Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of April 20
Congress Faces Packed Agenda
Congress is back in Washington this week to tackle high-profile items, including an extension of FISA Section 702 and a budget reconciliation effort to fund ICE and CBP.
This week, the House of Representatives will turn its attention toward loosening permitting requirements for energy and rural broadband projects. The House will consider bills to expedite rural broadband and geothermal energy projects, to repeal federal building energy-efficiency rules, and to overhaul the Endangered Species Act.
Senate Republicans are set to unveil a budget resolution this week, the first step towards passage of a party-line reconciliation bill to fund ICE and CBP for multiple years. Senate leaders will also go back to the drawing board on FISA after the House rejected an 18-month extension of Section 702, which is set to expire on April 30th.
Lawmakers in both chambers will convene committee hearings this week, including the following:
- The House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet will discuss protecting U.S. leadership in code development and enhancing public access.
- The House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions will examine the PBM business model.
- The House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s subcommittee on Environment will discuss the impact of U.S. environmental laws on critical material supply chains, national security, and economic growth.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee will highlight China’s theft of U.S. innovation.
- The Senate Finance Committee will examine President Trump’s 2026 trade agenda.
