In Context: Identifying Tentacles

The first full week Congress was in session after the Dobbs decision overturning Roe has been unusually full of material ripe for commentary. A few notes have been added on three items in the weekly update. For this space, there is a larger trend emerging that is worth noting.

Committees held multiple post-Roe hearings this week. One of the more viral moments came between UC Berkeley School of Law Professor Khiara M. Bridges and Senator Hawley of Missouri. 

A more substantive policy point came later in her written testimony:

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers

Date and Issue No.	Digest	Senate	House	Extensions	Entire Issue
July 15, 2022 - No. 117	D786-788	--	H6627-6681	E739-745	1 MB PDF
July 14, 2022 - No. 116	D757-784	S3285-3318	H6511-6625	E729-737	3 MB PDF
July 13, 2022 - No. 115	D742-756	S3245-3284	H5979-6509	E721-728	1—6 MB PDF  |  2—3 MB PDF
July 12, 2022 - No. 114	D733-740	S3217-3244	H5947-5977	E711-719	2 MB PDF
July 11, 2022 - No. 113	D725-732	S3187-3215	H5943-5946	E705-709	1 MB PDF

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

Senate confirms Steve Dettelbach to head ATF, first Senate-confirmed ATF director since 2015 • Why Did Two Republicans Just Save Biden’s ATF Nominee?

Michael Barr confirmed as Fed vice chairman for supervision in bipartisan vote

GOP senator blocks bill to protect interstate travel for abortion (S. 4504) • Democratic Senators attempt unanimous consent passage of S. 4504, Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act, a bill related to abortion and traveling across state lines • Senator Daines spoke in opposition • Senator Lankford objected, noting “there is another bill that is actually being discussed that would literally—if you are a pregnancy resource center dealing with crisis pregnancies, if you don't perform abortions, they would call that misinformation. In the other bill that is being discussed right now, they would fine you $100,000. I can't even begin to explain my emotion when I think, if you take the life of a child, there is pressure to say: We want Federal funding to take the life of a child. If you protect the life of a child, we are going to fine you $100,000. … So while there is conversation about how to put a piece of legislation out that may very well protect individuals who are being trafficked to go to other States to get an abortion or all kinds of other issues that are there, I come back to the most basic thing: There is a child in this conversation”

House — Weekly Leader Colloquy • Bills • Actions passed

House passes bill expanding care for vets exposed to toxins, Compromise veterans bill heads back to Senate (S. 3373)

House passes active shooter alert system following failed vote last month (H.R. 6538) • one Democrat voted against

House passes annual defense policy bill, $839 billion, more than Biden's request (H.R. 7900) • Defense bill becomes battleground for culture wars • agrees to measure to identify, monitor white supremacy in military, law enforcement (H.Amdt. 262) • adopts amendment giving DC mayor authority over city’s national guard (H.Amdt. 260) • approves amendment to create system for reporting UFOs (Amendment No. 156 in H.Rept. 117-405)

House passes bills enforcing abortion access following Roe reversal (H.R. 8296—Floor Debate; H.R. 8297—Floor Debate) • On the latter, House Republicans offered a motion to recommit that would have brought to the floor for a vote the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (H.R. 2223, S. 109), a bill to create new federal crimes related to transporting a minor across state lines for an abortion. The motion failed 209-219. As passed, H.R. 8297 • Fails to protect vulnerable individuals transported across state lines by abusers to receive abortions: Section 2(a)(4) • Preempts state laws restricting the use of chemical abortion drugs: Section 2(a)(5) • Protects late-term abortionists evading pro-life state laws and pro-patient regulations: Section 2(a)(1)

House passes bill to temporarily suspend tariffs on baby formula imports (H.R. 8351)