Today a three-week work period begins for Members of Congress arriving back in Washington, where President Trump has remained active (including via his Twitter account). The President has announced initiatives to address a host of topics, from immigration reform to international trade, as well as personnel changes within his Cabinet and White House staff. With the … Continue Reading
Upcoming Congressional action for the duration of March appears likely to resolve the budget and appropriations impasse of the last several months. House and Senate leaders and the White House were able to reach an agreement last month on topline spending numbers for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, which began last October 1, and FY 2019. … Continue Reading
The Republican-led Congress and President Trump secured their first significant legislative victory with the December passage of tax reform legislation. Following that success, the GOP passed another temporary funding bill to avert a government shutdown before adjourning for the Christmas-New Year break. As a result, congressional leaders have again put off a resolution of a … Continue Reading
As has become customary in recent years, members of Congress face a daunting to-do list in the final weeks of 2017. Both chambers are scheduled to be in session through December 15, but the actual adjournment date for the year is likely to be pushed closer to the Christmas holiday or beyond, given the number … Continue Reading
After months of talk, speculation and behind-the-scenes negotiations, the Republican tax reform proposal is expected to be released to the public this week. It is likely to remain at the forefront of legislative business during this November work period. The stakes surrounding it are very high; failure to pass the bill could have many effects, … Continue Reading
In contrast to the September work period, when a number of must-pass measures and a last-ditch (and eventually unsuccessful) effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act topped the congressional agenda, the three-week October session is likely to see Republican leaders in the House and Senate try to advance one of their central policy goals: comprehensive … Continue Reading
For the first months of united Republican governance in Washington, the new administration and Congress accomplished little: confirmation of a new Supreme Court justice, repeal of some late Obama-era regulations, and reform of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The failure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, despite seven years of promises lingers as … Continue Reading
A brief column for a brief work period. The House left at the end of last week for its annual August break. The Senate had been scheduled to join the House too, but in the run-up to the debate on the failed healthcare-reform bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the Senate would remain in … Continue Reading
The three-week July work period is set to begin on Capitol Hill this week, with members returning from the Independence Day recess only to resume debate on the same issues that have consumed their attention for the first half of 2017. Health care repeal-and-replace efforts are again front and center as the Senate continues to … Continue Reading
As we noted at the end of our last weekly column, we intend to write on a monthly basis to outline what to expect in Congress for the next month. Here we present the first such column. Members of Congress will return to Washington, D.C. this week for a four-week work period before the scheduled … Continue Reading
Members of the House and Senate are in session for one more week before the planned Memorial Day recess. The House is scheduled to take up a number of bills related to child protection while the Senate continues to work through nominations to the Trump Administration. Outside events, however, are again likely to overshadow the … Continue Reading
Following their one-week recess, members of the House of Representatives will join their Senate colleagues back in Washington, D.C. this week, where the news of FBI Director James Comey’s sudden dismissal continues to reverberate. President Trump’s unexpected decision to fire Director Comey dominated the news cycle last week and commanded the attention of the Senate, slowing legislative business … Continue Reading
After the most significant and dramatic week of the 115th Congress, having kept the government funded through the end of the fiscal year and passed its bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the House is on a scheduled district work period with members working in their districts. The Senate is the only chamber in session … Continue Reading
Lawmakers were able to avert a shutdown on Friday by passing a one-week stopgap funding bill to keep the government operational. This week they are looking to finalize a broader spending package for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, through September 30. Leaders in both parties and chambers appear to be working through a number … Continue Reading
After a two-week district work period, members of Congress return to Washington, D.C. this week with a major fiscal deadline looming on Friday. The current continuing resolution is scheduled to expire at midnight on April 28, leaving the House and Senate very little time to strike a deal to keep the government funded and avert … Continue Reading
This week, all eyes will be on the Senate as the chamber prepares for a showdown on President Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch. The Senate is scheduled to return to legislative business on Monday, when members will vote on S. 89, legislation sponsored by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Claire … Continue Reading
Republican leadership in the House and Senate will need to refocus their efforts this week on their agenda for the 115th Congress, following the failure of the House leadership’s proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) last week when Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) was forced to cancel a much-anticipated … Continue Reading
It will be an ambitious week for Republicans on Capitol Hill, where the schedule includes the start of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Tenth Circuit Judge Neil Gorsuch, and in the House of Representatives a vote is scheduled on the GOP leadership proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable … Continue Reading
Much of the attention on Capitol Hill this week will remain focused on activity surrounding the House Republican proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The plan so far has been met with mixed reviews, with a number of Republican members in both chambers expressing their opposition to the legislation in its … Continue Reading
Last week saw the President’s first speech to a joint session of Congress. The speech was widely regarded as a success, though its long-term effect in Congress is likely to be muted. Following the speech, Washington returned to a frenzy over contacts between persons involved in the Trump campaign and Russia. It is against this … Continue Reading
Both chambers are set to return on Monday after a weeklong recess, kicking off a six-week session of legislative business in Washington, D.C. The issues expected to dominate this work period include the confirmation hearing for Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court and negotiations over how to keep the government funded beyond the … Continue Reading
Both houses of Congress return on Monday. The Senate will continue to focus on confirming President Trump’s cabinet appointees and the House will continue to consider legislation disapproving federal regulations issued in the final months of the Obama Administration under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The House is scheduled to return to legislative business on … Continue Reading
Congress this week will continue to move forward on approving President Trump’s cabinet nominees and disapproving federal regulations issued in the final months of President Obama’s Administration in an effort to overturn them under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). There will be an abbreviated week of legislative business in the House of Representatives, with the … Continue Reading
Following last week’s session shortened by the congressional Republican retreat to strategize for the 115th Congress, this week leadership in both chambers and congressional committees will begin to pursue some of the major Republican legislative priorities for the year ahead and put in place more of the President’s Cabinet nominees. Congressional activity this week is … Continue Reading
