Weekly Legislative Update
January 30, 2017
Congressional Outlook
Congressional Outlook
The House and Senate are both in session this week. On Monday and Tuesday, the House will
consider 26 bills under suspension of the rules, including the Transit Security Grant Program
Flexibility Act (H.R. 549), which would allow recipients of TSA grants additional time to use funds,
from two years to 36 months; the First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act (H.R.
687), which would mandate FEMA to develop a process for reviewing grant applications for
purchasing equipment and systems that don't meet or exceed voluntary consensus standards
under the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative; and the
Cyber Preparedness Act of 2017 (H.R. 584), which would expand a Dept. of Homeland Security
information-sharing initiative with states and municipalities to include coordination involving
cybersecurity risks.
For the remainder of the week, the House will vote on five separate disapproval resolutions under
the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which allows Congress, with a simple majority in the House
and Senate, to nullify rules finalized by the Obama Administration in the last 60 legislative days of
the 114th Congress: (1) nullifying the Interior Department's stream protection rule, which prohibits
mining activities that would cause "material damage" to streams outside of the mining permit area
(H.J. Res. 38); (2) disapproving of the resource extraction rule from the Securities and Exchange
Commission, which requires companies to disclose payments to the U.S. and foreign governments
for the development of oil, natural gas or minerals (H.J. Res. 41); (3) disapproving of the Social
Security Administration's rule requiring it to report disability insurance recipients to the FBI's
background check system for prospective gun buyers (H.J. Res. 40); (4) disapproving of a rule
submitted by DoD, the GSA, and NASA requiring prospective federal contractors to disclose their
labor violations (H.J. Res. 37); and (5) disapproving of the Interior Department's Bureau of Land
Management methane flaring, venting and waste rule, which requires oil and gas production
operations on federal land to reduce wasted methane and limits what wasted gas doesn't count
when calculating royalty payments to the government (H.J. Res. 36).
The Senate will be voting on the confirmation of Rex Tillerson to be the 69th U.S. Secretary of
State and Elaine Chao to be the 18th U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Other nominees who will
be voted on by their respective Senate committees of jurisdiction include: Steve Mnuchin to be
Treasury Secretary; Linda McMahon to be SBA Administrator; Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) to be
Interior Secretary; Rick Perry to be Energy Secretary; Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) to be HHS Secretary;
Betsy DeVos to be Education Secretary; Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) to be U.S. Attorney General;
Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) to be OMB Director; and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to
be EPA Administrator. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will also be holding a nomination
hearing on Wednesday for Dr. David Shulkin to be the 9th U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
At 8pm on Tuesday night, President Trump will be announcing his nominee for the vacant seat on
the U.S. Supreme Court, which several Senate Democrats have already threatened to filibuster.
The top two contenders are 51-year old Thomas Hardiman from Pittsburgh, PA and 49-year old
Neil Gorsuch from Denver, CO. Trump is likely to continue signing numerous executive orders
throughout the remainder of the week.
Week in Review
President Trump Signs 15 Executive Orders and
Presidential Memoranda
From January 23-28, President Trump signed 15 separate executive orders and presidential
memoranda, ranging from freezing the federal workforce to expediting environmental reviews on
infrastructure projects, increasing border security measures, stripping money away from so-called
"sanctuary cities," implementing a five-year lobby ban for White House employees, and suspending
the U.S. Refugee Admissions Programs for 120 days and barring citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the U.S. for 90 days. Read more...
Senate Votes to Confirm CIA Director and U.S. Ambassador
to the UN
On January 23, the Senate voted 66-32 to confirm former Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) to serve as
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). On January 24, the Senate voted 96-4 to confirm
former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to serve as the 29th U.S. Ambassador to the United
Nations (UN). Read more...
Senate Democrats Unveil $1 Trillion Infrastructure Plan
On January 24, Senate Democrats unveiled their "Blueprint to Rebuild America's Infrastructure," a
10-year, $1 trillion proposal to "rebuild our nation's crumbling infrastructure and create 15 million
middle-class jobs." Also, on Jan. 24, a document leaked out listing 50 infrastructure projects
compiled and shared by President Donald Trump's transition team, and put together by a
Washington-based consulting firm. Read more...
House and Senate GOP Hold Legislative Retreat
From January 25-27, the House and Senate Republican conferences held a joint legislative retreat
in Philadelphia, PA. At the retreat, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced an ambitious 200-day Congressional agenda, which includes
rolling back regulations, repealing and replacing the 2010 health care law, funding a border wall,
rewriting the tax code, expanding the veterans' choice program, advancing an infrastructure
package, and avoiding a debt default - all before the August recess. Read more...
House Passes No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and
Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017
On January 24, the House passed, by a vote of 238-183, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion
and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017 (H.R. 7), which would amend the Affordable
Care Act to bar any federal money to provide premium subsidies that help pay for insurance plans
that provide abortion services and would prohibit state matching funds for from being used for
purchasing such coverage as well. The White House issued a Statement of Administration Policy
stating that "The Administration strongly supports H.R. 7 [...] If the President were presented with
H.R. 7 in its present form, he would sign the bill." Read more...
Congressional Schedule
Monday, January 30
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Full Senate Finance Committee executive session to vote on the nomination of Steve
Mnuchin to be the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
Full House Rules Committee hearing to consider Disapproving the rule submitted by the
Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule (H.J. Res. 38); Providing
for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule
submitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to ''Disclosure of
Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers'' (H.J. Res. 41); and Providing for congressional
disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the
Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement
Amendments Act of 2007 (H.J. Res. 40).
Full Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee business meeting to vote on
the nomination of Linda McMahon to be the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business
Administration.
Tuesday, January 31
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House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing
entitled "Medicaid Oversight: Existing Problems and Ways to Strengthen the Program."
Full Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting to vote on the
nominations of Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) to be the U.S. Secretary of the Interior and Rick
Perry to be the U.S. Secretary of Energy.
Full Senate Finance Committee executive session to vote on the nomination of Rep. Tom
Price (R-GA) to be the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Full Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee business meeting to vote
on the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Full Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting to vote on the nomination of
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) to be the U.S. Attorney General; and to consider the Elder
Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (S. 178).
Full House Oversight and Government Reform Committee business meeting to consider
the following bills: Tax Accountability Act of 2017 (H.R. 396); Federal Agency Mail
Management Act of 2017 (H.R. 194); Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act (H.R. 702);
Construction Consensus Procurement Improvement Act (H.R. 679); Federal Intern
Protection Act of 2017 (H.R. 653); and the Follow the Rules Act (H.R. 657).
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House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Health Care, Benefits, and
Administrative Rules hearing entitled "Fraud, Waste and Abuse Under the Affordable Care
Act."
Full House Rules Committee hearing to consider Disapproving the final rule submitted by
the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration relating to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (H.J.
Res. 37); and Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United
States Code, of the final rule of the Bureau of Land Management relating to ''Waste
Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation'' (H.J. Res. 36).
Wednesday, February 1
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Full Special Senate Aging Committee hearing entitled "Stopping Senior Scams:
Developments in Financial Fraud Affecting Seniors."
Full House Armed Services Committee hearing entitled "The State of the World: National
Security Threats and Challenges."
Full Senate Budget Committee executive session to vote on the nomination of Rep. Mick
Mulvaney (R-SC) to be Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Full Senate Budget Committee hearing entitled "The Congressional Budget Office's
Budget and Economic Outlook for Fiscal Years 2017-2027."
Full Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing entitled "A
Growth Agenda: Reducing Unnecessary Regulatory Burdens."
Full House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing entitled "Rescuing Americans
from the Failed Health Care Law and Advancing Patient-Centered Solutions."
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing entitled "Strengthening
Medicaid and Prioritizing the Most Vulnerable."
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy hearing entitled "The Electricity
Sector's Efforts to Respond to Cybersecurity Threats."
Full Senate Environment and Public Works Committee business meeting to vote on the
nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to be the Administrator of the U.S.
Environment Protection Agency.
Full Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing entitled
"Obamacare Emergency: Stabilizing the Individual Health Insurance Market."
Full Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing entitled
"Fencing Along the Southwest Border."
Full House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing entitled "Empowering
the Inspectors General."
House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations
hearing entitled "Five Years Later: A Review of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement
Act."
Full House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing entitled "Building a 21st
Century Infrastructure for America."
Full Senate Veterans Affairs' Committee nomination hearing for Dr. David J. Shulkin to
serve as the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Thursday, February 2
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Full House Budget Committee hearing entitled "The Congressional Budget Office's Budget
and Economic Outlook for Fiscal Years 2017-2027."
House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and
Secondary Education hearing entitled "Helping Students Succeed Through the Power of
School Choice."
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House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing entitled "Patient Relief
from Collapsing Health Markets."
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
hearing entitled "Reauthorization of the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA)."
House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security
hearing entitled "The Future of the Transportation Security Administration."
Full House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing entitled "Improving
Security and Efficiency at OPM and the National Background Investigations Bureau."
Full House Oversight and Government Reform Committee business meeting to consider
a resolution disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the
Death with Dignity Act of 2016 (H. J. Res. 27); the Federal Records Modernization Act of
2017 (H.R. ____); and the Electronic Message Preservation Act of 2017 (H.R. ____).