The Latest on the Government Shutdown

The Week in Review The Senate jump-started its sluggish appropriations process last week, clearing (84-9) its first four-bill minibus containing fiscal year (2020) spending bills for Agriculture, Interior-Environment, Commerce-Science-Justice, and Transportation-HUD. While the $214 billion measure passed with broad bipartisan support, action on a second spending package quickly came to a halt. As expected, Senators did […]

After passing the first "mini bus" last week, the Senate will return its focus to nominations, with a series of judges expected to consume the floor time this week. In the Committees, the Banking Committee will hold a hearing on housing, while a Judiciary Subcommittee will hold a hearing on data security as the legislative […]

Senators will look to clinch their first spending package of fiscal year (FY) 2020, voting on final passage of a four-bill minibus containing FY 2020 spending bills for Agriculture, Interior-Environment, Commerce-Science-Justice, and Transportation-HUD. Following passage of the first minibus, the upper chamber will take a procedural vote on a second spending package. The second minibus —which […]

Senate Democrats are set to force a vote on a measure they contend is a referendum on GOP support for pre-existing conditions protections. The Congressional Review Act resolution would overturn the Trump administration’s guidance on “State Relief and Empowerment Waivers” under section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — a policy that Democrats argue undermines […]

Senators are continuing work on a four-bill minibus containing fiscal year (FY) 2020 spending bills for Agriculture, Interior-Environment, Commerce-Science-Justice, and Transportation-HUD. After adopting an amendment that would designate $5 million of the Agriculture Department's appropriated funds to be used for a loan program to help farmers resolve land ownership issues, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) filed cloture […]

House and Senate lawmakers will reconvene later today to close out the October legislative session. In the upper chamber, Senators will pick up debate on their first fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations package, starting with consideration of three amendments to the underlying bill. While the Senate had originally planned to take up a second minibus […]

The Week in Review Senators began full consideration of a four-bill spending package last week as the upper chamber looks to jumpstart its fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations process. The first Senate “minibus” includes spending measures for Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior-Environment, and Transportation-HUD, all of which were approved by the Appropriations Committee on a bipartisan basis. […]

The House of Representatives is set to take up a couple of bills under the Suspension Calendar this week – including the COUNTER Act, which was also included in the Beneficial Ownership Bill taken up last week (see more on that below) as well as a bill sponsored by McHenry and Waters on Crowdfunding.   […]

The House of Representatives is set to take up a couple of bills under the Suspension Calendar this week – including the COUNTER Act, which was also included in the Beneficial Ownership Bill taken up last week (see more on that below) as well as a bill sponsored by McHenry and Waters on Crowdfunding.   […]

The Senate is set to resume debate on a $214 billion minibus containing fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations bills for Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior-Environment, and Transportation-HUD. While Senators originally aimed to clear the spending package this week, consideration of the measure is expected to bleed into next week as leadership has not reached an agreement on […]

Senators are poised to begin consideration of a $214 billion spending package containing fiscal year (FY) 2020 funding bills for Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior-Environment, and Transportation-HUD later today. While the four-bill measure is expected to pass the upper chamber at some point prior to the end of this week, movement on the upper chamber’s second minibus — […]

Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee released a four-bill spending package ahead of the upper chamber’s first fiscal year (FY) 2020 funding votes. The first Senate “minibus” will include the Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior-Environment, and Transportation-HUD spending measures — all of which were approved by the Appropriations Committee on a bipartisan basis. While Democrats plan to support […]