Becker & Poliakoff

Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 27

Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of January 27

Washington Goes Miami

House Republicans and President Donald Trump are travelling to Miami this week for the GOP retreat to discuss how they’ll advance their reconciliation package which aims to cut previous federal spending as an offset to fund the Administration’s immigration, tax, and energy production priorities.

The debate of whether to pursue one or separate reconciliation bills for these items remains ongoing, especially as the March 14th government funding deadline draws closer.

Meanwhile, Senators return to D.C. this week to vote on the nominations of Scott Bessent to be Treasury Secretary and Sean Duffy to be Transportation Secretary.

Other nomination hearings set for this week include the following:

  • The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a nomination hearing for Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a vote on Pam Bondi’s nomination to be Attorney General, Department of Justice
  • The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will consider the nomination of Howard Lutnick to be Secretary of Commerce
  • Both the Senate Committees on Finance and Health, Education, Labor & Pensions will consider the nomination of Robert F Kennedy, Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services

Other Senate policy committee hearings set for this week include the following:

  • The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will discuss the Panama Canal’s impact to U.S. trade and national security
  • The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee will examine the VA’s Community Care Program
  • The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will discuss policy recommendations to compete with China