The Administration
Over the weekend, President Biden met with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) at his Delaware home to break the gridlock on his multi-trillion-dollar reconciliation bill. While no official deal has been announced, it is likely that key climate and family care provisions will be pared back or removed from the bill altogether due to Manchin’s objections.
This Friday marks the House’s self-imposed deadline to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package, along with the Senate’s deadline to reach a final agreement on the tax-and-spend social infrastructure bill. The bills represent much of President Biden’s domestic agenda and, as key Governors races and midterms approach, success is crucial for Democrats and the Administration.
These deadlines are underscored by the upcoming Glasgow Climate Summit, slated to begin next Sunday, October 31. President Biden will travel to Europe late this week to attend the summit, along with13 high-ranking global officials. President Biden’s – and America’s – credibility as a global climate leader will depend on whether he can convince Congress to pass his domestic agenda before the summit convenes.
The Senate
The Senate will hold numerous hearings and markups this week:
- The Senate Armed Services Committee will discuss security in Afghanistan and in the region.
- The Judiciary Committee will discuss oversight of the Justice Department, at which Attorney General Garland will testify.
- The Rules and Administration Committee will consider threats to election administration, and the Indian Affairs Committee will discuss voting in Native communities.
- The Homeland Security committee will hold hearings on (1) the role of social media companies in amplifying domestic terrorism and harmful online content, and (2) critical energy infrastructure.
- The Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will discuss protecting our children from social media pressures on apps like Snapchat, Tik Tok, and YouTube.
The House
The House will also conduct hearings this week. Notably:
- The Education and Labor Committee will discuss vaccine requirements and employee accommodations.
- The Homeland Security Committee will discuss protecting planes, trains, and pipelines from cyber threats.
- Both the Oversight and Reform Committee and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will consider environmental challenges.
Becker’s Federal Lobbying Team will continue to monitor these developments as they evolve and will share with you as soon as information becomes available.