Today on the Hill: Congress Looks to Work Through Washington Snow Day

It’s a snow day in Washington as the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has shuttered the federal government’s D.C. offices due to an ongoing snowstorm striking the area a day after the official start of spring. However, with lawmakers in town and a government funding deadline looming, it’s unclear how much of an effect the weather will have on Congress’s planned work, both on and off the floor.

Regardless of the weather impact, lawmakers are still finalizing text for an omnibus funding measure that would keep the government running for the remainder of the fiscal year. Reports suggest that the massive spending package will be posted before noon today, which would set up a House vote tomorrow and a last-minute scramble in the Senate to beat Friday’s midnight deadline. It remains possible that a days-long continuing resolution (CR) will be needed to prevent a government shutdown, but lawmakers continue to be hopeful they will avoid that eventuality.

The latest details to leak out on the package’s controversial provisions suggest that funding for a tunnel between New Jersey and New York will be in the bill – albeit controlled by the Department of Transportation rather than provided as a grant – as will $1.6 billion in wall funding, which is far below the $25 billion President Trump requested. Provisions still being discussed include Congress’s possible response to recent gun violence in schools as well as a fix for grain producers affected by the recently-enacted tax reform package.

For now, votes are expected in both chambers. The House docket includes the renewed consideration of a ‘right to try’ bill (H.R. 5247) initially considered last week, but that failed a suspension vote – which require a two-thirds majority to pass – 259-140 last week. Expect a similar tally in today’s planned vote that will only require a simple majority. The lower chamber is also slated to consider a bill (H.R. 4061) that aims to improve the transparency of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), a group of federal regulators tasked with general oversight of the financial system.