (H.R. 21) • Biden administration threatens veto

House passes bill to improve FAA system that grounded flights (H.R. 346)

Resolution honoring Iranian protesters passes House with one GOP ‘no’ vote (H.Con.Res. 7)

House lawmakers hold moment of silence honoring victims of Monterey Park shooting (Moment of Silence)

House holds moment of silence honoring victims of Half Moon Bay shooting (Moment of Silence)

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers

Both houses of Congress met in pro forma sessions last week.

National Security / Military

Schiff says it's possible national security was jeopardized with Biden documents

McCarthy weighs in on defense spending cuts


Foreign Policy

GOP lawmaker urges White House to provide longer-range munitions to Ukraine

Bipartisan group of senators meets with Zelensky, other Ukrainian officials in Kyiv

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers

House — Bills • Actions passed

House adopts rules (H.Res. 5) • Unpacking the new rules: A guide to the changes • 7 Key Reforms • reforms 'make it easier' to add to debt, budget hawk group claims • One rule change could put more money in House members' pockets

House GOP passes repeal of IRS funding boost as its first bill in the majority (H.R. 23, Debate) • CBO: GOP's IRS bill will add $114B to deficit

GOP takes aim at Chinese influence with new investigative panel • House finds bipartisan agreement on a China-focused committee • House easily passes resolution to create bipartisan China select committee (H.Res. 11, Debate)

House GOP sets up panel to probe government ‘weaponization’ (H.Res. 12, Debate)

What you need to know about new GOP investigative panels 

Promises kept: Abortion bills hit the floor

Haley makes personal plea for Congress to protect infants born alive during abortions • House passes first GOP abortion bill days into new session (H.R. 26, Floor Debate) • If a child is born alive after surviving an abortion, this bill requires any health care practitioner present to provide the same degree of care any other child of the same gestational age would receive. The survivor must then be immediately transported to a hospital.

House passes resolution condemning attacks on pro-life facilities, groups (H.Con.Res. 3, Debate) • This resolution:

• lists the acts of violence that have been committed against pro-life facilities in the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision
• condemns vandalism, violence, and destruction
• recognizes the sanctity of life and highlights the important role that pro-life facilities and groups play in supporting pregnant women, infants, and families
• calls upon the Biden Administration to uphold public safety and protect the rights of pro-life facilities, groups, and churches

These House Democrats supported GOP-sponsored abortion measures

House passes bill aimed at restricting oil reserve sales to companies with Chinese influence (H.R. 22, Debate)

In Context: Reaping in Due Time

After the first week of this new Congress ended where a Congress usually begins—with the election of a Speaker—and after midnight, when the time came the traditional passing of the gavel from one Speaker to another, instead Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries fired off a defiant message of rejecting the American people's message in their 2022 election defeat.

His warm-up comments included quoting Galatians: “The Scripture says in Galatians: ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’” Indeed it does, Galatians 6:9.

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions passed

Murray gets presidential succession boost

Sen. Ben Sasse's Farewell to the Senate • Ben Sasse and the Institutions • Sasse’s valedictory speech was full of wisdom

House — Leader Remarks • Bills

Democrats decry proposed House rules

Kevin McCarthy secures Speakership, on 15th ballot, tells House it's time to ‘finish strong for the American people’ • McCarthy Speech • Biden congratulates McCarthy • How McCarthy won

Lawmakers take oath of office after speaker drama delays swearing-in

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions declined

Includes late releases of Congressional Record issues from the prior week

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Reports

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions passed, declined

Senate confirms Gruenberg as FDIC chair, two others to join board

Senate confirms new ambassador to Russia ahead of Zelensky address

Senate clinches deal on $1.7T government funding bill , breaks Title 42 logjam • Senate passes $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package (H.R. 2617) • five key last-minute changes

Senator Leahy Farewell Address

House — Bills • Actions passed

Emmett Till, Mamie Till-Mobley posthumously awarded Congressional Gold Medal

Zelenskyy delivers historic address to Congress, in 180 seconds • Zelensky to US lawmakers: ‘Your money is not charity’, tells Congress war aid can secure victory for Ukraine • Five biggest moments from address • Four key moments

House passes bill to make presidential tax returns public, requiring presidential tax audits (H.R. 9640)

House passes bill requiring equal pay for Team USA athletes (S. 2333)

Hoyer touts 'psychology of consensus' in final floor speech as majority leader (Full Speech)

Kevin McCarthy hammers omnibus bill, dings omnibus ‘pet projects’ in lengthy speech (H.R. 2617)

House ends 117th Congress by passing $1.7 trillion funding package

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Reports

Biden signs short-term bill to keep government open (H.R. 1437)

Bill awarding Congressional Gold Medal to Americans held in Iran hostage crisis heads to Biden's desk

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions begun, passed, declined

Democrats block GOP proposal to freeze federal spending until 2023 (S. 5244, Debate)

Senate rejects effort to cancel Biden charter school rule panned as 'burdensome' (S.J.Res. 60)

McConnell: Sanders Resolution on Yemen Would Strengthen Iran, Russia, and China (S.J.Res. 56)

Senate unanimously passes bill banning TikTok from government devices (S. 1143)

NDAA:
Biden pushes Congress to pass Manchin permitting reform bill opposed by liberals • Senate rejects Manchin’s energy permitting amendment to defense bill (S.Amdt. 6513) • Senate votes against reinstating troops kicked out over COVID-19 vaccine mandate (S.Amdt. 6526) • Senate passes sends $858 billion defense bill to Biden’s desk (H.R. 7776)

U.S. Senate confirms first Black woman to conservative-leaning 5th Circuit (65-31)

Senator Burr Farewell Address

Shelby delivers farewell speech on Senate floor (Full Speech)

Senator Toomey Farewell Address

Senate declines to protect Conscience rights, Lankford speaks on religious liberty (S. 401)

Schumer: Omnibus expected to include Electoral Count Act, Ukraine funding, CHIPS and Science Act implementation, PACT Act, “and more” (Full Speech)

House — Bills • Actions passed, declined

House holds moment of silence to mark 10th Sandy Hook anniversary (Moment of Silence)

House passes prison reform bill requiring updated security cameras to fight corruption (S. 2899)

House Democrats approve pathway for Puerto Rican statehood in final days of their majority (H.R. 8393) • AOC presides • bill sets vote on Puerto Rico political status

House approves removal of bust of Dred Scott decision author from Capitol, sending bill to Biden for signature (S. 5229)

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Reports

No more ‘Tiger Kings’ • Bill restricting big cat ownership made famous by ‘Tiger King’ roars through Senate, heads to Biden (H.R. 263)

House, Congress sends same-sex marriage protection bill to Biden (H.R. 8404) • What's included


Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions begun, passed, declined

Senator Blunt Farwell

Senator Portman Farewell

House — Weekly Leader Colloquy • Bills • Actions passed

House GOP support decreases for same-sex marriage corruption • 39 Republicans backed the bill • Who are they? • House Republican support shrinks despite religious liberty amendment • 7 Republicans Changed Their Minds to vote against • 10 House Republicans flipped their votes (some decided to support) • Republicans Slam House-Passed Respect for Marriage Act

House passes annual defense bill (H.R. 7776) • In and out: The pet policies that survived inclusion in the $858 billion defense policy bill • bill allows military members access to abortion across state lines • Lawmakers agree to repeal military COVID injection mandate over Pentagon objections • Manchin permitting reform rider fails a second time

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Reports

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions begun, passed, declined

U.S. Senate passes same-sex marriage bill (H.R. 8404) • with 12 Republicans • bill tramples faith • Democrats political reality • The GOP's drift • Mike Lee Outlines How Respect for Marriage Act Will Affect People of Faith

Senate votes to avert costly rail strike (80-15) • rejects two-month cool-off period (S.Amdt. 6503) • rejects proposal to give rail workers seven days of paid sick leave (H.Con.Res. 119) • Union leader says fight 'far from over' for paid sick leave • bill is rare rift between Democrats, unions • Republicans flirt with economic populism

Senate Democrats reject proposal to share more power

House — Weekly Leader Colloquy • Bills • Actions passed

House holds moment of silence for late-Rep. Donald McEachin

House passes bill to avert rail strike (H.J.Res. 100)