Senate Breaks for August After Nominations Stalemate

Not much policy-making is expected in the first week of the lame-duck session. Orientation is scheduled to begin today for newly elected members of Congress. Leadership elections are expected to occur this week, though not all have been scheduled. Senate Democrats are scheduled to pick their leaders on Wednesday. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York […]

With Congress officially out of session until Nov. 14, policymakers are looking ahead to the legislative action that will unfold after the dust settles from Election Day. The recently-passed continuing resolution (CR) (H.R. 5325) expires on Dec.9, meaning that lawmakers will need to either pass eleven appropriations bills, an omnibus combining those eleven measures, or […]

A bipartisan deal ensuring that funding for Flint, Michigan’s water crisis is handled during the lame-duck session allowed lawmakers to quickly approve a continuing resolution (CR) maintaining current levels of government funding through Dec. 9, plus packages to combat the Zika virus and send flood aid to Louisiana and other states affected by natural disasters. […]

After a fiery presidential debate last night, the Senate convenes today for a key vote on the continuing resolution (CR) proposed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to fund the government through Dec. 9. Democrats, including Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), are expected to vote against the measure in an effort to increase […]

Yesterday, the Senate again postponed a key procedural vote as negotiators continue to work on what riders will be included in the stopgap spending legislation. The cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the legislative vehicle for a continuing resolution (CR) is now scheduled for this afternoon, but there remains a possibility that it […]

After meeting with President Obama yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is optimistic that the chamber can move forward on a continuing resolution (CR) that funds the government through Dec. 9 and leave for the election recess as early as this Friday. Senate leaders anticipate using the Legislative Branch appropriations bill (H.R. 5325) as […]

With just five days separating Congress from a seven-week recess, lawmakers will be working through a packed agenda, including measures addressing environmental regulations, Iran sanctions, aviation security, abortion, and the Zika virus. The most pressing item for both chambers will be clearing legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) operational authority, which is currently […]

Congress returns from its brief Independence Day recess with a full slate of legislative work to tackle before breaking for the national conventions and the body’s traditional August break later this month. The House reconvenes today and is set for a busy week after its last floor session ended abruptly due to Democrats’ dramatic sit-in […]

With the House already on recess for the July 4 holiday, the Senate will begin the week with a noncontroversial judicial confirmation before moving on to more contentious debates on spending bills and Puerto Rico debt relief legislation. A vote is expected this afternoon on the nomination of Robert Rossiter, Jr. to be U.S. District […]

With House Democrats staging a sit-in on the well of the House floor to attempt to force votes on gun control proposals, Republican leaders elected to formally adjourn the chamber for the week. The House is not scheduled to be in session next week, meaning that the next action legislative action for House lawmakers may […]

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, […]

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 […]