PSW Weekly Round-Up - 6/8

Legislative Update

Senate. Last week, after an 18-hour vote-a-rama that saw the defeat of amendments aimed at eliminating or restricting the President’s weaponization fund, the Senate voted 52-47 on June 5 to approve a reconciliation bill that provides funding for ICE and border protection programs. Following that vote, the Senate rejected a motion to proceed to legislation that would extend, with some reforms, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until April 30, 2029.

The Senate’s failure to move forward on the FISA bill throws into question whether legislation can be passed before the June 12 expiration of the current authority providing for monitoring electronic communications of foreign nationals by U.S. intelligence agencies. Both sides of the aisle have issues with the measure, including whether a warrant should be required for surveillance involving U.S. citizens. In addition, Democrats have withdrawn their support after President Trump announced that Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, would be the acting Director of National Intelligence when Tulsi Gabbard leaves that post on June 30. It’s unclear whether even a short-term FISA extension will pass before the authority lapses.

House. The House is looking to vote Tuesday on the Senate-passed reconciliation bill. The seat of the Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), who passed away in January, will be filled by Republican James Gallagher, who won a special election last Tuesday. Gallagher, a state assemblyman, won well over a majority of the vote, negating the need for an Aug. 4 runoff. When Gallagher is sworn in, there will be 219 Republicans (including one Independent), 212 Democrats, and four vacancies – the seats of Reps. David Scott (D-Ga.), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), and Tony Gonzales (R-Tex.).

FY 2027 Appropriations. The House has cleared two FY 2027 funding bills – Agriculture-FDA and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs – and is awaiting floor action on seven others that have been approved by the Appropriations Committee – Commerce-Justice-Science (May 13), Energy-Water (May 20), Financial Services-General Government (April 22), Interior-Environment (June 3), Legislative Branch (May 20), National Security-State (April 28), and Transportation-Housing/Urban Development (June 4).

Two bills – Labor-HHS-Education and Homeland Security – were marked up June 5 in subcommittee and are scheduled for full committee action this week. The last bill to see action, funding Defense programs, is scheduled for subcommittee markup on June 11 and full committee action on June 24.

On the Senate side, full committee markups of three funding bills – Legislative Branch, Agriculture-FDA, and Commerce-Justice-Science – were scheduled for June 4 but then postponed to June 11. The committee could also use the June 11 session to consider three additional bills if they have been scored by then – Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, Interior-Environment, and Financial Services-General Government.

Committee Action of Note:

Monday, June 8

• House Rules Committee meeting to formulate a rule on the following legislation:
  • H.R. 8464 – Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act
  • H.R. 8312 – Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act
  • H. Res. 1335 – Condemning actions to defraud the U.S. Government
  • S. 2 – Secure America Act (reconciliation bill)

Tuesday, June 9

• House Judiciary Committee Hearing: “The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate, Part II.”
• House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing: “Converging Criminal Enterprises: Chinese Money Laundering Networks and Cartel Financing in the U.S. Financial System.”
• House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Hearing: “On Call for America: Strengthening Access Through Locum Tenens Providers.”
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy Hearing: “Nuclear Permitting Reform: Legislation to Advance Efficient Licensing.”
• House Appropriations Committee Markup: FY27 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill and the FY27 Homeland Security Bill.
• House Ways and Means Committee Hearing on Digital Asset Taxation.
• Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Hearing: “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of the Air Force.”

Wednesday, June 10

• House Appropriations Committee Markup: Continued consideration of the FY27 Homeland Security Bill.
• House Agriculture Committee Hearing: “Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA.”
• House Administration Committee Hearing: “Preventing Fraudulent Donations: Transparency, Verification, and Accountability.”
• House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Hearing: “An Overview of the Department of Energy’s FY27 Budget Request.”
• House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance Hearing: “Examining Local Needs in Disaster Recovery.”
• House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security Hearing: Joint Social Security and Work & Welfare Subcommittee Hearing with the Commissioner of Social Security, Frank J. Bisignano.
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Hearing: “Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: Examining Policies to Increase Health Care Transparency.”
• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Hearing: “Oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture” with Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Thursday, June 11

• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Hearing: “AI and the American Dream: Promoting Innovation, Affordability, and American Dominance.”
• Senate Judiciary Committee Markup to consider legislation and nominations, including:
  • S. 1133 – To provide for media coverage of Federal court proceedings
  • S. 1146 – To permit the televising of Supreme Court proceedings
  • S. 4591 – To protect intellectual property rights in the voice and visual likeness of individuals

Friday, June 12

• House Education and Workforce Committee Field Hearing: “Calling the Fouls: Accountability and Transparency in NCAA Enforcement.”

• House Financial Services Committee Field Hearing: Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity: “Examining the Structure of the Federal Reserve System.”

Executive Actions of Note:

President Trump issued a proclamation on June 1 modifying the Section 232 tariffs on aluminum, steel, copper, and certain derivative products. The proclamation establishes a temporary framework, effective from June 8, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2027, and is expected to affect importers of agricultural equipment, HVAC systems and components, mobile industrial equipment, machinery, aluminum lithographic plates, steel racks, and other covered derivative products. This and other executive actions include:

• Further Adjusting the Tariff Regimes for Imports of Aluminum, Steel, and Copper Into the United States - June 1, 2026
• Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security - June 2, 2026
• Implementing Schedule Policy/Career in the Excepted Service - June 3, 2026
• Strengthening Customs Enforcement - June 3, 2026
• National Security Presidential Memorandum/NSPM-11 - June 5, 2026

Tariff Update

Section 301. On June 2, the Trump administration proposed new tariffs on 59 countries and the European Union, having determined that these countries failed to prohibit imports produced with forced labor. The proposed tariffs would be 12.5% on 46 economies and 10% on 14 economies. The 10% tariff would apply to Mexico and Canada but would exempt USMCA-compliant goods. Articles or parts of articles subject to Section 232 tariffs would also be exempt. The proposed tariffs will not take effect until after hearings at USTR and a comment period. Trade experts speculate that the tariffs could be imposed when the 10% Section 122 tariffs expire on July 24.

Brazil. On June 1, the U.S. Trade Representative proposed Section 301 tariffs on imports from Brazil of 25%, in addition to the proposed 12.5% tariff as part of the forced labor investigation. The 25% tariff is related to six issues – digital trade and electronic payment services; unfair, preferential tariffs; anti-corruption enforcement; intellectual property protection; ethanol market access; and illegal deforestation. The Brazilian tariffs, which are not yet final, would exempt many of the products that the country sends to the U.S., such as coffee, fuel, aircraft, and vegetables that can’t be grown in the U.S.

Political Update

Tuesday Primaries. Voters will go to the polls on June 9 to choose congressional candidates in Maine, South Carolina, North Dakota, and Nevada. In Maine, the Democratic Senate primary has drawn the most attention, with candidates Graham Platner, Janet Mills, and David Costello on the ballot, although Gov. Mills suspended her campaign on April 30. The winner will face Senator Susan Collins (R). In Maine’s 2^nd Congressional District, four candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination in the race to replace retiring Rep. Jared Golden (D). Former Gov. Paul LePage is the only candidate on the Republican ballot. In South Carolina, the current congressional map remains in effect after a new map, which would have targeted the seat now held by Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn, was not approved by the state legislature.

Alabama Redistricting. On June 1, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Alabama can use a redistricting plan that will significantly alter the 2^nd District now represented by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures. The new map, which was originally proposed in 2023, is likely to shift the makeup of Alabama’s congressional delegation from 5Rs-2Ds to 6Rs-1D. Primaries in four of the seven districts – the 1^st, 2^nd, 6^th, and 7^th – will be held Aug. 11. Voters in the three districts not changed under the new map voted on May 19.

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