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 27, 2016
Today on the Hill: Before Recess, TSCA Holdup in Senate; House Shoots Down Energy-Water Spending Bill
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 […]
- May 26, 2016
Today on the Hill: Energy-Water Approps Vote in House; NDAA, TSCA in Senate
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 […]
- May 25, 2016
Today on the Hill: Energy Approps, D.C. Spending, NDAA, Catfish Inspections
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 […]
- May 24, 2016
Today on the Hill: Chemicals, Pesticides, Fiduciary Rule, and Catfish
The House is teeing up a pair of votes on a toxic chemicals overhaul and a measure to exclude certain pesticides from permitting requirements, before spending the rest of the afternoon debating the fiscal 2017 Energy and Water Development spending bill (H.R. 5055). The rewrite of the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (H.R. 2576) – […]
- May 23, 2016
This Week on the Hill: TSCA Rewrite, Energy-Water Approps, Zika Pesticides in House; NDAA in Senate
This week, the Senate is set to power through their version of the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as the House revises a 40-year old law regulating toxic chemicals used in manufacturing and tries to come to an agreement on legislation to help Puerto Rico restructure its $70 billion debt.
- May 17, 2016
Today on the Hill: Cloture on Zika Amendments in the Senate; House to Begin NDAA Marathon
Cloture votes on three Zika-related amendments are due in the Senate today as lawmakers decide on the amount of funding to be allocated towards fighting the virus and whether there will be a budgetary offset to pay for the package. Democrats favor funding President Obama’s full $1.9 billion request without any coinciding cuts or offsets […]
- May 16, 2016
This Week on the Hill: Transportation-MilCon Approps, Zika, NDAA
This week, the Senate moves on to debate a combined Transportation-HUD and Military Construction-VA spending bill that will include debate over provisions for battling the Zika virus, while the House plans for extensive floor debate on the fiscal 2017 edition of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
- May 9, 2016
This Week on the Hill: House Tackles Opioids as Senate Continues Approps Work
Both chambers return from their brief recesses this week, with the Senate set to continue its work on the Energy-Water Development spending measure, and the House aiming to tackle a legislative package aimed at combating the emerging opioid-addiction epidemic.
- April 28, 2016
Today on the Hill: Energy-Water Bill Stalls Over Iran Amendment; House to Vote on Fiduciary Rule Disapproval
Senators today will try to break a partisan impasse that has held up the Energy and Water Development spending bill (H.R. 2028) before leaving for a week-long recess. The controversy comes over an amendment submitted by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) that would thwart a recently struck deal for the United States to purchase heavy water […]
- April 27, 2016
Today on the Hill: Energy Approps, Angel Investors, Tariff Revisions
The Senate is moving toward finishing an Energy and Water Development spending measure, with a cloture vote scheduled on a substitute amendment (#3801) to the legislative vehicle for the bill (H.R.2028). The underlying measure would provide $37.5 billion for the Energy Department, Army Corps of Engineers, parts of the Interior Department and other agencies. That’s $355 […]
- April 26, 2016
Today on the Hill: Energy Appropriations in the Senate; 14 Noncontroversial Votes in the House
The Senate is set to resume consideration of a $37.5 billion fiscal 2017 appropriations bill that would fund the Energy Department and government water projects, including the operations of the Army Corps of Engineers. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) moved to wrap up debate on the measure, filing cloture yesterday on the substitute amendment and […]
- April 25, 2016
This Week on the Hill: House Moves Against DOL Fiduciary Rule as Senate Continues Approps Work
Both chambers are in session this week, with the House looking to roll back the Labor Department’s recently finalized fiduciary rule and the Senate continuing its early work in the appropriations process. The latest fight between the lower chamber and the Administration comes over a new Department of Labor (DOL) regulation intended to ensure that […]