PSW Weekly Round-Up - 2/2

Legislative Update

Senate. The Senate this week will continue to consider nominations, having voted 71-29 on Friday to approve the House-passed appropriations package with one major amendment. The amended Senate measure provides for a two-week continuing resolution for the Homeland Security Department, rather than full-year funding through Sept. 30, and full-year funding for Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Transportation-HUD, Financial Services-General Government, and National Security-State.

House. The Rules Committee is meeting this afternoon to consider a rule for House consideration of the Senate-passed appropriations package. The full House is planning to vote Tuesday on both the rule and the funding bill, if the rule is approved. Because the minority party traditionally relies on the majority party to approve the rule, Speaker Mike Johnson must find votes from almost every one of his Republican colleagues to clear the rule before the House can vote on the appropriations measure. With tonight’s swearing in of Christian Menefee, the Democratic winner of Saturday’s special election in Houston to replace the late Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Tex.), there will be 218 Republicans, 214 Democrats, and three vacancies.

Funding for those programs covered by the six bills under consideration expired at midnight on Jan. 30. However, many essential employees, including air traffic controllers and TSA staff, will continue working without pay until the appropriations measure is passed by the House and signed by the President. There are questions, though, as to whether Congress can agree on a Homeland Security funding bill by the new deadline of Feb. 13, raising the prospect of one or more additional extensions.

Also on the House schedule this week are resolutions that would hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in criminal contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena as part of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation by the House Oversight Committee.

Committee Action of Note

Monday, February 2

• House Rules Committee meeting to formulate a rule on:
  • H.Res. ____, report (H. Rept. 119-468) recommending William J. Clinton be found in contempt of Congress
  • H.Res. ____, report (H. Rept. 119-469) recommending Hillary R. Clinton be found in contempt of Congress
  • Senate amendments to H.R. 7148, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026

Tuesday, February 3

• House Judiciary Committee markup of legislation, including H.J. Res. 139, balanced budget constitutional amendment
• House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing: “Building an AI-Ready America: Adopting AI at Work”
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands hearing: “Fix Our Forests: The Need for Urgent Action One Year After the L.A. Wildfires”
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy hearing: “Oversight of FERC: Advancing Affordable and Reliable Energy for All Americans.”
• House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies hearing: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General with Inspector General John Walk
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee markup of:
  • S. 3700, expert review panel for FAA safety management system
  • Nominations:
    • Daniel Edwards, Assistant Secretary of Transportation, Department of Transportation
    • Ryan McCormack, Under Secretary for Policy, Department of Transportation
    • Steven Haines, Assistant Secretary of Commerce
    • John DeLeeuw, Member, National Transportation Safety Board
• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing: “Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures.”

Wednesday, February 4

• House Financial Services Committee hearing: “The Annual Report of the Financial Stability Oversight Council” with Chairperson Scott Bessent
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy markup of:
  • H.R. 7258, Energy Emergency Leadership Act
  • H.R. 7266, Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act
  • H.R. 7257, Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid (SECURE Grid) Act
  • H.R. 7272, Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act
  • H.R. 7305, Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026
• House Oversight and Government Reform Committee markup of:
  • H.R. 2985, Modernizing Government Technology Reform Act
  • H.R. 7283, Ensuring Federal Purchasing Efficiency Act
  • H.R. 1118, Value Over Cost Act of 2025
  • H.R. 5438, Incentivize Savings Act
  • H.R. 7256, Federal Workforce Early Separation Incentives Act

• House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets hearing: “A New Day at the SEC: Restoring Accountability, Due Process, and Public Confidence,” including:
  • H.R. 216, the Securities Enforcement Clarity Act of 2025
  • H.R. ___, the SEC Reform and Restructuring Act
  • H.R. ___, the SEC Regulatory Accountability Act
  • H.R. ___, the Review the Expansion of Government (REG) Act
  • H.R. ___, the SEC Regulatory Evaluation, Verification, and Integrity of Effective Workflows (REVIEW) Act
  • H.R. ___, the Streamlining Public Company Accounting Oversight Act
  • H.R. ___, a bill to amend the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 with respect to the authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission to seek disgorgement, and for other purposes
  • H.R. ___, a bill to amend the securities laws to codify certain disqualification waiver processes, and for other purposes
  • H.R. ___, a bill to require the Comptroller General of the United States to carry out a study regarding major rules issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission
  • H.R. ___, a bill to establish a minimum public comment period with respect to proposed rules issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission
  • H.R. ___, a bill to require the Director of the Office of International Affairs of the Securities and Exchange Commission to semiannually report to Congress with respect to discussions with international securities standard setting bodies
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing: “Hit the Road, Mac: The Future of Self-Driving Cars.”

Thursday, February 5

• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing: “On Track for Secure Retirement: Examining the Success of the Railroad Retirement Board”
• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing: “The Financial Stability Oversight Council’s Annual Report to Congress” with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Executive Action of Note

Among the President’s recent executive actions is a Jan. 29 order establishing a process to impose tariffs of all U.S. imports from any country that supplies Cuba with oil. A separate White House fact sheet notes that the President could modify the order if countries take significant steps toward the administration’s position.

• Addressing State and Local Failures to Rebuild Los Angeles After Wildfire Disasters - Jan. 27, 2026
• Addressing Addiction Through the Great American Recovery Initiative - Jan. 29, 2026
• Addressing Threats to The United States by the Government Of Cuba - Jan. 29, 2026

Tariff Update

Canadian Aircraft. On Jan. 29, President Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on aircraft from Canada sold in the United States and decertify all new planes made in Canada. Trump said he would levy the additional duties until Canada agrees to approve certain jets made by Gulfstream. A White House official said Trump’s decertification announcement would only affect new planes, not those currently in operation. No follow-up details have been released on the threatened tariffs and decertification.

India. President Trump announced today that the U.S. has reached a trade agreement with India and will lower tariffs on goods from India to 18%. Last year, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Indian products as part of his “reciprocal” tariffs and then later added another 25% tariff because India was buying Russian oil. Under the agreement, India will stop buying Russian oil and make other concessions, so the 25% tariff tied to the oil purchase will be eliminated, and the 25% reciprocal tariff will be lowered immediately to 18%.

Political Update

N.J. Special Election. In a special primary election on Thursday, 11 Democratic candidates are vying to be their party’s nominee for the 11^th District seat of Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), who is now the state’s governor. There will be no runoff, so the Democrat with the most votes will face the lone Republican candidate in the general special election on April 16.

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