Insights

This Week on the Hill: Trump Administration Set to Roll Out the President’s FY 2020 Budget Request

March 11, 2019

President Trump’s budget is expected to be released later this morning as the fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations process ramps up. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, and Acting Office of Management and Budget Director (OMB) Russell Vought will be making Capitol Hill Committee appearances this week to justify the President’s request ­— which is expected to include a five percent cut across the board to all non-military departments. The budget request also includes $8.6 billion for the President’s border wall priority — a move that could fuel the contentious debate that ultimately led to a 35-day partial government shutdown.

Meanwhile, the Senate will return to action this afternoon. The upper chamber is expected to take up more nominations this week, as well as a resolution of disapproval (H.J.Res 46) that would overturn President Trump's national emergency declaration. Leader McConnell stated last week that he expects the resolution to pass after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) joined three other Senate Republicans — including Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) — in announcing he would support the Democratic measure, while roughly a dozen GOP Senators remain undecided. Democrats appear to have the 51 votes they need to secure passage in the Senate, which would force President Trump to issue the first veto of his presidency. The President’s forthcoming veto would likely survive an override attempt, as overturning the emergency declaration does not have the support of a two-thirds majority in the House. 

In the House, lawmakers will resume legislative business this afternoon. The lower chamber will begin the week with consideration four bills out of the Financial Services Committee under suspension of the rules, including a measure (H.R. 1414)that would amend the duties of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to ensure FinCEN works with Tribal law enforcement agencies, protects against all forms of terrorism, and focuses on virtual currencies . House lawmakers will also consider a resolution (H.Res. 24) out of the Judiciary Committee expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress.