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Legislative Update

Senate. Before leaving at the end of the week for a two-week recess, the Senate plans to vote on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. It is unclear whether the final vote will be Thursday or Friday, and the schedule was somewhat muddled after the Judiciary Committee had to delay its vote today. Because the committee is evenly split between the two parties, all Democrats needed to be present for today’s vote. However, the red-eye flight carrying Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) to D.C. from Los Angeles had to turn back because of a medical emergency, so the vote was delayed until after 4 p.m., when Padilla arrived.

As expected, the vote was 11-11, and the Senate will vote tonight on a motion to discharge Jackson’s nomination from the committee. Assuming that a majority of Senators vote to approve the motion, other parliamentary steps will play out over the next few days, leading to a final vote Thursday or Friday.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would also like to find time in the schedule to vote on a Covid spending measure that would provide $10 billion to purchase additional vaccines, testing kits, and therapeutics. The supplemental spending would be offset by unused funds already appropriated for the pandemic response. There’s a chance that Senators could agree to add a $55 billion small-business pandemic aid package to the $10 billion Covid supplemental. The small business package would provide $42 billion for additional restaurant relief and $13 billion for other hard hit industries.

House. The House is scheduled to work through Thursday and then recess until April 26 but may stay in session on Friday if needed to vote on the $10 billion Covid funding package. The House is planning a separate vote on the $55 billion pandemic aid package, but that could change if the Senate combines the two Covid-related funding bills into one measure.

Committee Action of Note:

  • Tuesday, April 5:
    • House Homeland Security Committee Hearing: Mobilizing our Cyber Defenses: Securing Critical Infrastructure Against Russian Cyber Threats.
    • House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Hearing: Investing in Wildfire Management, Ecosystem Restoration, and Resilient Communities: Examining Implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
    • House Agriculture Committee Hearing: A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Energy - Renewable Energy Opportunities in Rural America.
    • House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Hearing: Communities in Need: Legislation to Support Mental Health and Well-Being.
    • House Education and Labor Committee Markup: H.R. 7309, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022, and H.R. 7310, Protecting America’s Retirement Security Act.
    • House Ways and Means Committee Hearing: Proposed Fiscal Year 2023 Budget with Health & Human Services Secretary Becerra.
    • House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing: An Enduring Legacy: The Role of Financial Institutions in the Horrors of Slavery and the Need for Atonement.
    • House Rules Committee Meeting: H.R. 3807—Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021 [Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022].
    • Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife Hearing to examine implementation of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, focusing on stakeholders' needs and experiences.
    • Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Hearing to examine FDA user fee agreements, focusing on advancing medical product regulation and innovation for the benefit of patients.
    • Senate Finance Committee Hearing to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2023 for the Department of Health and Human Services with HHS Secretary Becerra.
    • Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Hearing to examine ensuring transparency in the petroleum markets.
    • Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Hearing to examine insider trading legislation, focusing on fair markets.
    • Senate Budget Committee Hearing to examine corporate profits and rising prices.
  • Wednesday, April 6:
    • House Education and Labor Committee Hearing: Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with HHS Secretary Becerra.
    • House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Hearing: A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: International Trade and Food Assistance Programs.
    • House Ways and Means Committee Hearing: Overcoming Racism to Advance Economic Opportunity.
    • House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing: National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization.
    • House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation Hearing: Mobilizing our Cyber Defenses: Maturing Public-Private Partnerships to Secure U.S. Critical Infrastructure.
    • House Financial Services Committee Hearing: The Annual Testimony of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the International Financial System.
    • House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing: Gouged at the Gas Station: Big Oil and America's Pain at the Pump.
    • House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth Hearing: (Im)Balance of Power: How Market Concentration Affects Worker Compensation and Consumer Prices.
    • House Budget Committee Hearing: Department of Health and Human Services FY 2023 Budget with HHS Secretary Becerra.
    • Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2023 for the Environmental Protection Agency.
    • Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Hearing to examine the nominations of Ventris Gibson to be Director of the Mint for a term of five years, and Paul Rosen to be Assistant Secretary for Investment Security, both of the Department of the Treasury.
    • Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Hearing to examine proposed budget estimate and justification for fiscal year 2023 for the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation.
    • Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Hearing to examine advancing public transportation in small cities and rural places under the bipartisan infrastructure law.
    • Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) Hearing to examine ways to counter tactics oligarchs use to launder their money and reputations and stifle dissent.
  • Thursday, April 7:
    • House Committee on Administration Hearing: Examining Stock Trading Reforms for Congress.
    • House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Hearing: Cost-Saving Climate Solutions: Investing in Energy Efficiency to Promote Energy Security and Cut Energy Bills.
    • House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Hearing: Russian Seafood Ban Implementation and Seafood Traceability.
    • Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Business Meeting to Consider S.2372: to amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, S.3742: to establish a pilot grant program to improve recycling accessibility, S.3743: to require EPA Administrator to improve composting and recycling programs in the U.S., and two pending nominations.
    • Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing to examine the scope and scale of critical mineral demand and recycling of critical minerals.
    • Senate Finance Committee Hearing to examine the IRS, the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2023, and the 2022 filing season.

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