PSW Weekly Round-Up - 12/9

Legislative Update

Senate. The Senate today swore in two new Democratic Senators. Rep. Andy Kim of New Jersey will take the seat of Senator George Helmy, who was appointed to replace Senator Robert Menendez, who resigned in August. Rep. Adam Schiff of California will take the seat of Senator Laphonza Butler, who was appointed to serve in October 2023 after the death of Senator Dianne Feinstein. On Sunday, Helmy and Butler resigned from the Senate and Kim and Schiff stepped down from their House seats. Both Kim and Schiff were elected to full six-year terms that begin Jan. 3. Not surprisingly, the Senate will continue to consider nominations this week.

House. The top item on the House agenda this week is the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislative language that House and Senate defense players have been hammering out for weeks was released Saturday night. Also on the agenda for a floor vote is the Liberty in Laundry Act that would limit the federal government’s authority to set energy efficiency standards for washing machines. Reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) will be one of the bills considered under suspension of the rules. The WRDA measure is the result of months-long negotiations to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions.

2025 Calendars. House and Senate Republican leaders last week released their legislative calendars for 2025. Of note is that the Senate plans to be in session five days a week for most of the year and will not take a recess until the week of March 17. The House will also be out that week in March as well as the weeks of January 27 and February 17. The House calendar can be found here and the Senate calendar here.

Committee Leadership. The House Republican Steering Committee today began making its recommendations in contested races for committee chairs. Rep. Brian Mast (Fla.) won the nod to lead the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Brett Guthrie (Ky.) was endorsed to chair the Energy and Commerce Committee. On Thursday, the Steering Committee will hear from the candidates to lead the Financial Services Committee — Reps. Andy Barr (Ky.), French Hill (Ark.), Bill Huizenga (Mich.), and Frank Lucas (Okla.). Also this week, the Steering Committee will weigh in on who should chair the Education and Workforce Committee — Rep. Tim Walberg (Mich.) or Rep. Burgess Owens (Utah).

As for House Democrats, their Steering and Policy Committee will meet Tuesday to consider who should serve as Ranking Members of the Budget Committee and the five "exclusive committees" (Appropriations, Ways and Means, Rules, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services). Democratic leaders for the other committees, including the competitive races for Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Oversight, will be decided Dec. 16.

Committee Action of Note

Monday, December 9

• House Rules Committee meeting to formulate a rule on various measures, including:
  • National Defense Authorization Act for FY25
  • H.R. 7673, “Liberty in Laundry Act”

Tuesday, December 10

• Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing: “How Mass Deportations Will Separate American Families, Harm Our Armed Forces, and Devastate Our Economy”
• House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology Hearing: “Given the Green Light: Open Border Policies and Threats to Law Enforcement”

Wednesday, December 11

• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Meeting to consider various measures, including:
  • Caroline Crenshaw, to be a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Gordon Ito, to be a member of Financial Stability Oversight Council
• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Hearing: “Consumer Protection: Protecting Workers’ Money and Fighting for the Dignity of Work,” with Rohit Chopra, Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• House Budget Committee Hearing: “Sounding the Alarm: Pathways and Possible Solutions to the U.S. Fiscal Crisis”

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