Life Implications of LHHS Appropriations Markup

This afternoon, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, Education (LHHS) marked up the FY2020 Labor, Health & Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

All longstanding pro-life provisions within the bill were retained, including the Hyde Amendment, which protects taxpayer dollars from paying for abortion (see below).

During the mark-up, LHHS Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said that the Hyde Amendment was included in the subcommittee bill because President Donald Trump has committed to veto any bill that weakens pro-life policy. LHHS Ranking Member Tom Cole (R-OK) expressed support for the pro-life provisions in the bill and called for concerns like the Title X language (described below) to be addressed in a bipartisan manner.

Pro-Life Committee Activity

Two House Committee hearings held today related to pro-life issues.

1. The Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution held a hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment (H.J.Res. 35).

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was defeated in the states in the 1970s and 1980s, is being pushed in the states again.  If ratified, it would create a permanent, nationwide “right” to abortion.  Since only women can become pregnant, most abortion laws and restrictions ultimately pertain only to them. The ERA would require taxpayer-funded abortion on demand, permanently allow abortion until birth for any reason throughout the nation, and place at risk federal and state conscience laws.

House Committee Schedule

Monday — April 29, 2019

Central Intelligence Agency - FY2020 — Budget Hearing
Subcommittee on Defense (Committee on Appropriations)

• H.R. 9 — Climate Action Now Act
Committee on Rules

Tragic Trends: Suicide Prevention Among Veterans
Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Source: House.gov

House Floor Schedule

Items that may be considered pursuant to a rule

H.R. 9: Climate Action Now Act


Items that may be considered under suspension of the rules

H.R. 1222: Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act

H.R. 91: Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act

H.R. 317: Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Land Affirmation Act of 2019, as amended

H.Res. 327: Encouraging greater public-private sector collaboration to promote financial literacy for students and young adults

H.Res. 328: Supporting the protection of elders through financial literacy

H.R. 1876: Senior Security Act of 2019

Senate Committee Schedule

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Joint Economic Committee
Hearings to examine expanding opportunity by strengthening families, communities, and civil society.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Subcommittee on Security
Hearings to examine strengthening the cybersecurity of the Internet of Things.

Judiciary
Subcommittee on Intellectual Property
Hearings to examine World Intellectual Property Day 2019, focusing on the role of intellectual property in sports and public safety.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Hearings to examine how banking agencies regulate and supervise institutions, focusing on guidance, supervisory expectations, and the rule of law.

Senate Floor Schedule

Program for Monday: Senate resumes consideration of the nomination of William Cooper, of Maryland, to be General Counsel of the Department of Energy, and votes on the motion to invoke cloture thereon at 5:30 p.m.

Congressional Outlook

Committee Activity

Don McGahn subpoenaed by House Judiciary Committee


Floor Outlook

Hoyer outlines House schedule, legislative agenda for coming work period

Senate to take up Trump's Yemen veto next week

Washington's major push to lower drug prices

Congress returning from recess

Weekly Digests of the Congressional Record

April 19, 2019

April 26, 2019


Homeland Security

Rep. Duncan Hunter: Arizona border resembles combat zone of Afghanistan

Inhofe no longer concerned about border troop readiness after Texas tour


Federal Spending

Fiscal 2020 spending efforts begin

House Committee Schedule

Monday — April 15, 2019

Oil and Gas Development: Impacts on Air Pollution and Sacred Sites
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Committee on Natural Resources) 

Source: House.gov


Tuesday — April 16, 2019

Voting Rights and Election Administration in the Dakotas
Subcommittee on Elections (Committee on House Administration)
Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council, Building #1
North Standing Rock Avenue
Fort Yates, ND 58538 

Source: House.gov


Thursday — April 18, 2019

Voting Rights and Election Administration in North Carolina
Subcommittee on Elections (Committee on House Administration) 

Source: House.gov

Senate Floor Schedule

Senate Program:

Pro Forma Sessions--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that the Senate adjourn, to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted on the following dates and times, and that following each pro forma session, the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session:
Monday, April 15, 2019, at 3 p.m.;
Thursday, April 18, 2019, at 11:45 a.m.;
Monday, April 22, 2019, at 9 a.m.;
Thursday, April 25, 2019, at 4:30 p.m.;
and that when the Senate adjourns on Thursday, April 25, 2019, it next convene at 3 p.m., on Monday, April 29, 2019.

Congressional Outlook

Committee Activity

Key panel examining whether IRS 'properly auditing' Trump

Grassley: 'Double standard' if Dems don't back probing Obama-era scandals

Republican releases transcript of top FBI lawyer during Clinton, Trump-Russia investigations

House hearing on hate was not uplifting

Senate Judiciary Committee held hearing on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

The bias on social networks is toward polarization

Senate Armed Services Committee aiming to mark up annual defense policy legislation (NDAA) week of May 20

Congress Last Week

Weekly Digest of the Congressional Record

Floor Activity Headlines

House passes bill to modernize IRS

House Passes Bill to Derail ‘Restoring Internet Freedom’

Senate approves retired Gen. John Abizaid as lead diplomat to Saudi Arabia

Senate confirms interior secretary


Floor attempts to protect human life, prohibit infanticide

House: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

House Committee Schedule

Monday — April 8, 2019

• H.R. 1644 — Save the Internet Act of 2019;
• H.R. 2021 — Investing for the People Act of 2019
Committee on Rules 

Source: House.gov


Tuesday — April 9, 2019

Hate Crimes and the Rise of White Nationalism
Committee on the Judiciary 

"The Equality Act (H.R. 5): Ensuring the Right to Learn and Work Free from Discrimination."
Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services (Committee on Education and Labor) 

House Floor Schedule

Legislative Program for next week

On Monday, the House meets at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.

On Tuesday, the House meets at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

On Wednesday, the House meets at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

On Thursday and Friday, no votes are expected in the House.


Full floor colloquy on next week's House schedule

• Net Neutrality
• Israel vs. BDS
• April 15 Budget Deadline
• USMCA
• Born-Alive Protection

Majority Leader Hoyer seemed to indicate House Democrats were conditioning their bringing up H.R. 962 in the House on Senate Republicans taking up H.R. 1, their priority legislation, in the Senate.

Senate Committee Schedule

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Business meeting to consider the nomination of Gordon Hartogensis, of Connecticut, to be Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for a term of five years, and other pending nominations.

Armed Services
Hearings to examine the posture of the Department of the Navy in review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2020 and the Future Years Defense Program.

Energy and Natural Resources
Hearings to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2020 for the Forest Service.

Foreign Relations
Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy
Hearings to examine ARIA in action, focusing on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Hearings to examine migration at the United States Southern border, focusing on perspectives from the frontline.

Judiciary
Hearings to examine the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

Senate Floor Schedule

Thursday, Senate began consideration of several nominations.

Senate began consideration of the nomination of Daniel Desmond Domenico, of Colorado, to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado.

Senate began consideration of the nomination of Patrick R. Wyrick, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Senate began consideration of the nomination of Cheryl Marie Stanton, of South Carolina, to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor.

Senate began consideration of the nomination of John P. Abizaid, of Nevada, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Senate began consideration of the nomination of Holly A. Brady, of Indiana, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Indiana.

Senate began consideration of the nomination of David Steven Morales, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas.

Congressional Outlook

Committee Activity

House Oversight votes to subpoena ex-White House official for security clearance investigation

Jerry Nadler’s Mueller report subpoena isn’t legit without impeachment inquiry

House Panel Holds Hearing on ‘Equality Act’

Pro-Life Committee Activity Update


Floor Outlook

House Speaker Pelosi cites labor, enforcement concerns over new NAFTA (USMCA)

Congress Last Week

Weekly Digest of the Congressional Record

Floor Activity Headlines

Disaster relief bill fails in Senate

House condemns Trump's latest health care freedom push

Senate changes procedures to speed up Trump nominees

House approves domestic violence law with new gun restrictions and transgender provisions

House votes to stop supporting Yemen war

U.S. Senate confirms housing regulator overseeing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac


Floor attempts to protect human life, prohibit infanticide

House: Monday, Tuesday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Tuesday, Representative Scalise presented to the clerk a motion to discharge the Committee on Rules from the consideration of H.Res. 102, providing for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 962) to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion (Discharge Petition No. 1).

Thursday, Majority Whip Scalise asked Majority Leader Hoyer about bringing up H.R. 962 during the floor colloquy.

Pro-Life Committee Activity Update

During an appropriations subcommittee hearing, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) questioned NIH Director Francis Collins on the ongoing research using fetal tissue (aborted babies) currently being funded through NIH.

During a mark-up the House Energy and Commerce Committee took up 14 bills.

The mark-up included H.R. 1425, the State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, sponsored by Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN). H.R. 1425 establishes cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) and reinsurance without necessary safeguards to prevent these sources of taxpayer funding from going to insurance plans that cover abortion.

During consideration, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute (ANS) that would have included Hyde protections to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding insurance plans that cover abortion. After speaking on this ANS, Rep. Burgess withdrew it, indicating that he was interested in offering it again if H.R. 1425 is considered on the House floor.

Afterward, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) offered an amendment that would also have included Hyde protections. Rep. McMorris Rodgers said, “This is the same vote that Members of Congress have taken since 1976… in fact 4,072 votes. Which affirms the longstanding, bipartisan consensus that federal dollars should not pay for abortion…”