Author: Thornrun

Two major spending bills will dominate action in Congress today, with the House set to work through a series of amendments on the fiscal 2017 defense appropriations measure (H.R. 5293), and the Senate moving on to the Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill (H.R. 2578). House lawmakers will be working through nearly 75 proposals for the defense measure, including many that were already considered when the chamber passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last month. Some of the amendments will likely draw heated debates on long-standing issues including the surveillance operations of the National Security Agency (NSA) and whether military enlistees must be provided with American-made running shoes.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Defense and CJS Approps to Include Gun Control, Privacy Fights”

Expect heated debates over policy riders for fiscal 2017 spending bills in both chambers this week, particularly ones related to LGBT rights and terrorism after this weekend’s mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has worked to circumnavigate the divides that often plague the appropriations process, but that strategy faces a real test this week as the House considers the $517.1 billion defense spending legislation (H.R. 5293). Republican leaders in the chamber will likely try to persuade more conservative members of their caucus to support a rule that would limit the amendments process, as Democrats have suggested they will oppose such a move.

Continue reading “This Week on the Hill: Policy Riders Threaten Spending Bills in Both Chambers”

Both chambers are leaving Washington today ahead of a weeklong recess in honor of Memorial Day. Yesterday, both the House and Senate experienced frustrations in their attempts to advance legislation before the holiday. House lawmakers from both parties objected to amendments added to the Water-Energy Development spending bill (H.R. 5055), ultimately leading to the measure’s failure on a 112-305 vote. On a more positive note, the House named conferees for an energy efficiency bill (S. 2012) passed by the chamber on Wednesday that would streamline natural gas permitting and modernize the nation’s electrical grid. 

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Before Recess, TSCA Holdup in Senate; House Shoots Down Energy-Water Spending Bill”

As lawmakers in both chambers prepare to break for the Memorial Day recess, the House plans to pass the fiscal 2017 Energy and Water Development spending bill (H.R. 5055) that would fund Energy Department and Army Corps of Engineers programs. The bill contains controversial amendments from both parties, including one that would bar the government from contracting with businesses that discriminate against LGBT individuals. A similar amendment caused chaos on the House floor last week after it was narrowly defeated. The House iteration of the Energy-Water spending bill also includes language blocked from the Senate version that would prevent the Obama Administration from going forward with a deal to purchase heavy water – a component used in certain nuclear reactors – from Iran. Even without the new contentious amendments, White House officials had threatened to veto the bill over “problematic ideological provisions.” 

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Energy-Water Approps Vote in House; NDAA, TSCA in Senate”

Appropriations, defense policy, Washington D.C.’s budget, and catfish inspections are the focus of floor action in Congress today.  In the House, lawmakers will be working through amendments to the fiscal 2017 Energy and Water development spending bill. The $37.4 billion appropriations bill (H.R. 5055) would fund the Energy Department, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation. A proposal to bar the U.S. purchase of heavy water from Iran is among the possible amendments. A similar amendment was scuttled in the Senate amid White House opposition. White House officials already have said they would recommend that President Barack Obama veto the bill, citing “the inclusion of problematic ideological provisions that are beyond the scope of funding legislation.” 

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Energy Approps, D.C. Spending, NDAA, Catfish Inspections”