PSW Weekly Round-Up - 11/19

Legislative Update

Senate. The Senate will continue to consider nominations. On Wednesday, Senators are expected to vote on a resolution by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to block the shipment of U.S. arms to Israel.

House. In addition to bills on the suspension calendar, the House will consider legislation affecting geothermal lease sales and a measure targeting the tax-exempt status of certain nonprofits. The House is not planning to be in session on Friday, and both chambers will be out next week for Thanksgiving, returning the week of Dec. 2.

Lame Duck. When lawmakers return from the Thanksgiving break, the top three items on their agenda will be disaster aid, what to do about FY 2025 spending bills, and the defense authorization bill.

Today the White House asked Congress to provide nearly $100 billion in emergency funding for disaster relief. It’s unclear whether the disaster funding bill will move on its own or as part of legislation that is needed by Dec. 20 to avoid a government shutdown. While some lawmakers hope to wrap up action this year on all pending appropriations bills, others want the new President and the new Republican-controlled Congress to have a say on the final legislation. On Sunday, Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged the Dec. 20 deadline and said, “We’re still hopeful we might be able to get that done, but if not, we will have a temporary measure” likely “into the first part of next year.” The House and Senate have not yet agreed on a top-line spending number for the FY 2025 bills.

As for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees are still hashing out a number of outstanding issues, with hopes of finalizing legislative text before the Thanksgiving break. It could be that the text won’t be released until after the recess, and the plans are to move the bill to floor consideration in early December.

Farm Bill. There was one step forward yesterday on reauthorizing farm and nutrition programs, but many observers believe that it may be too late for lawmakers to agree on a long-term reauthorization. Yesterday morning, Senate Agriculture Chairman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) released the text of her version of a Farm bill, but it’s unclear whether it will even be considered by the full Senate. House Republicans passed their version out of committee in May, but the bill has not been considered by the full House.

Committee Action of Note

Tuesday, November 19

• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee markup of 74 measures, including:
  • S.914, to establish an energy threat analysis center in the Department of Energy;
  • S. 1764, a bill to improve Federal activities relating to wildfires, and for other purposes;
  • S. 2991, a bill to improve revegetation and carbon sequestration activities in the United States, and for other purposes; and
  • S. 3631, a bill to require reports on critical mineral and rare earth element resources around the world and a strategy for the development of advanced mining, refining, separation, and processing technologies
• Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing: Breaking the Visa-Mastercard Duopoly: Bringing Competition and Lower Fees to the Credit Card System”
• Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law Hearing: “Big Hacks & Big Tech: China’s Cybersecurity Threat”
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Hearing: “In the Eye of the Storm: Oversight of FEMA’s Disaster Readiness and Response”
• House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Hearing: “Impacts of Emergency Authority Cybersecurity Regulations on the Transportation Sector”
• House Oversight and Accountability Committee Hearing: “Oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency”
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Hearing to review various measures, including:
  • H.R. 7662, “Critical Minerals Security Act of 2024”; and
  • H.R 7807, “Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Act”
• Joint Economic Committee Hearing: “Building on the Success of TCJA: The 2025 Tax Policy Debate”

Wednesday, November 20

• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee markup to consider the nomination of Matthew Marzano to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing: “A Review of Disaster Funding Needs”
• House Financial Services Committee Hearing: “Oversight of Prudential Regulators”
• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy Hearing: “Tax Policy in 2025: Implications for the American Economy”

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