After a short respite to observe Veterans Day, members return to Capitol Hill today with Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 appropriations on the agenda and a looming highway authorization deadline on the calendar.
Negotiations over a long-term federal highway and infrastructure bill are headed into the final phase of congressional negotiation. Congress faces a Friday deadline to complete work on the highway and infrastructure legislation because the current extension expires on November 20 at midnight. Even though members were largely back in their districts last week, staff for House and Senate conferees appointed to a bicameral conference committee were working to resolve differences between the versions of the long-term highway and infrastructure authorization bills passed by both chambers. While both versions of the bill reauthorize the highway program for six years, they both provide funding only for the first three years, requiring Congress to come up with the remaining three years of financing. In addition, differences remain in in the ways each chamber pays for the programs. Press reports indicate there is optimism that the bicameral committee will produce the conference report on a long-term bill that can be passed by both chambers and sent to the President for signature before the end of the week. Should any roadblocks appear, it is likely House and Senate leadership will move quickly to pass another short-term extension of current authorization until the conference committee can complete its work.
Appropriations for 2016 will also be on the agenda this week, even though the fiscal year is already well underway. Passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act in October established topline allocations for discretionary programs, a breakthrough that is allowing the stalled appropriations process to move forward. Now that a satisfactory budget framework has been established, House and Senate leadership are strategizing on how to complete appropriations work before a December 11 expiration of current funding, but there does not yet appear to be any clear process for moving forward. Last week the Senate took up and unanimously passed its first appropriations bill this year, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill. The House has already passed six of the twelve annual spending bills and was considering a seventh when it had to be pulled from the floor due to a dispute over the Confederate battle flag. Chairmen of the House Appropriations Subcommittees whose bills have not yet been considered by the full House have scheduled “listening sessions” with representatives who do not serve on the Appropriations Committee to get input on the remaining spending measures, according to press reports. New Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has reportedly polled the members of his conference on whether to resume consideration of individual spending bills or proceed with an omnibus bill, and apparently there was widespread support for developing a single omnibus spending bill.
Even without an established year-end plan, the Senate is likely to move forward with its second appropriations bill this week. Senators resume legislative business on Monday with a vote on a judicial nominee. Following this vote, it is expected that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will schedule the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) Appropriations Act for consideration during the remainder of the week. The bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee provides roughly $56 billion in discretionary spending for programs and functions within the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. As discussed above, there is potential for Senate consideration of other appropriations bills before the December 11 deadline. Passage of individual spending measures allows the Senate to stake its mark on appropriations legislation in the event that the bills are all rolled into an omnibus measure before the end of the year. Other than the T-HUD spending bill, and the consideration of any highway conference report, the Senate’s legislative calendar remains unclear for the rest of the week, but look for another appropriations bill to come up for consideration if time remains after considering these two measures.
The House returns on Monday with votes expected on 14 bills under suspension of the rules. Votes are also expected on motions to concur with Senate amendments to two bills, one related to disaster and recovery assistance programs and the other to commercial exploration of space resources.
On Tuesday, the House is expected to take up H.R. 511, the Tribal Sovereignty Act, subject to a rule. This legislation amends the National Labor Relations Act to provide that any enterprise or institution owned and operated by an Indian tribe and located on its lands is not considered an employer. This bill would prevent the National Labor Relations Board from exercising jurisdiction over tribal businesses operated on tribal lands. The House may also vote on a motion to go to conference with the Senate on legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Press reports indicate that House and Senate committee chairmen and ranking members have resolved differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions of the bill and reached a preliminary agreement on a conference report. We can expect consideration of the education bill before Congress adjourns for the year in December.
During the remainder of the week, the House is expected to consider three pieces of legislation reported out of the Financial Services Committee, each subject to a rule: H.R. 1737, which would nullify guidance provided by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2013 regarding indirect auto lending; H.R. 1210, legislation to modify Qualified Mortgage rules established by the Dodd-Frank Act (P.L. 111-203); and H.R. 3189, which would require reforms at the Federal Reserve in an effort to increase transparency and accountability. As discussed above, the House is also expected to consider highway reauthorization legislation during the week, either a conference report on a long-term bill, or a short-term extension of current authority and funding.
Congressional committees resume a busy hearing and markup schedule this week, with a number of high-profile events occurring on Tuesday. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch will be making her inaugural appearance before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning for a Justice Department oversight hearing. (General Lynch’s scheduled October appearance before the committee was rescheduled.) The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology also meets Tuesday morning to conduct oversight of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is scheduled to consider President Obama’s nomination of Dr. Robert M. Califf to become the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. A joint hearing of House and Senate Homeland Security Subcommittees will take place in the afternoon to examine ongoing issues at the troubled Secret Service. Also occurring on Tuesday, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law is scheduled to consider the “State of Competition in the Pharmacy Benefits Manager and Pharmacy Marketplaces,” with representatives from local, corporate, and online pharmacies scheduled to testify about increasing consolidation in the health-care industry in the wake of the Affordable Care Act.
Following last week’s observance of Veterans Day, several congressional hearings focus on the health and well-being of those who have served in our nation’s armed services. The House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health meets Tuesday morning for a legislative hearing on 10 veterans health bills, while the full Veterans Affairs Committee will meet Wednesday to discuss the VA’s Plan to Consolidate Community Care Programs, submitted to Congress on October 30. The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity meets Wednesday afternoon to review the VA’s On-the-Job Training and Apprenticeship Program. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee also meets on Wednesday to review 5 pieces of legislation on veterans health and benefits.
There are again numerous House hearings this week focused on international activities in the Middle East and the campaign against the Islamic State. A joint hearing between the House Homeland Security and House Foreign Affairs Committees is scheduled for Wednesday morning to discuss terrorist sanctuaries. The hearing will likely also focus on the Russian passenger jet that crashed in the Sinai Peninsula last month and reports that a terrorist attack is the most likely cause of the disaster. The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade will meet Tuesday afternoon on the topic of terrorist financing, while a House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and National Security will meet Thursday to discuss the Syrian refugee crisis and its impact on the security of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
These hearings and other key congressional hearings are listed below:
Monday, November 16, 2015
Senate Committees
North Korean Nuclear and Ballistic Missile Capabilities
Senate Foreign Relations
Full Committee Closed Briefing
5 p.m., SVC-217 Capitol Visitor Center
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
House Committees
International Food Aid Programs: Transportation Perspectives
House Agriculture – Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture; House Transportation and Infrastructure – Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
Committee Joint Hearing
10 a.m., 1300 Longworth Bldg.
Examining the Regulation of Diagnostic Tests and Laboratory Operations
House Energy and Commerce – Subcommittee on Health
Subcommittee Hearing
10 a.m., 2322 Rayburn Bldg.
FCC Oversight
House Energy and Commerce – Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
Subcommittee Oversight Hearing
10:15 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg.
Dodd-Frank Conflict Minerals Reporting
House Financial Services – Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn Bldg.
Women and Technology: Increasing Opportunity and Driving International Development
House Foreign Affairs
Full Committee Hearing
Nov. 17, 10 a.m., 2172 Rayburn Bldg.
Examining Ongoing Challenges at the U.S. Secret Service
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs – Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management; House Homeland Security – Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency
Subcommittees Joint Hearing
10 a.m., HVC-210 Capitol Visitor Center
Justice Department Oversight
House Judiciary
Full Committee Oversight Hearing
10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn Bldg.
Education Information Security Review
House Oversight and Government Reform
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn Bldg.
Exploring Commercial Opportunities to Maximize Earth Science Investments
House Science, Space and Technology – Subcommittee on Environment; House Science, Space and Technology – Subcommittee on Space
Committee Joint Hearing
10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn Bldg.
National Entrepreneurs’ Day
House Small Business
Full Committee Hearing
Nov. 17, 11 a.m., 2360 Rayburn Bldg.
Veterans Health
House Veterans’ Affairs – Subcommittee on Health
Subcommittee Hearing
10 a.m., 334 Cannon Bldg.
Terrorist Financing: Kidnapping, Antiquities Trafficking and Private Donations
House Foreign Affairs – Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
Subcommittee Hearing
2 p.m., 2200 Rayburn Bldg.
Charting the Arctic Outlook: Economic and Resource Opportunities
House Foreign Affairs – Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats; House Foreign Affairs – Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
Subcommittees Joint Hearing
2 p.m., 2172 Rayburn Bldg.
Assessing TSA Management and Implementation of the Screening Partnership Program
House Homeland Security – Subcommittee on Transportation Security
Subcommittee Hearing
Nov. 17, 2 p.m., 311 Cannon Bldg.
The State of Competition in the Pharmacy Benefits Manager and Pharmacy Marketplaces
House Judiciary – Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law
Subcommittee Hearing
3 p.m., 2141 Rayburn Bldg.
Lessons Learned from Welfare Reforms in Other Countries
House Ways and Means – Subcommittee on Human Resources
Subcommittee Hearing
2 p.m., 1100 Longworth Bldg.
Senate Committees
Defense Department Reform
Senate Armed Services
Full Committee Hearing
9:30 a.m., G-50 Dirksen Bldg.
Wildfire Management
Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 366 Dirksen Bldg.
Physician-Owned Distributorships
Senate Finance
Full Committee Hearing
2 p.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.
FDA Commissioner Nomination
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Full Committee Confirmation Hearing
10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.
Options for Reforming U.S. Overseas Broadcasting
Senate Foreign Relations
Full Committee Hearing
Nov. 17, 2:30 p.m., 419 Dirksen Bldg.
Federal and Local Law Enforcement Issues
Senate Judiciary – Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts
Subcommittee Hearing
2:15 p.m., 226 Dirksen Bldg.
Veterans’ Affairs Inspector General Nomination
Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Full Committee Confirmation Hearing
2:30 p.m., 418 Russell Bldg.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
House Committees
SNAP Outlook: National Commission on Hunger
House Agriculture
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 1300 Longworth Bldg.
Biennial Budgeting
House Budget
Full Committee Hearing
9:45 a.m., 210 Cannon Bldg.
SEC’s Agenda-Operations-Budget
House Financial Services
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn Bldg.
The Rise of Radicalism: Growing Terrorist Sanctuaries and the Threat to U.S. Homeland
House Homeland Security; House Foreign Affairs
Committees Joint Hearing
10 a.m., HVC-210 Capitol Visitor Center
Protecting America’s Recreation and Conservation Act
House Natural Resources
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 1324 Longworth Bldg.
Federal Student Aid: Performance-Based Organization Review
House Oversight and Government Reform – Subcommittee on Government Operations; House Education and the Workforce – Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training
Committees Joint Hearing
9 a.m., 2154 Rayburn Bldg.
The Administration’s Empty Promises for the International Climate Treaty
House Science, Space and Technology
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn Bldg.
Small Contractors
House Small Business – Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce
Subcommittee Hearing
10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn Bldg.
Choice Consolidation: Assessing VA’s Plan to Improve Veterans Care
House Veterans’ Affairs
Full Committee Hearing
10:30 a.m., 334 Cannon Bldg.
Outside Views on the Strategy for Iraq and Syria
House Armed Services
Full Committee Hearing
1 p.m., 2118 Rayburn Bldg.
Assessing the President’s Strategy in Afghanistan
House Foreign Affairs – Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa
Subcommittee Hearing
1 p.m., 2172 Rayburn Bldg.
The Internet of Cars
House Oversight and Government Reform – Subcommittee on Information Technology
Subcommittee Hearing
2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn Bldg.
Recommendations of the Commission to Review the Effectiveness of the National Energy Labs
House Science, Space and Technology – Subcommittee on Energy
Subcommittee Hearing
2 p.m., 2318 Rayburn Bldg.
Examining Veterans Training
House Veterans’ Affairs – Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
Subcommittee Hearing
2 p.m., 334 Cannon Bldg.
Senate Committees
Undersea Critical Infrastructure Protection
Senate Armed Services – Subcommittee on Seapower
Full Committee Closed Hearing
9:30 a.m., SVC-217, U.S. Capitol
Executive Session: Pending Legislation and Nominations
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation
Full Committee Markup
11 a.m., 253 Russell Bldg.
International Climate Negotiations
Senate Environment and Public Works
Full Committee Hearing
9:30 a.m., 406 Dirksen Bldg.
H.R. 2820, S. 1719, and Nominations
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Full Committee Markup
10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.
International Adoptions
Senate Judiciary
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Bldg.
Native American Education Measures
Senate Indian Affairs
Full Committee Hearing
2:15 p.m., 628 Dirksen Bldg.
Veterans’ Health and Benefits
Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Full Committee Hearing
2:30 p.m., 418 Russell Bldg.
Joint Committees
Millennials and Economic Prosperity
Joint Economic
Full Committee Hearing
2 p.m., 106 Dirksen Bldg.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
House Committees
Effects of Reduced Infrastructure and Base Operating Support Investments on Readiness
House Armed Services – Subcommittee on Readiness
Subcommittee Hearing
8 a.m., 2212 Rayburn Bldg.
Naval Acquisitions Outlook
House Armed Services – Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
Subcommittee Hearing
9 a.m., 2118 Rayburn Bldg.
Advancing the Science and Acceptance of Autonomy for Future Defense Systems
House Armed Services – Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
Subcommittee Hearing
10:30 a.m., 2212 Rayburn Bldg.
The Disrupter Series: The Fast-Evolving Uses and Economic Impacts of Drones
House Energy and Commerce – Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade
Subcommittee Hearing
10:15 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg.
U.S. Public Health Preparedness for Seasonal Influenza: Has the Response Improved?
House Energy and Commerce – Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
Subcommittee Hearing
10 a.m., 2322 Rayburn Bldg.
The Goldman Act to Return Abducted American Children: Ensuring Administration Action
House Foreign Affairs – Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations
Full Committee Hearing
11 a.m., 2172 Rayburn Bldg.
The Syrian Refugee Crisis and Its Impact on the Security of U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
House Judiciary – Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security
Subcommittee Hearing
9 a.m., 2141 Rayburn Bldg.
Improving Size Standards for Small Farmers and Ranchers
House Small Business – Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade
Subcommittee Hearing
10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn Bldg.
Senate Committees
Offshore Oil and Gas Regulations
Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 366 Dirksen Bldg.
Human Trafficking Investigation
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 342 Dirksen Bldg.