Congress Not Likely to Return Early for Disaster Relief

Both chambers of Congress will return to action today to begin the second week of the April legislative session. In the House, floor activity for the week includes a pair of immigration-related measures pertaining to the Trump administration’s travel ban on individuals from predominantly Muslim countries, as well as access to legal counsel for immigrants […]

Another busy week in both chambers. First, in the House, floor activity includes a pair of immigration-related measures, as well as a bill to make Washington, D.C. the 51st state. Additionally, now that Republican opposition to suspension bills has abated, the House is taking up a slew of suspension bills out of the House Financial […]

Congress will return this week to kick off the April legislative session as lawmakers turn their attention to crafting legislation that closely aligns with President Joe Biden’s “American Jobs Plan” for infrastructure. The Senate will open later this afternoon to resume consideration of the President’s pending nominees, starting with Polly Trottenberg’s nomination to be Deputy Secretary of […]

Congress stands adjourned for the spring district work period. The Senate will return to Washington on Monday, April 12, followed by the House on Tuesday, April 13.

Congress stands adjourned for the spring district work period and will convene for votes during the week of April 12. Looking ahead to the April session, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) outlined the upper chamber’s agenda when senators return in two weeks. The “Dear Colleague” letter notes that the Senate will focus on three main issue […]

The House and Senate are in a district work period (known as recess when many of us used to be staffers) for the next two weeks. There are no floor votes or committee hearings scheduled. Both chambers are scheduled to return the week of April 12th. During that week, it is expected that Gary Gensler’s nomination […]

House lawmakers have completed their voting sessions for the month of March after passing a measure to ensure that the increase in deficit spending as a result of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) does not trigger statutorily-required across-the-board spending cuts. The bill would avert billions of dollars in automatic spending cuts — known as sequestration — to Social […]

With the House in a “Committee Work” period next week there is no expectation of votes on the Floor of the House. Meanwhile, the Senate is in session for Floor votes, and has teed up consideration of a bipartisan deal to extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application date to May 31, while also […]

After President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act into law last Thursday, Congress will next look to ensure that the massive increase in deficit spending does not trigger statutorily-required across-the-board spending cuts. According to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), lawmakers will take up a bill this week that seeks to […]

The House is once again passing (or preparing to pass) legislation to address major issues in our country (gun control, voting rights, Violence Against Women, Immigration etc.) and the question is what is going to happen when it reaches the Senate.  Progressive Democrats continue to push to end the filibuster claiming that the country has voted […]

Senators passed (50-49) President Joe Biden’s “American Rescue Plan” over the weekend following a marathon “vote-a-rama” debate on amendments. The process was delayed for nearly 12 hours on Saturday as Senators deliberated changes to the unemployment benefits portion. Ultimately, a compromise was reached that pared back the weekly boost to $300 per week until September […]

With the Senate having completed a marathon voting session over the weekend to advance the COVID-19 relief bill, the House is expected to take it up this week and have it to the President’s desk in time to prevent the unemployed from seeing a break in benefits.