The Latest on the Government Shutdown

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.

Capitol Hill Update Early Saturday morning, House lawmakers passed (219-210) the $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan,” sending it to the Senate for consideration this week. The current version of the measure will be subject to additional changes in the upper chamber after the Senate Parliamentarian ruled last week that the proposed $15 minimum wage increase […]

Action on the reconciliation bill will turn to the Senate, which is expected to turn its attention to the measure before the end of this week. In addition, the Senate will continue to vote on the President’s nominees, with pending action expected on Monday to approve Miguel Cardona to lead the Department of Education. Later […]

Congress will resume legislative business this week as lawmakers look to check off the Biden administration’s key first 100-day priorities. The Senate will convene first this afternoon and is expected to resume consideration of pending presidential nominees for the balance of the week. Nominations that will come up for a vote include Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s nomination […]

After a pseduo-recess week Congress returns to really start cranking on moving the Biden administration’s key first 100 day priorities. For the Senate, this means moving nominations, starting with Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s nomination to be Ambassador to the United Nations, as well as Tom Vilsack’s nomination to be Secretary of Agriculture, and potentially Gina Raimondo to […]