Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 14
Congress Returns to Washington
Both Chambers are back in town this week after the House delayed its July 4th recess to last week following their passage of President Trump’s reconciliation bill.
This week, House lawmakers will take up several bills dealing with digital asset regulation and annual defense program funding. Legislation moving through expedited procedures concerns telecommunications security and operations, along with land management.
Meanwhile, Senators are expected to take up several Administration nominations this week.
Members in both Chambers will also begin marking up various appropriations bills for the FY26 funding cycle in advance of the month-long August recess and the September 30th government shutdown. House subcommittees marking up their respective appropriations bills this week include Energy & Water and Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. In the Senate, Members are also expected to markup the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs annual funding bill this week.
Other committee hearings scheduled for the week include the following:
- The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee will discuss ways to support independent workers
- The House Energy & Commerce Committee will examine strategies to improve the public health workforce
- The Senate Judiciary Committee will discuss how to protect copyrighted works from AI abuses
- The House Financial Services Committee will discuss modern solutions to housing shortages
- The House Foreign Affairs Committee will examine China’s dominance in the critical minerals sector
Finally, this week, President Trump will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte amid ongoing tariff negotiations and security agreements.
