Becker & Poliakoff

Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 27, 2023

Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of February 27, 2023

Congress Back in Session

The House and Senate return to Washington this week following their respective recesses. House lawmakers are hitting the ground running by taking up a number of bills, including those that would extend the FCC’s spectrum auction power through mid-May and require the Commerce Department to provide congressional reports on mobile network vulnerabilities.

Members will also address bills under suspension of the rules, including one that would nullify a Labor Department rule allowing employers to consider Environmental, Social, and Governance factors when choosing retirement plans.

While the Senate has a comparatively lighter week with judicial nominations, both chambers have several committee hearings scheduled including the following:

  • The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will hold a markup to consider several resolutions.
  • The House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold hearings on grid security, critical minerals, and data privacy.
  • The Senate Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on export controls.
  • The Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing on climate change’s effects on coastal communities.

The Administration 

President Biden and Vice President Harris will deliver remarks at the White House on Monday to commemorate Black History Month.

The Biden Administration goes to the Supreme Court this week to defend the President’s student loan forgiveness plan against a multistate legal challenge. The justices will hear oral argument on Tuesday, but a final decision is not expected until sometime in May or June.

This comes as the Administration continues to respond to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio by sending officials from various agencies that will oversee the environmental cleanup that will be completed by the train’s owner, Norfolk Southern, under a recent EPA order.