This Week on the Hill: Congress Returns Looking to Avoid Second Shutdown

Both chambers of Congress are set to resume legislative business today following the contentious 35-day government shutdown. In the House, lawmakers will take up three suspension bills out of the Financial Services Committee: (1) a bill (H.R. 624) that would require the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to carry out a study of Rule 10b5–1 trading plans; (2) a bill (H.R. 502) that would require the Comptroller General of the United States to carry out a study on how virtual currencies and online marketplaces are used to facilitate the financing of goods or services associated with illicit trafficking; and (3) a bill (H.R. 56) that would create an independent Financial Technology Task Force to combat terrorism and illicit financing. For the balance of the week, House lawmakers are set to work on a bill (H.R. 790) that would provide a pay increase for federal workers.

In the upper chamber, Senators will resume consideration of a Middle East policy bill (S.1) that would impose sanctions on Syria and provide assistance to Israel. Additionally, lawmakers are expected to begin a conference committee on a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill, where they have agreed to find ways to boost border security funding. If the final agreement does not include adequate border wall funding, the President stated he would either shut down the government again or declare a national emergency that he says would give him the authority to build a wall without Congressional approval.