Congress Returns Next Week

Congress will return for legislative business next week, starting with the House on Monday. Leadership is currently targeting passage of four fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations bills on the floor next week, including Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), Agriculture-FDA, Interior-Environment, and Energy-Water Development. However, after the Legislative Branch bill unexpectedly failed on the House floor last week, these spending bills could get delayed if lingering disagreements among House Republicans do not get resolved. Meanwhile, the Senate is likely to take up the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) before wrapping up the July work period, as well as pending nominations. We’ll also be watching to see if Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) calls up any additional “messaging” votes during this two-week period, as well as a possible vote on the Smith-Wyden tax bill.

• Scheduling rumor. According to conversations on the Hill, if the FSGG bill fails to pass the House floor next week, leadership could opt to give back the last week of July and adjourn early for the August district work period. But as of now, GOP leadership has given no formal notice of a change in the House schedule.
• Programming note. The House is also slated to take up two dozen suspension bills next week, and more are possible as lawmakers mull a potential legislative response to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Under the current schedule, lawmakers will consider the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which overwhelmingly passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee during last month’s markup. Additionally, the House will consider a bill out of the Financial Services Committee that would set up a fintech working group to combat terrorism and illicit financing. A full list of suspension bills up on the House side next week can be viewed here