Becker’s Washington Weekly: Week of July 20
House’s Sprint to the Finish
Lawmakers return to Washington with an ambitious agenda in what will be the House of Representatives’ final week in session before the August recess.
The House of Representatives is facing perhaps its most consequential legislative week of the summer with several major items set to hit the floor. The House is expected to consider a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through December 4th, and a budget resolution to unlock a third party-line reconciliation bill. The CR comes as the House has passed just three of its twelve FY2027 appropriations bills heading into the August recess. The Senate, meanwhile, hasn’t passed any in what has been a contentious process in the upper chamber. With current funding set to expire on September 30th, the CR aims to avert a government shutdown and allow Congress to consider full FY2027 funding after the midterm elections. The House will also vote on the FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), seeking to pass the bill after GOP hardliners previously sunk a procedural vote to advance the measure before the July 4th recess.
The Senate, which isn’t set to break for the summer recess until August 7th, is expected to take up its own budget resolution vote this week to advance the reconciliation process. Senators will also vote on the nomination of Jay Clayton, President Trump’s pick to replace Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence, on Tuesday.
Lawmakers in both chambers will convene committee hearings this week, including the following:
- The House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions will hold an oversight hearing of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
- The House Committee on Small Business will hold an oversight hearing of SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurial Development
- The House Committee on Appropriations will examine government shutdown reform
- The Senate Committee on Appropriations will hold a hearing to review President Trump’s supplemental funding request
- The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will evaluate the future of VA research
