PSW Weekly Round-Up - 3/16

Legislative Update

Senate. The Senate this week will begin debate on the House-passed SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and tighten identification rules at the polls. The vote to take up the House measure, which will require only a simple majority, is expected Tuesday afternoon. Extended debate will then take place with no one sure exactly how long it will last although some Senators have speculated it could be as long as seven to 10 days.

During this time, votes are expected on amendments that President Trump wants, including restrictions on mail-in voting, banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports, and prohibiting gender-affirming surgery for children. Sixty votes will be needed for approval of these amendments. Democrats could also file lengthy amendments and force the bill clerks to read hundreds of pages of legislative text. Eventually, there will be a vote on cloture to limit debate, which will fall short of the 60 votes needed. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is then expected to turn to other business.

House. Among the bills on the House schedule this week are two measures dealing with the deportation of non-U.S. citizens who defraud the government or harm an animal used by federal law enforcement. Under suspension of the rules, the House will consider a Senate-passed bill to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

Committee Action of Note

Monday, March 16

• House Rules Committee meeting to formulate a rule on legislation including:
  • H.R. 1958, Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026
  • H.R. 4638, BOWOW Act of 2025
• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee markup to consider the nomination of Glen Smith of Iowa to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development

Tuesday, March 17

• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy hearing: “Winter Storm Fern Lessons: Supplying Reliable Power to Meet Peak Demand”
• House Armed Services Committee meeting: U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in North and South America
• House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: “Reforming America’s Defense Sales”
• House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade hearing: “Advancing America’s Interests at the World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Conference”
• House Financial Services Committee hearing: “Updating America’s Financial Privacy Framework for the 21st Century”
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations oversight hearing: “Unleashing America’s Mineral Potential: The Critical Mineral Commodity Supply Chain”
• House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing: “Annual Worldwide Threats Assessment Hearing”
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing: “Protecting Patients and Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars: The Role of CMS in Combatting Medicare and Medicaid Fraud”
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power hearing to receive testimony on pending legislation
• Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: “Stealth Stealing: China’s Ongoing Theft of U.S. Innovation”

Wednesday, March 18

• House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government hearing: “Immigration Policy by Court Order: The Adverse Effects of Plyler v. Doe”
• House Armed Services Committee meeting: U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in Europe
• House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party hearing: “From the Science Lab to the Medicine Cabinet: How China is Cornering the Market on Our Medicines”
• House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions hearing: “Oversight of the Export-Import Bank”
• House Oversight and Government Reform Committee markup to consider legislation including H.R. ____, Settlement Agreement Information Database Act of 2026
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing: “Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the U.S. Provider Landscape”
• House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight hearing: “The Legal Basis for Action Against Venezuelan Drug Traffickers”
• House Financial Services Committee hearing: Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity - “Revisiting the Treasury‑Fed Accord”
• House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and Subcommittee on Readiness joint hearing: “Posture and Readiness of the Mobility Enterprise”
• Senate (Select) Intelligence Committee hearing: “Open: Worldwide Threats”
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee nomination hearing of Markwayne Mullin to be Secretary of Homeland Security

Thursday, March 19

• House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing: Member Day
• Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “Open/Closed: To receive testimony on the posture of United States Northern Command and United States Southern Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2027 and the Future Years Defense Program”
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee markup to consider the nomination of Markwayne Mullin to be Secretary of Homeland Security
• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing: “Member Day”

Executive Action of Note

Among last week’s executive actions, President Trump signed two orders on March 13 dealing with home affordability. The first directs federal agencies to review and reform rules that delay home construction. The second is aimed at streamlining the process for home mortgages, making it easier for smaller community banks to provide home loans.

• Promoting Fiscal Responsibility in Compensation Practices at the Tennessee Valley Authority - March 11, 2026
• Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction - March 13, 2026
• Promoting Access to Mortgage Credit - March 13, 2026
• Ensuring Truthful Advertising of Products Claiming to Be Made in America - March 13, 2026
• Adjusting Certain Delegations Under the Defense Production Act - March 13, 2026

Tariff Update

Tariff Refunds. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official last week told the Court of International Trade that CBP will phase in the development of its process to refund the IEEPA tariffs that were invalidated by the Supreme Court. In the first phase, CBP expects to process the majority of the refunds but not those subject to antidumping or countervailing duties. CBP must provide the court with another update on its activities by March 19.

Section 301 Investigations. On March 11, the Trump administration announced trade investigations into potential unfair trading practices by 16 of America’s largest trading partners. The investigations, which are being undertaken using Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, are targeting China, Mexico, the European Union, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Japan, and India.

Section 301 allows the U.S. to investigate “unreasonable or discriminatory” foreign practices that burden U.S. commerce and then to impose tariffs in response. This round of 301 investigations is based on the administration’s belief that the trading partners are producing more than their domestic markets can absorb and exporting the surplus, thereby harming U.S. manufacturers. The U.S. Trade Representative will now consult with each of the trading partners, receive comments from interested parties, and hold public hearings that begin May 5. By early summer, USTR could recommend new tariffs on a wide range of manufactured goods or related trade measures against the targeted companies.

On March 12, USTR announced the initiation of Section 301 investigations into the practices of 60 trading partners related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor. USTR aims to determine whether the failure to prohibit forced labor imports is unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens U.S. commerce. Among those on the targeted list are Mexico, Canada, the European Union, and China.

Political Update

Illinois Primary. Illinois will hold primaries Tuesday, with attention focused on the Democratic race to succeed retiring Senator Dick Durbin (D). The top candidates are Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Lt. Gov. Julian Stratton, and Rep. Robin Kelly. The top vote-getter in the Democratic race is likely to claim the Senate seat in the November general election. Voters on Tuesday will also choose candidates to replace retiring Democratic Reps. Danny Davis and Jan Schakowsky as well as Reps. Krishnamoorthi and Kelly.

Georgia Special Election. In the March 10 special primary to fill the seat of former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), no candidate received a majority of the votes. The top two vote getters, Republican Clay Fuller and Democrat Shawn Harris, will contend for the seat in an April 7 runoff. The seat is expected to remain in Republican hands.

www.psw-inc.com