What’s Happening in Washington: Week of May 23^rd, 2023

Headlines to Know:

June 1^st Deadline Rapidly Approaching

House leadership in both parties is advising members that they could be kept in session into Memorial Day weekend or be called back to vote mid-way through recess next week. Members have 72 hours to review legislation before voting on it, a rule McCarthy agreed to when securing the speakership in January. Leadership could waive that rule, but there’s appetite in both parties for it to be exercised in the case of such weighty, and potentially lengthy, legislation. After a White House meeting with Biden on Monday, McCarthy told reporters, “I thought the meeting was productive,” but “we still have differences.”

House Bipartisan Immigration Bill

Rep. María Elvira Salazar supported the House GOP border bill that is expected to stall in the Senate. Now, she is throwing her weight behind a bipartisan immigration measure she claims is “tighter” and more likely to end up on the president’s desk. The question is whether she can get her party on board. The Florida Republican has made it a goal to address immigration. As a freshman, she put forward the Dignity Act where she argued for a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants.

President Biden Approves F-16 Jets to Ukraine

For more than a year, Kyiv has asked for modern fighter jets, and the Biden administration’s answer has either been “no,” or “not right now.” That changed late last week, when President Joe Biden told allies that he would support an international coalition to train Ukrainian pilots on Western fighters, paving the way for modern jets to one day be transferred to the front line. A key turning point came in the last few weeks, when the West finished delivering the vast majority of equipment Ukraine needed for a planned spring counteroffensive. The coalition of countries supporting Ukraine has shuttled tons of heavy weaponry, including sophisticated air defense systems and armored vehicles, to the battlefield to help Kyiv repel Russian forces.

President Biden Seals Agreements in Pacific Islands

A U.S. diplomatic offensive to counter China’s growing clout in the Pacific Islands appears to be paying dividends, with three agreements sealed within 48 hours. The Biden administration has focused far more attention on the Pacific islands — new embassies, more aid, several high-level visits — since a security pact between China and the Solomon Islands spooked Washington last year.

Sen. Tim Scott Enters Presidential Race

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott announced his run for the Republican presidential nomination Monday morning in North Charleston, S.C. In his 40-minute announcement speech, Scott highlighted his rise from poverty to prosperity and said that America is not a racist country. Scott is the only Black Republican senator in the U.S. Senate. In recent polling he ranks well back in the pack of current and potential candidates, earning support in the low single digits. In contrast, former President Donald Trump’s support sometimes tops 40 or even 50 percent.

Hearings:

May 23^rd

• House Small Business: Full Committee Markup
• House Armed Services: H.R. 2670 – National Defense Authorization Act for FY24
• House Transportation and Infrastructure: R. 3399, the “Soo Locks Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023”; an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 1836, the “Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023”
• House Appropriations Markup: Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies and Legislative Branch Bills and Interim Suballocation of Budget Allocations
• House Veterans Affairs: COVID-19 Supplemental Funding: Did It Protect and Improve Veteran Care?
• House Judiciary: The Biden Border Crisis: Part III
• House Agriculture: “For the purpose of receiving testimony from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency”
• House Oversight and Accountability: “The Role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers in Prescription Drug Markets Part I: Self-Interest or Health Care?”
• House Financial Services: FHFA Oversight: Protecting Homeowners and Taxpayers
• House Energy and Commerce: Oversight and Reauthorization of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
• House Foreign Affairs: Bring Abducted Children Home
• House Education and the Workforce: “Protecting Employees’ Rights: Ensuring Fair Elections at the NLRB”
• House Natural Resources: Oversight Hearing on “Examining the President’s FY 2024 Budget Proposal for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• House Energy and Commerce: Growing the Domestic Energy Sector Supply Chain and Manufacturing Base: Are Federal Efforts Working?
• House Homeland Security: “A Security Sprint: Assessing the U.S. Homeland’s Vulnerabilities to Chinese Communist Party Aggression”
• House Natural Resources: Legislative hearing on: • H.R. 188
• House Foreign Affairs: Examining the Fiscal Year 24 State and Foreign Operations Budget Request for Europe

May 24^th

• House Veterans’ Affairs: VA Information Technology Contracting: Challenges in Consolidation of Competition and Conflict of Interest
• House Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee Markup
• House Transportation and Infrastructure: Never Ending Emergencies – An Examination of the National Emergencies Act
• House Appropriations Markup: Fiscal Year 2024 Homeland Security and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bills
• House Natural Resources: Oversight hearing titled “Examining the Biden Administration’s Efforts to Limit Access to Public Lands.”
• House Budget Hearing: Reigniting American Growth and Prosperity Series: Removing the Burdens of Government Overreach
• House Foreign Affairs: Various Measures
• House Oversight and Accountability: “Consumer Choice on the Backburner: Examining the Biden Administration’s Regulatory Assault on Americans’ Gas Stoves”
• House Financial Services: Markup of Various Measures
• House Energy and Commerce: 19 Pieces of Legislation
• House Judiciary: R. 277, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act
• House Education and the Workforce: “Breaking the System Part II: Examining the Implications of Biden’s Student Loan Policies for Students and Taxpayers”
• House Foreign Affairs: Modernizing U.S. Arms Exports and a Stronger AUKUS
• House Small Business: “Saluting Service: Supporting Veteran Owned Small Businesses”
• House Ways and Means: The Social Security Administration’s Role in Combatting Identity Fraud
• House Oversight and Accountability: “A Failure of Supervision: Bank Failures and The San Francisco Federal Reserve”
• Committee on House Administration: “American Confidence in Elections: Ensuring Every Eligible American has the Opportunity to Vote – and for their Vote to Count According to Law”
• Committee on House Administration: Full Committee Business Meeting

May 25^th

• • House Natural Resources: Oversight Hearing on “Examining the President’s FY 2024 Budget Request for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Office of Insular Affairs.”
  • House Intelligence: Subcommittee Hearing on Foreign Materiel Acquisition / Exploitation
  • House Financial Services: International Financial Institutions in an Era of Great Power Competition
  • House Ways and Means: Modernizing Customs Policies to Protect American Workers and Secure Supply Chains

What’s Happening in Washington: Week of May 16^th, 2023

Headlines to Know:

Title 42 Expires, Sec. Mayorkas Draws Heat

The U.S. is putting new restrictions into place at its southern border to try to stop migrants from crossing illegally and encourage them instead to apply for asylum online through a new process. The changes come with the end of coronavirus restrictions on asylum that have allowed the U.S. to quickly turn back migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border for the past three years. Those restrictions are known as Title 42, because the authority comes from Title 42 of a 1944 public health law allowing curbs on migration in the name of protecting public health. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats on the state of the southern border. Expect hearings and long-drawn criticism on immigration to emerge as a discussion point on Capitol Hill.

Biden Administration, Congress Make Debt Limit Progress

The outlines of a possible deal to raise the debt ceiling and limit spending are starting to emerge, but negotiators are far from an agreement as President Biden and top lawmakers are set to meet at the White House on Tuesday afternoon. White House and congressional staff have been meeting behind closed doors for several days, and people briefed on the discussions said they were making incremental progress. But Tuesday’s meeting between Mr. Biden and the congressional leaders will be a significant test of whether the staff-level work can win broader buy-in, amid mounting signs that progressive Democrats are opposed to some of the proposals under discussion.

Inflation Eases but Markets Continue to Dip

Stocks dipped Tuesday as investors digested a lackluster forecast from Home Depot. Wall Street also turned its attention to a meeting between congressional leaders and President Joe Biden on the U.S. debt ceiling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 127 points lower, or 0.4%. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% along with the Nasdaq Composite. Dow member Home Depot pulled back by 3.3% after the home improvement retailer reported disappointing quarterly revenue and cut its full-year guidance.

Special Counsel Durham Releases Report on 2016 FBI Investigation

John H. Durham, the Trump-era special counsel who for four years has pursued a politically fraught investigation into the Russia inquiry, accused the F.B.I. of having “discounted or willfully ignored material information” that countered the narrative of collusion between Donald J. Trump and Russia in a final report made public on Monday. Mr. Durham’s 306-page report revealed little substantial new information about the inquiry, known as Crossfire Hurricane, and it failed to produce the kinds of blockbuster revelations accusing the bureau of politically motivated misconduct that former President Donald J. Trump and his allies suggested Mr. Durham would uncover. Instead, the report — released without substantive comment or any redactions by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland — largely recounted previously exposed flaws in the inquiry, while concluding that the F.B.I. suffered from confirmation bias and a “lack of analytical rigor” as it pursued leads about Mr. Trump’s ties to Russia.

Hearings:

May 16^th

• House Homeland Security: “Protecting the Homeland: An Examination of Federal Efforts to Support State and Local Law Enforcement”
• House Transportation & Infrastructure: The Next Fifty Years of the Clean Water Act: Examining the Law and Infrastructure Project Completion
• House Armed Services: Member Day
• House Foreign Affairs: Markups
• House Financial Services: Oversight of Prudential Regulators
• House Judiciary: Revisiting the Implications of the FACE Act
• House Oversight and Accountability: “Overdue Oversight of the Capital City: Part II”
• House Ways and Means: “Overdue Oversight of the Capital City: Part II”
• House Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Markup
• House Intelligence Hearing: Full Committee Hearing on Security Clearance Reform (CLOSED)
• Senate Appropriations: Closed hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2024 for hypersonic threats, missile defense, and the protection of the U.S homeland.
• Senate Finance: Hearings to examine House Republican supplemental IRS funding cuts, focusing on the impact on Federal law enforcement and the Federal deficit.
• Senate Homeland Security: Hearings to examine artificial intelligence in government.
• Senate Banking: Hearings to examine the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Hearings to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
• Senate Judiciary Committee: An oversight hearing to examine A.I., focusing on rules for artificial intelligence.
• Senate Foreign Relations: Hearings to examine U.S. policy towards Russia.
• House Agriculture: “To Review the National Forest System: Supporting Forest Health and Confronting the Wildfire Crisis”
• House Education and Workforce: “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education”
• House Veterans’ Affairs: Reviewing VA’s Implementation of the PACT Act
• House Natural Resources: Oversight hearing titled “Examining the Challenges Facing Forest Management, Wildfire Suppression, and Wildland Firefighters Ahead of the 2023 Wildfire Year.”
• House Judiciary: Hearing on Compliance with Committee Oversight
• House Energy and Commerce: Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Cyberattacks: Examining Expertise of Sector Specific Agencies
• Senate Appropriations: Hearings to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024, focusing on investing in U.S. security, competitiveness, and the path ahead for the U.S. China relationship.
• Senate Environment and Public Works: Hearings to examine perspectives on new and existing US Army Corps of Engineers authorities to respond to water management issues including drought and water conservation.
• Senate Finance: Hearings to examine economic cooperation for a stronger and more resilient Western Hemisphere.

March 17^th

• House Homeland Security: R.3286, H.R. 1501, H.R. 3224, H.R. 3208, H.R. 3254
• Senate Armed Services: Hearings to examine the role of Special Operations Forces in supporting the National Defense Strategy, including activities that contribute to long-term strategic competition with China and Russia.
• House Natural Resources: Con.Res. 34 (Rep. Stauber), Expressing disapproval of the withdrawal by the Secretary of the Interior of approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System
• House Transportation and Infrastructure: The Impacts of FEMA’s Strategic Plan on Disaster Preparedness and Response
• House Agriculture: “A Review of Animal Agriculture Stakeholder Priorities”
• House Judiciary: Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property: Part I – Interoperability of AI and Copyright Law
• House Select Committee on the CCP: Committee Business Meeting
• House Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health Markup (R.2679, H.R.2665, H.R.2559, H.R.2550, H.R.3262, H.R.3237, H.R.2544, H.R.1418, H.R.2666, H.R.2547, H.R.1613, H.R.3248)
• Senate HELP: Hearings to examine a crisis in mental health and substance use disorder care, focusing on closing gaps in access by bringing care and prevention to communities.
• Senate Budget: Hearings to examine how tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations drive the national debt.
• Senate Environment and Public Works: Hearings to examine Federal actions to improve project reviews for a cleaner and stronger economy.
• House Veterans’ Affairs: VHA Recruitment and Retention: Is Bureaucracy Holding Back a Quality Workforce?
• House Financial Services: The Current Mortgage Market: Undermining Housing Affordability with Politics
• House Oversight and Accountability: “Driving Bad Policy: Examining EPA’s Tailpipe Emissions Rules and the Realities of a Rapid Electric Vehicle Transition”
• House Ways and Means: Why Health Care is Unaffordable: Anticompetitive and Consolidated Markets
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Hearings to examine health care denials and delays in medicare advantage.
• Senate Banking: Hearings to examine strengthening accountability at the Federal Reserve, focusing on lessons and opportunities for reform.
• Joint Economic Committee: Hearings to examine how a U.S. default crisis harms American families and businesses.
• Senate Veterans’ Affairs: Hearings to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024 and 2025 advance appropriations requests for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Senate Agriculture: Hearings to examine rural broadband, focusing on connecting our communities to the digital economy.
• House Select Committee on the CCP: “Leveling the Playing Field: How to Counter the CCP’s Economic Aggression”

March 18^th

• House Foreign Affairs: Standing United Against the People’s Republic of China’s Economic Aggression and Predatory Practices
• House Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government: Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government
• House Financial Services: Putting the ‘Stable’ in ‘Stablecoins:’ How Legislation Will Help Stablecoins Achieve Their Promise
• House Appropriations Committee: Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill
• Senate Aging (Special) Meeting: Hearings to examine the strained nursing home inspection system and the need to improve oversight, transparency, and accountability.
• Senate Banking: An oversight hearing to examine financial regulators, focusing on financial stability, supervision, and consumer protection in the wake of recent bank failures.
• Senate Judiciary Committee: Business meeting to consider S.1080, to amend the Controlled Substances Act to require electronic communication service providers and remote computing services to report to the Attorney General
• Senate Finance Committee: Hearings to examine tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, focusing on jobs and investment in energy communities.
• Senate Foreign Relations: Hearings to examine U.S. policy towards the Western Balkans.

What’s Happening in Washington: Week of May 9^th, 2023

Headlines to Know:

June 1 Debt Ceiling Lingers Over Congress

President Biden is set to host a high-stakes meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other congressional leaders today, kicking off what could be weeks of discussions aimed at averting the first-ever default by the federal government as soon as next month. House Republicans have demanded deep spending cuts in exchange for raising the debt ceiling and criticized Mr. Biden for not starting talks earlier. But Mr. Biden and Democrats in Congress maintain that the federal borrowing limit should be raised without preconditions and have called the GOP stance irresponsible. Neither side has presented a path forward that could win enough support to pass both chambers of Congress.

Biden Administration Issues New Travel Guidelines, Compensation Rules

The Biden administration plans new regulations that would require airlines to compensate passengers when flight times change drastically due to causes within the carriers’ control. The rule-making would require airlines to provide compensation in addition to refunds, similar to passenger-protection measures required in the European Union, when flights are canceled or passengers endure significant delays due to airline-caused disruption. It would also require airlines to cover expenses such as overnight hotel accommodations and transportation during such significant flight disruptions—services many carriers already provide.

Federal Reserve Adjusts Rates, Warns of Credit Chilling Effect

The Federal Reserve has warned that the recent banking turmoil could fuel a broad credit crunch that risks slowing the US economy, while lenders told the central bank they plan to tighten lending standards due to worries about loan losses and deposit flight. The US central bank said in its twice-yearly financial stability report that despite “decisive actions” by regulators and officials to tackle the recent regional bank crises, worries about the “economic outlook, credit quality, and funding liquidity” could lead “banks and other financial institutions to further contract the supply of credit to the economy”.

State Lawmakers Agree on Free College Tuition Deal

Tuition at Minnesota’s public colleges would be free to residents whose families earn less than $80,000 annually, starting in the 2024-2025 academic year, under an agreement reached by legislative negotiators. The “North Star Promise” free tuition program would cost about $117 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1, including startup costs. After that, it would cost about $49.5 million annually, according to the agreement.

Hearings:

• 5/9/23: House Veterans’ Affairs: Electronic Health Record Modernization Deep Dive: Pharmacy
• 5/9/23: House Rules Meeting: H.R. 2 – Secure the Border Act of 2023; H.R. 1163 – Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act of 2023
• 5/9/23: Senate Armed Services: Hearings to examine Department of Defense missile defense activities in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2024 and the Future Years Defense Program.
• 5/10/23: House Agriculture: The Future of Digital Assets: Measuring the Regulatory Gaps in the Digital Asset Markets
• 5/10/23: Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Hearings to examine conflict in Sudan, focusing on options for an effective policy response.
• 5/10/23: House Science, Space, and Technology: An Overview of the Budget Proposal for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for Fiscal Year 2024
• 5/10/23: House Transportation and Infrastructure: Freight Forward: Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges to Deliver for America
• 5/10/23: House Small Business: “Taking on More Risk: Examining the SBA’S Change to the 7(a) Lending Program Part I”
• 5/10/23: House Foreign Affairs: Modernizing U.S. Arms Exports and a Stronger AUKUS
• 5/10/23: House Energy & Commerce: Fiscal Year 2024 Environmental Protection Agency Budget Request
• 5/10/23: House Judiciary Markup: H.R. 2494, the Protect Our Law enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement (POLICE) Act of 2023
• 5/10/23: Senate Energy and Natural Resources: Hearings to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024 for the National Park Service.
• 5/10/23: Senate Agriculture: Hearings to examine the nomination of Xochitl Torres Small, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.
• 5/10/23: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Business meeting to consider S.229, to require SelectUSA to coordinate with State-level economic development organizations to increase foreign direct investment
• 5/10/23: House Education and the Workforce: Markup of H.J.Res.45 – Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code,
• 5/10/23: House Energy & Commerce: Closing the Digital Divide: Overseeing Federal Funds for Broadband Deployment
• 5/10/23: Senate Appropriations: To receive a closed briefing on the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024, focusing on U.S. competitiveness, and the U.S.-China relationship.
• 5/10/23: Senate Budget: Hearings to examine leadership perspectives and experience on the national costs of climate change.
• 5/10/23: Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions: Hearings to examine the need to make insulin affordable for all Americans.
• 5/10/23: House Science, Space, and Technology: Return on Unprecedented Investment: An Analysis of the Department of Energy’s Implementation of the IIJA, the IRA, and the CHIPS and Science Act
• 5/10/23: House Rules Meeting: Examining China’s Coercive Economic Tactics
• 5/10/23: House Homeland Security: “Evaluating High-Risk Security Vulnerabilities at our Nation’s Ports”
• 5/10/23: House Financial Services: Federal Responses to Recent Bank Failures
• 5/10/23: House Ways and Means: Examining Policies that Inhibit Innovation and Patient Access
• 5/11/23: House Armed Services Markup: H.R. 2670 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
• 5/11/23: Senate Appropriations: Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2024 for the Department of Defense.
• 5/11/23: Senate Banking: Business meeting to consider pending calendar business; to be immediately followed by a hearing to examine cannabis banking challenges of small businesses and workers.
• 5/11/23: House Science, Space, and Technology: An Overview of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2024
• 5/11/23: House Transportation and Infrastructure: Assessing the Shortage of United States Mariners and Recruitment and Retention Challenges in the United States Coast Guard
• 5/11/23: House Armed Services Markup: H.R. 2670 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
• 5/11/23: House Agriculture: “Stakeholder Perspectives on Agricultural Trade”
• 5/11/23: House Oversight and Accountability: “Strengthening the Fleet: Challenges and Solutions in Naval Surface Ship Construction”
• 5/11/23: Senate HELP: Business meeting to consider S.1067, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to citizen petitions, S.1114, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
• 5/11/23: Senate Finance: Hearings to examine cross-border prescriptions, focusing on pharmaceutical manufacturers and U.S. international tax policy.
• 5/11/23: Senate Appropriations: Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2024 for the Department of Education.
• 5/11/23: Senate Energy and Natural Resources: Hearings to examine opportunities for Congress to reform the permitting process for energy and mineral projects.
• 5/11/23: House Education & Workforce: “Examining America’s Workforce Challenges: Looking for Ways to Improve Skills Development”
• 5/11/23: House Energy & Commerce: Examining the Root Causes of Drug Shortages: Challenges in Pharmaceutical Drug Supply Chains
• 5/12/23: House Armed Services: H.R. 2670 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

What’s Happening in Washington: Week of May 1^st, 2023

Headlines to Know:

Debt Ceiling Looms Overhead

President Joe Biden invited the “big four” congressional leaders to a meeting at the White House next week after the federal government’s debt managers warned Congress on Monday that lawmakers may have even less time than they thought to raise the statutory borrowing cap. The government may be unable to pay its bills by early June if Congress doesn’t raise the statutory debt limit before then, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said Monday.

Sen. Ben Cardin Retires; Opens 2024 Vacancy

Sen. Ben Cardin, first elected to the Senate in 2006, has announced that he will not seek re-election in 2024. The announcement immediately spurred action among Maryland elected officials; a competitive Democratic primary is expected. While the state leans blue, the announcement also opens the door for former Governor Larry Hogan to consider a bid. While the former governor has ruled out a presidential run, there is buzz surrounding a Senate run. If he were to enter, both Maryland and West Virginia would become competitive races in a presidential election year.

Federal Agency Case Picked up by SCOTUS

The Supreme Court agreed Monday to reconsider long held precedent and decide whether to significantly scale back on the power of federal agencies in a case that can impact everything from how the government addresses everything from climate change to public health to immigration. The justices announced they would take up an appeal from herring fishermen in the Atlantic who say the National Marine Fisheries Service does not have the authority to require them to pay the salaries of government monitors who ride aboard the fishing vessels. Their action means they will reconsider a 1984 case – Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council – that sets forward factors to determine when courts should defer to a government agency’s interpretation of the law.

Hearings:

• 5/2/23: Senate Agriculture: Hearings to examine commodity programs, credit, and crop insurance, focusing on producer perspectives on the farm safety net.
• 5/2/23: Senate Energy & Natural Resources: Hearings to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024 for the Department of the Interior.
• 5/2/23: Senate Armed Services: Hearings to examine the posture of the Department of the Air Force in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2024 and the Future Years Defense Program
• 5/2/23: Senate HELP: Business meeting to consider S.1067, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to citizen petitions, S.1114, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
• 5/2/23: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Hearings to examine improving access to Federal grants for underserved communities.
• 5/2/23: Senate Appropriations: Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2024 for the Army.
• 5/2/23: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Hearings to examine reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program, focusing on improving community resilience.
• 5/2/23: Senate Judiciary: Hearings to examine Supreme Court ethics reform.
• 5/2/23: Hearings to examine advancing security and prosperity through international conservation.
• 5/2/23: House Natural Resources: Oversight Field Hearing titled “Examining the Mineral Wealth of Northern Minnesota.”
• 5/2/23: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Hearings to examine rural housing legislation.
• 5/2/23: Senate Foreign Relations: Hearings to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024 for East Asia and the Pacific.
• 5/2/23: Senate Armed Services: Hearings to examine the current readiness of the Joint Force.
• 5/2/23: Senate Armed Services: Hearings to examine Department of Defense space activities in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2024 and the Future Years Defense Program.
• 5/3/23: Senate Environment and Public Works: Hearings to examine the 2024 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers budget and implementation of Water Resources Development Act of 2022.
• 5/3/23: Senate Appropriations: Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2024 for the Department of Energy, including the National Nuclear Security Administration.
• 5/3/23: Senate Finance Committee: Hearings to examine barriers to mental health care, focusing on improving provider directory accuracy to reduce the prevalence of ghost networks.
• 5/3/23: Senate Budget Meeting: Hearings to examine the real cost of fossil fuels.
• 5/3/23: Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Business meeting to consider S.396, to require the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to Congress regarding the ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti
• 5/3/23: Senate Appropriations Committee: Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2024 for the Environmental Protection Agency.
• 5/4/23: Senate Agriculture: Hearings to examine commodity programs, credit, and crop insurance, focusing on industry perspectives on risk management and access to credit.
• 5/4/23: Senate Energy and Natural Resources: An oversight hearing to examine the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
• 5/4/23: Senate Appropriations: Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2024 for the National Institutes of Health.
• 5/4/23: Senate Budget: Hearings to examine debt limit legislation.
• 5/4/23: Senate HELP Committee: Hearings to examine preparing for the next public health emergency, focusing on reauthorizing the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act.

What’s Happening in Washington: Week of April 25 th, 2023

Headlines to Know:

House GOP Pitches Debt Ceiling Bill
The House is set to vote this week on a $4.5 trillion GOP bill – the Limit, Save, Grow Act – that raises the
debt limit into 2024 while slashing federal spending by tens of billions of dollars. Furthermore, expect to
hear from the Treasury Department on when the U.S. government could default on its $31.4 trillion
debt. The House Freedom Caucus is pushing their leadership to have new work requirements for social
safety net programs under this legislation kick in during FY 2024 instead of FY 2025. Conservatives also
want to increase the hours covered recipients must work from 20 to 30 per week.
President Biden Set to Launch 2024 Re-Election Bid
Over the weekend, the Washington Post scooped the news that President Biden is set to announce his
2024 bid for a second term on Tuesday April 25 th . In a planned video launch, the campaign
announcement comes as Democrats coalesce around President Biden and Republicans anticipate a
prolonged primary battle between former President Donald Trump and presumptive challenger
Governor Ron DeSantis.
Afghanistan
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) has decided to push the subpoena
deadline for Secretary of State Antony Blinken back to May 1. This is the second time McCaul has
postponed the deadline for Blinken to hand over to Congress an internal dissent cable written by
officials in the Kabul Embassy criticizing the U.S. decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2021.
Last week Sec. Blinken failed to comply with the April 19 th deadline. McCaul had offered to look at the
dissent cable with the names of the signatories redacted. This was an effort to accommodate State’s
concerns but led to no further compliance.
In the meantime, the State Department offered to hold a classified bipartisan briefing for the Foreign
Affairs Committee this week on the concerns raised by Kabul Embassy staff ahead of the pullout. The
panel has asked for the briefing to be held on April 27; a committee spokesperson told us. State hasn’t
replied yet, we’re told.
Comer’s Biden Family Investigation
House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) announced last week that the
panel is investigating six more members of President Joe Biden’s family. We still don’t know who these
individuals are and what precisely they are being investigated for, other than the broad charge of
“influence peddling.”

Week Ahead:
Tuesday: The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing examining the U.S. Capitol Police’s
budget.
Wednesday:
House Appropriations will have a hearing on the FAA’s budget with Acting Administrator Billy Nolen.
House Judiciary will have an oversight hearing on the ATF. Director Steven Dettelbach will testify in a
session that’s going to be very heavy on gun policy.
The Senate HELP Committee will vote on Julie Su’s nomination to be Labor secretary. Su should clear the
committee easily, but Democrats face potential problems on the floor. Senate Judiciary will have a
hearing on reproductive rights post Dobbs. Senate Foreign Relations will have a hearing on USAID’s
budget with Administrator Samantha Power.
Thursday: House Judiciary will hold a hearing on FISA with DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
House Ways and Means will have a hearing with newly confirmed IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel.

Hearings:

 April 25 th 3:00pm, House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee
on Technology Modernization – Electronic Health Record Modernization Deep Dive: Pharmacy
 April 25 th 3:30pm, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative Branch – Hearings to
examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2024 for the Sergeant at
Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate and the United States Capitol Police.
 April 26 th 10:00am, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Departments of Transportation, and
Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies – Oversight and Budget Hearing –
FY2024 Request for the Federal Aviation Administration
 April 26 th 10:00am, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and
Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies – Oversight Hearing – Provider Relief Fund and
Healthcare Workforce Shortages
 April 26 th 10:00am, House Judiciary Committee – Oversight of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives
 April 26 th 10:00am, House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk
Management, and Credit – “Producer Perspectives on the 2023 Farm Bill”
 April 26 th 10:00am, House Oversight and Accountability Committee – “The Government
Accountability Office’s 2023 High Risk List”
 April 26 th 10:00am, House Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation -Entrepreneurship, and
Workforce Development
 April 26 th 10:00am, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security – Social Security
Fundamentals: A Fact-Based Foundation

 April 26 th 10:15am, House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands – Oversight
hearing titled “Examining the President's FY 2024 Budget Request for the U.S. Forest Service”
 April 26 th 10:15am, House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment,
Labor, and Pensions – Reducing Health Care Costs for Working Americans and Their Families
 April 26 th 10:30am, House Armed Services Committee – U.S. Military Posture and National
Security Challenges in Europe
 April 26 th 10:30am, House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment,
Manufacturing, and Critical Materials – Exposing the Environmental, Human Rights, and National
Security Risks of the Biden Administration’s Rush to Green Policies
 April 26 th 1:30pm, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and
Related Agencies – Budget Hearing – Fiscal Year 2024 Request for the Department of Justice
Grantmaking Components
 April 26 th 2:00pm, House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources –
Oversight Hearing on “Examining the President’s FY 2024 Budget Request for the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the U.S.
Geological Survey.”
 April 26 th 2:00pm, House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus
Pandemic – “The Consequences of School Closures, Part 2: The President of the American
Federation of Teachers, Ms. Randi Weingarten”
 April 26 th 2:00pm, House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health Care and
Financial Services – “China in Our Backyard: How Chinese Money Laundering Organizations
Enrich the Cartels”
 April 26 th 2:00pm, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight – Tax-Exempt Hospitals
and the Community Benefit Standard
 April 26 th 3:00pm, House Administration Subcommittee on Modernization – "The Path Toward a
More Modern and Effective Congressional Research Service.”
 April 26 th 3:00pm, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and
Enforcement – The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children
 April 27 th 9:00am, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
– Fixing FISA: How a Law Designed to Protect Americans Has Been Weaponized Against Them
 April 27 th 9:00am, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the
Internet – Oversight of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
 April 27 th 9:00am, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and
Related Agencies – Budget Hearing – Fiscal Year 2024 Request for the Drug Enforcement
Administration
 April 27 th 12:30pm, House Armed Services Committee – Department of the Air Force Fiscal Year
2024 Budget Request
 April 27 th 1:00pm, House Ways and Means Committee – Accountability and Transparency at the
Internal Revenue Service with IRS Commissioner Werfel

 April 27 th 1:30pm, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and
Related Agencies – Budget Hearing – Fiscal Year 2024 Request for the Federal Bureau of
Investigation
 April 27 th 2:00pm, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General
Government – Budget Hearing – Fiscal Year 2024 Request for the Federal Trade Commission
 April 27 th 2:00pm, House Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and
Rural Development – “The Future of Digital Assets: Identifying the Regulatory Gaps in Spot
Market Regulation”
 April 27 th 2:00pm, Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Protection – “CISA 2025: The State of American Cybersecurity from CISA’s Perspective”
 April 27 th 2:00pm, House Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial
Technology and Inclusion – The Future of Digital Assets: Identifying the Regulatory Gaps in Digital
Asset Market Structure
 April 27 th 2:00pm, House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance,
and International Financial Institutions – Oversight of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
(FinCEN) and the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI)
 April 27 th 2:30pm, Committee on House Administration – “American Confidence in Elections:
State Tools to Promote Voter Confidence”
 April 28 th 9:00am, House Armed Services Committee – Department of the Navy Fiscal Year 2024
Budget Request
 April 28 th 9:00am, House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance – The
Reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program: FEMA’s Perspective
 April 28 th 10:00am, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Departments of Transportation, and
Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies – Oversight Hearing – Tribal
Perspectives on Housing and Transportation