Senate Breaks for August After Nominations Stalemate
After repeatedly demanding that the Senate remain in session to confirm dozens of Trump appointees, President Donald Trump finally relented late Saturday, posting on social media that Republicans should instead “go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are.” This post followed a series of contentious negotiations between the two parties over […]
- May 8, 2017
This Week on the Hill: With House Out, Senate Considers Air Force, FDA Nominees
Read MoreAfter one of the busiest periods in the 115th Congress last week, this week features less dramatic legislative work as the Senate works to confirm additional presidential nominees and consider the last congressional disapprovals of administrative rules advanced by the Obama Administration. The House is away from Washington for a weeklong in-district work period.
- May 4, 2017
Today on the Hill: AHCA House Floor Vote Scheduled, Latest Whip Count Suggests Passage
Read MoreAfter weeks of wrangling, an initial failure before the Easter recess, and the addition of two amendments to placate both the conservative and moderate wings of the party, the House is scheduled to hold a floor vote today on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) (H.R. 1628). While the vote will likely be very close, […]
- May 1, 2017
This Week on the Hill: Spending Agreement Reached; Republicans Search for AHCA Votes
Read MoreLast night, congressional negotiators reached an agreement on a spending bill that will provide government funding through the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The $1 trillion deal includes increased funds for border security and defense, two Republican priorities, as well as a permanent extension for a program that provides health benefits to coal miners. […]
- April 6, 2017
Today on the Hill: A Nuclear Showdown in the Senate
Read MoreThe Senate is set to go nuclear today as the partisan confrontation over Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court reaches its seemingly inevitable conclusion. A cloture vote on the nomination – which would require 60 votes to be approved – is set for this morning and is expected to fail, with as many as […]
- April 4, 2017
Today on the Hill: Democrats Secure Votes for Gorsuch Filibuster as McConnell Prepares to Go Nuclear
Read MoreThe Senate took one more step towards going nuclear yesterday after Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) became the 41st Democrat to commit to filibustering the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch, President Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court. With the minority’s votes secured, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will likely file cloture today to begin the formal […]
- April 3, 2017
This Week on the Hill: Senate Preps for SCOTUS Nominee Drama as Easter Recess Approaches
Read MoreJet fumes are in the air as lawmakers eye the end of a six-week stretch in Washington with the beginning of a two-week recess this Friday. The impending battle over Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court will be the week’s highlight, but ongoing negotiations on funding the government beyond the expiration of the current […]
- March 28, 2017
Today on the Hill: FCC Rule Rollback in the House; Montenegro to Become 29th Member of NATO
Read MoreThe dust will continue to settle in Congress as lawmakers slide back into regular business following last week’s excitement. House lawmakers will consider a Senate-passed resolution (S.J. Res. 34) today that would undo privacy rules for internet service providers enacted under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last year. Specifically, the rules require providers to receive […]
- March 15, 2017
Today on the Hill: Coats Cloture Vote in Senate; Suspension Bills in House
Read MoreIn a relatively quiet day on the chamber floors of Congress, the Senate moves back to confirming nominations from the White House by considering President Trump’s choice for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), former U.S. senator from Indiana, Dan Coats. The DNI position was created after the Sept. 11 attacks to coordinate the work of […]
- March 14, 2017
Today on the Hill: CBO Releases AHCA Analysis; House Enjoys Snow Day While Senate Overturns Labor Rule
Read MoreThe Congressional Budget Office released its highly-anticipated score of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) – the Republican plan to repeal and replace parts of the Obama-era Affordable Care Act (ACA). Both supporters and detractors of the AHCA will find favorable information in the score; the CBO projects federal deficit savings of $337 billion over […]
- March 13, 2017
Today on the Hill: CBO Score and Trump Budget Headline Hill Action
Read MoreThe release of two separate documents – a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score for the Republican health care plan and President Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal 2018 – will drive conversation in Congress this week far more than any of the measures on the chamber floors. The first document is sure to add a wrinkle […]
- March 6, 2017
Today on the Hill: Defense Approps and Labor Resolutions as Congress Awaits New ACA Repeal and Replace Draft
Read MoreThe House only has a pro forma session scheduled today, but returns tomorrow to a defense appropriations bill (H.R. 1301) that would fund the Pentagon for the remainder of the fiscal 2017 year at $583.7 billion in annualized defense spending. The bill – which will likely be considered without amendments – is the result of […]
- March 2, 2017
Today on the Hill: Carson Nom and Reg Bill on Chamber Floors; ACA Replacement, FY17 Defense Spending Plans Taking Shape
Read MoreMore of the same is scheduled for the chamber floors in Congress today as the Senate moves to consider Ben Carson to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the House lines up the final regulation-related bill in a series considered this week. Carson, a former neurosurgeon and presidential candidate, was approved on a […]