Author: Thornrun

House lawmakers will pick up amendment debate and roll call votes today on the second fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations “minibus” after lawmakers passed (226-203) the first four-bill spending package late yesterday. Thus far, the lower chamber has approved 64 amendments to the underlying bill — which includes Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS), Interior-Environment, Military Construction-Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (HUD) spending bills — after House Republicans backed off on requests for a roll call vote on a bulk of the proposed amendments. Provisions to the five-bill package that have been adopted include: (1) a measure that would prohibit funding from being used to update broadband availability maps using data provided from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); (2) an amendment that would increase funding for Department of Justice (DOJ) grants that provide bulletproof vests and body cameras to state and local law enforcement; and (3) a provision boosting funding for DOJ grant programs aimed at improving mental health services.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Approps Work Continues After House Passes First ‘Minibus’”

House lawmakers return to action this afternoon as another marathon legislative work week is taking shape. The lower chamber will resume consideration of amendments to the first appropriations “minibus,” beginning with postponed roll call votes on the Defense portion of the four-bill spending package. Votes are expected past the midnight hour tonight, as GOP lawmakers will reportedly continue to request roll call votes on amendments to the State-Foreign Operations section of the bill that are slated for consideration later today.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: House Resumes Spending Bill Frenzy”

Congress will gear up for another hectic work session this week as both chambers have teed up high-profile legislative items for 2019. When the House returns Tuesday, lawmakers will finish roll call votes on dozens of amendments to the first “minibus” package consisting of the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, Energy and Water Development, Defense, and State-Foreign Operations spending bills. Once the four-bill measure clears the lower chamber, the House will take up a second minibus (text; amendments) which includes the Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS), Interior-Environment, Military Construction-Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (HUD) spending bills.

Continue reading “This Week on the Hill: High-profile Agenda Items Headline Congressional Floor Action”

House lawmakers are set for another marathon day on the floor as members look to clear over 200 amendments to the four-bill appropriations “minibus.” The lower chamber held more than two-dozen roll call votes on amendments (batch 1; batch 2) well past midnight yesterday after House conservatives prevented expedited voice-vote adoption by requesting a recorded vote on every amendment. As of this morning, GOP lawmakers are continuing to request roll call votes on amendments being brought to the floor, a move that could push final consideration of the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, Energy and Water Development, Defense, and State-Foreign Operations package into next week.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: House Continues Work on Four-Bill Minibus”

House Democrats have reduced the first “minibus” from five bills to four, pulling the spending bill for the Legislative Branch from the package late yesterday. The spending bill was pulled amid backlash from lawmakers over a provision that would give lawmakers a pay raise for the first time since 2009 — an issue that has divided rank-and-file and swing-district members. House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern (D-MA) stated it’s possible that Legislative Branch appropriations could be added to the second minibus (H.R. 3055) slated for consideration next week, which includes the Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS), Interior-Environment, Military Construction-Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (HUD) spending bills.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Legislative Approps Bill Pulled from First ‘Minibus’ Package”

House lawmakers will kick off a busy legislative work week later this afternoon as the House begins full consideration of fiscal year (FY) 2020 spending bills. The lower chamber will take up the first “minibus” package (summary; amendments) for FY 2020 on Wednesday, containing five appropriations bills. The five spending bills included in the first minibus include: Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (text; report), Energy and Water Development (text; report), Legislative Branch (text; report), Defense (text; report), State-Foreign Operations (text; report).

Continue reading “This Week on the Hill: House Set to Debate First FY 2020 ‘Minibus’”