A Look at What’s On Tap for the December Work Period

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 […]

House Committees wrapped up their markups of reconciliation instructions on the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation last week as Democratic lawmakers look to get the measure onto the floor for a vote. Members on the House Budget Committee will meet this week to combine all of the reconciliation instructions into the final $1.9 trillion […]

With all of the House Committees having finished their mark-up of their respective portions of the COVID-19 relief bill, the action will turn to the Budget committee which will compile all of these bills into one massive piece of legislation that the House will take up the week of the 22nd.

While the Democrats choose to move a partisan COVID-19 relief bill by using the reconciliation process for this bill, it remains to be seen whether the remainder of the legislation that will be considered on the floor of the Senate this congress will take the same path. While Democrats in the Senate could attempt to […]

Capitol Hill Update Congress has formally kicked off the budget reconciliation process for additional virus relief legislation, passing a resolution that instructs 25 committees across both chambers to begin drafting the bill. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) stated that House committees will mark up the $1.9 trillion relief package next week, with the goal of getting it on […]

Capitol Hill Update Congressional Democrats are preparing to move forward with a budget resolution this week that would allow the next COVID-19 relief package to clear the Senate with a simple majority. The House plans to introduce its resolution today, and is expected to instruct 13 committees to develop pieces of the $1.9 trillion relief […]

Capitol Hill Update The Senate will convene for legislative business this week as Democratic leadership looks to continue the confirmation process for President Joe Biden’s key cabinet nominees. After confirming both Gen. Lloyd Austin to be Secretary of Defense and Avril Haines to be Director of National Intelligence, senators will vote on Janet Yellen’s nomination […]