Approps Work Set to Begin in the House, Reconciliation Hopes Dashed Once Again, Senate May Consider Scaled Back Chips Bill
By Jason Pye - Director, Rule of Law Initiatives
Point of Order is a (mostly) weekly preview of key congressional activity for those with more than a passing interest in federal policy.
House schedule and suspensions: The House returns today at 2:00 pm for legislative business. First and last votes on today are expected around 6:30 pm. The chamber will be in session through Thursday, and the last votes for the week are expected at 3:00 pm that day. No votes are expected on Friday. There are 10 bills (listed below) on the suspension calendar for the week. (The cost estimate for the suspension bills is here.)
Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center Access Improvement Act, S. 144 (Natural Resources Committee)
Southern Campaign of the Revolution National Heritage Corridor Act, H.R. 1286 (Natural Resources Committee)
Southern Maryland National Heritage Area Act, H.R. 2024 (Natural Resources Committee)
Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area Act, H.R. 3222 (Natural Resources Committee)
Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act, H.R. 4404 (Natural Resources Committee)
Biking on Long-Distance Trails Act, H.R. 6337 (Natural Resources Committee)
Gateway Solidarity Act, H.R. 7002 (Natural Resources Committee)
Advancing Human Rights-Centered International Conservation Act, H.R. 7025 (Natural Resources Committee)
National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act, H.R. 7693 (Natural Resources Committee)
Expressing support for the sovereign decision of Finland and Sweden to apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as calling on all members of NATO to ratify the protocols of accession swiftly, H.Res. 1130 (Foreign Affairs Committee)
Bills that come to the floor under suspension of the rules require two-thirds of members present and voting for passage. This is the most common way that bills considered by the House come to the floor. Some of these bills may be passed by a voice vote, rather than a roll call vote. Most bills that come to the floor under suspension aren’t widely considered controversial, although leadership may occasionally test a bill under suspension to gauge opposition or sneak a bill through the chamber.
Rule bill: The House Rules Committee will meet Monday at 1:00 pm to markup the rule for the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for FY 2023, H.R. 8294, and the Right to Contraception Act, H.R. 8373. This bill represents six of the 12 annual discretionary appropriations bills. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will cost $492.6 billion. You can find the offered amendments here. Additional legislation is possible.
House committee schedule: Below are some House committee hearings that may be of interest. The full House committee schedule for the week can be found here.
Supporting Underserved Communities in Emergency Management (Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery; Tuesday at 9:00 am)
Understanding and Addressing Long COVID and Its Health and Economic Consequences (Coronavirus Crisis, Tuesday at 10:00 am)
Business Meeting to Vote on Recommendations (Modernization of Congress, Tuesday at 10:00 am)
Implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Transportation and Infrastructure, Tuesday at 10:00 am)
Assessing the U.S. Economic Policy Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine (Foreign Affairs, Tuesday at 10:00 am)
Digital Dragnets: Examining the Government's Access to Your Personal Data (Judiciary, Tuesday at 10:00 am)
Roe Reversal: The Impacts of Taking Away the Constitutional Right to an Abortion (Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Tuesday at 10:30 am)
Thoughts and Prayers Are Not Enough: How Mass Shootings Harm Communities, Local Economies, and Economic Growth (Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Tuesday at 2:00 pm)
Regenerative Agriculture: How Farmers and Ranchers are Essential to Solving Climate Change and Increasing Food Production (Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Environment, Tuesday at 2:00 pm)
The Changing Election Security Landscape: Threats to Election Officials and Infrastructure (Homeland Security, Wednesday at 9:30 am)
A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Stakeholder Perspectives on Title XI Crop Insurance (Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Examining the Practices and Profits of Gun Manufacturers (Oversight and Reform, Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Markup of Legislative Measures (Judiciary, Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Housing in America: Oversight of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (Financial Services, Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Housing in America: Oversight of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight; Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Accountability for Atrocity Crimes Committed by Russia in Ukraine (Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment, and Cyber; Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Second Class Workers: Assessing H2 Visa Programs Impact on Workers (Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, Wednesday at 10:15 am)
Examining the Powerful Impact of Investments in Early Childhood for Children, Families, and Our Nation’s Economy (Budget, Wednesday at 10:30 am)
Russia in the Western Hemisphere: Assessing Putin's Malign Influence in Latin America and the Caribbean (Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration and International Economic Policy; Wednesday at 2:00 pm)
The Future of Federal Work II (Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations, Thursday at 9:00 am)
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board After 10 Years, Part II: Implications of Adjudicating in an Agency Setting (Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet; Thursday at 10:00 am)
Hearing (January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, Thursday at 8:00 pm)
If you’re interested in watching any of these hearings online, you can find committee websites here.
Manchin giveth, and Manchin taketh away: With the latest annual inflation figure at 9.1 percent, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is slowing down discussions on budget reconciliation legislation with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The only aspects Manchin appears to be willing to move on are allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs and extending the bolstered subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Although Manchin is taking the brunt of the criticism, others, including Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), had thrown cold water on the proposed tax increases eyed in budget reconciliation.
Judicial nominees begin the week in the Senate: The Senate returns at 3:00 pm today to resume consideration of the nomination of Nina Nin-Yuen Wang to serve as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. A roll call vote on the cloture motion for the nomination is expected to begin at 5:30 pm. Cloture motions have also been filed for Nancy L. Maldonado to serve as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and Julianna Michelle Childs to serve as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Scaled back competitiveness bill could be on the Senate’s agenda: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) promised to tank the international competitiveness bill–sometimes called the “chips bill” or the China bill”–if Democrats moved forward on budget reconciliation. They’re trying to move forward on budget reconciliation, but that plan seems stalled again. Likewise, negotiations over H.R. 4521 have been hopelessly stalled in conference committee for weeks. A slimmed-down version of the legislation that includes funding for semiconductor chips and a semiconductor tax credit could reach the floor this week.
A deal on the Electoral Count Act: Text for bipartisan legislation to reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887 could be introduced this week. The legislation is reported to clarify the vice president’s role as ceremonial, closing a loophole that former President Trump and his supporters tried to exploit to stage a coup on January 6, 2021. What remains to be seen is whether Schumer and other Democrats will get on board because the bill doesn’t include other election reforms that Democrats want.
Senate committee schedule: Below are some Senate committee hearings that may be of interest. The full Senate committee schedule for the week is here.
KleptoCapture: Aiding Ukraine through Forfeiture of Russian Oligarchs’ Illicit Assets (Judiciary, Tuesday at 10:00 am)
Addressing Weapons of Mass Destruction and Health Security Threats to the Homeland (Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Tuesday at 10:00 am)
Fairness in Financial Services: Racism and Discrimination in Banking (Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Tuesday at 10:15 am)
Opportunities and Challenges in Addressing Homelessness (Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development; Tuesday at 2:30 pm)
Business Meeting (Foreign Relations, Tuesday at 2:30 pm)
Legislative Hearing (Rules and Administration, Tuesday at 3:00 pm)
After the Highland Park Attack: Protecting Our Communities from Mass Shootings (Judiciary, Tuesday at 10:00 am)
Business Meeting (Foreign Relations, Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Global Food Security Crisis and The U.S. Response (Foreign Relations, Wednesday at TBD)
The Role of Tax Incentives in Affordable Housing (Finance, Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Nomination Hearing (Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Wednesday at 10:00 am)
Business Meeting (Environment and Public Works, Wednesday at 11:00 am)
Nomination Hearing (Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Thursday at 10:15 am)
If you’re interested in watching any of these hearings online, you can find committee websites here.
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