POPVOX / Federal
October 16, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House is out this week.
Monday: Senate in at 4 PM, with votes on nomination of Callista L. Gingrich to be Ambassador to the Holy See and David Joel Trachtenberg to be Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
Tuesday: Senate votes to start debate on budget (S. Con Res. 25) with 50 hours of debate, followed by "vote-a-rama."
After budget, Senate moves to House-passed $36.5 billion disaster relief package.
October 11, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
Senate is out this week.
House in at 10 AM for morning hour, noon for legislative business. First votes at 1:30 - 2:30 PM, last votes @ 4:30 - 5:30 PM.
Votes today on post office namings and small business bills, including Webster cyber bill, Knight tech transfer and SBIR bill. House will also vote on bills related to whistleblowers, including Russell bill expanding disclosure and Fleishmann bill on cash awards.
October 10, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
Senate is out this week.
House is in at noon for morning hour, legislative business at 2 PM, and votes to name post offices at 6:30 PM.
October 6, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House and Senate are out.
October 5, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House and Senate are out.
October 4, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
Senate is in at 9:30 AM to consider Randal Quarles nomination to Board of Governors of the Fed. at 10 AM, Senate vote on
- Randal Quarles to Fed Board of Governors
- Cloture on Lee Francis Cissna to be Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Confirmation of Lee Francis Cissna
House meets at 9 AM for legislative business. First votes at 9;45 - 10:45 AM, last votes 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM.
Continued consideration of H.Con.Res. 71, FY 2018 Budget Resolution.
October 3, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
Senate is in at 9:30 AM to consider Eric Hargan nomination to be Deputy Secretary of HHS and Randal Quarles nomination to Board of Governors of the Fed.
House meets at 10 AM for morning hour and noon for legislative business. First votes 1:30 - 2:30 PM, last votes 8:45 - 9:45 PM.
House begins consideration of H.Con.Res. 71, FY 2018 Budget Resolution. Four amendments proposing alternative budgets will be allowed:
October 2, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
Senate is in at 10 today, recessing from noon to 2:15 PM for weekly caucus meetings.
House is in at 10 AM for morning hour, noon for legislative business. First votes at 1:30 - 2:30 PM, last votes at 5 - 6 PM on:
- S. 652: Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act
- H.R. 2408: Protecting Girls? Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act
- H.R. 1918: Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (NICA) of 2017
- H.R. 1624: Municipal Finance Support Act of 2017, as amended
- S. 782: PROTECT Our Children Act
- S. 178: Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act
September 30, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House is in at noon for morning hour, 2 PM for legislative business and votes at 6:30 PM on:
- H.R. 2316: Cooperative Management of Mineral Rights Act of 2017
- H.R. 1547: Udall Park Land Exchange Completion Act
- H.R. 2582: Confirming State Land Grants for Education Act
- H.R. 965: Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Redesignation Act
- H.R. 2937: Community Reclamation Partnerships Act
- H.R. 289: GO Act
Senate in at 3 PM with a 5:30 PM vote on the confirmation of Ajit Pai to the FCC.
September 29, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House and Senate are out.
September 28, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House is in at 9 AM with first and last votes from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM on:
- S. 1866 - Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Education Relief Act of 2017
- H.R. 2792 - Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017
- H.R. 3823 - Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017
Senate is in at 9:30 AM with a vote on the confirmation of Ralph R. Erickson to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit. Cloture vote at 1:45 PM on Ajit Pai nomination to the FCC.
September 27, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
Senate is in at 10 AM.
House is in at 3 for legislative business with first and last votes between 4:30 - 5:30 PM. Votes on:
- S. 327: Fair Access to Investment Research Act of 2017
Sponsor: Sen. Dean Heller [R, NV]
Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish and implement a "safe harbor" for reports on ETF funds - H.R. 3229: To protect the safety of judges by extending the authority of the Judicial Conference to redact sensitive information contained in their financial disclosure reports
Sponsor: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries [D, NY-8] - H.Res. 311: Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in Southeast Asia
Sponsor: Rep. Joaquin Castro [D, TX-20] - H.R. 3823: Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017
The bill combines temporary tax relief to the victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria with a six-month extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization and taxes.
September 26, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House is in at 10 AM for morning hour, noon for legislative business. First votes between 1:15 - 2:15 PM, last votes between 4 - 5 PM. Vote on Smith bill to reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program (MIECHV).
Senate is in at 10 AM to resume work on the FY18 NDAA (S. 1516).
September 25, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House in at noon for morning hour and 2 PM for legislative business. Votes at 6:30 PM on suspension bills:
- H.R. ____: Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017 (DRAFT TEXT)
The bill combines temporary tax relief to the victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria with a six-month extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization and taxes. - H.Res. 311: Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in Southeast Asia
Sponsor: Rep. Joaquin Castro [D, TX-20] - S. 1141: Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017
Sponsor: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen [D, NH]
Requires the President to develop a strategy to promote the participation of women abroad in conflict prevention, management, resolution, and recovery. - H.R. 2519: The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act
Sponsor: Rep. Timothy Walz [D, MN-1] - H.R. 1235: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act
Sponsor: Rep. Richard Neal [D, MA-1] - S. 810: To facilitate construction of a bridge on certain property in Christian County, Missouri
Sponsor: Sen. Roy Blunt [R, MO] - H.R. __ – Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2017
READ MORE
September 23, 2017
WEEKLY UPDATE (Sept 25-28, 2017)
The House was out this week.
All eyes were on inter-GOP negotiations in the Senate on the Graham-Cassidy amendment to the House health bill. With statements of opposition from two key GOP senators, the amendment appears on shaky ground; losing one more Republican vote would doom it.
This week: the Senate will take its last shot on health care before reconciliation authority (allowing a vote without the 60-vote filibuster) expires September 30.
House will vote on bills to reauthorize the FAA, tax preferences for those in hurricane recovery zones, and reauthorize information and human rights program targeting North Korea.
READ MORE
September 20-22, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House and Senate are out
September 19, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
House is out for district work period.
Senate is in at 10, with a vote at 11 on nomination of Noel J. Francisco to be Solicitor General of the United States.
Senators hold weekly caucus meetings at 2:15 PM.
September 18, 2017
TODAY IN CONGRESS
Senate is in at 3 PM, with first votes at 5:30 PM on the McCain-Reed substitute amendment #1003 to the NDAA, cloture, and passage.
September 16, 2017
WEEKLY UPDATE (Sept 18-22, 2017)
It was another week of "dealing" between President Trump and Congressional Democrats, as they reached agreement on the outlines of a DACA deal.
The House passed its spending bills, notably before the end of the fiscal year. Senate wrapped up its work on the Defense policy bill (NDAA), with vote coming next week.
With the House out this week, all focus will be on the Senate and its multiple tracks on health care, including a last-ditch effort to repeal and replace Obamacare (Graham-Cassidy), a bipartisan attempt to shore up insurance markets before plans are announced for 2018. Senate Democrats introduced a "Medicare for All" bill.