The House
The House has a busy week ahead with a number of hearings, markups, and floor votes scheduled. First, six of the 12 House appropriation subcommittees will mark up their respective annual funding bills. These subcommittees include Defense, Legislative Branch, Military Construction-VA, Agriculture-FDA, Homeland Security, and Financial Services.
The chamber will also take up five bills under suspension of the rules, including:
- a Senate-passed ocean shipping overhaul bill to clear supply chain backlogs,
- a $25 million flying taxi Infrastructure Grant pilot program, and
- a bill allowing FEMA to aid small states and rural communities to collect data for disaster or emergency relief assistance programs.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) also stated that the chamber could work on additional measures this week, including strengthening protections for the families of Supreme Court justices.
Furthermore, the House will hold several hearings this week:
- The Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing to examine freight rail safety.
- The Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing to discuss bipartisan proposals to strengthen data privacy and security.
The Senate
Over the weekend, a 20-member group of bipartisan Senators released a legislative framework for a gun reform package that could survive a Senate filibuster. Members will deliberate the package further this week and hope to ultimately pass something by July.
The package includes giving states financial incentives to adopt “red flag” laws to allow courts to prevent at-risk individuals from possessing guns. It also includes new funding for school safety, mental health services, and strengthening background checks for gun purchasers younger than 21 years old. Democratic leaders, including President Biden, hoped for more from the announcement but welcomed its passage.
The Senate will consider legislation this week to expand benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances in the line of duty. The chamber is also poised to consider several Administration nominees, including Cathy Ann Harris to be chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board, and for Lisa Gomez to head up the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration.
The Senate will also host a number of hearings this week, including one in the Senate Finance Committee examining supply chain resiliency and long-term security.
The Administration
President Biden is wrapping up the Summit of the Americas hosted last week in California, which was attended by regional leaders who are negotiating new migration agreements.
This week, the President will sign a bill establishing a commission to create a national museum of Asian Pacific American History. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to speak at the signing ceremony.