PSW Weekly Round-Up - 9/16

Legislative Update

Senate. On Tuesday the Senate will hold a vote on whether to proceed to the Right to IVF Act, which would protect access to and expand coverage of in vitro fertilization. When Majority Leader Chuck Schumer brought up the measure in June, it failed to clear the 60-vote threshold to move forward, 48-47. A similar outcome is expected on Tuesday. The Senate will also continue to consider nominations.

House. After focusing last week on legislation targeted at China, the House this week plans to vote on bills related to ESG (environmental, social, and governance investing principles), DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion policies), and “woke” economic policies. The House is also scheduled to vote on a Congressional Review Act resolution that would repeal the Administration’s tailpipe emissions standard for light- and medium-duty vehicles.

Government Funding. It’s also expected that the House will vote this week on a Continuing Resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown on Oct. 1. It’s just that no one knows what the measure will look like. Last Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to pull his proposed CR before a floor vote when it became clear that he did not have enough Republican support for passage. Johnson’s proposal would have extended government funding through March 28, 2025, and also included the SAVE Act, which would require individuals to show documentation of U.S. citizenship when they register to vote. Democrats in the House and Senate support a CR that would run through mid-December and oppose the SAVE Act, so it is a given that Johnson’s original proposal will not be enacted.

Committee Action of Note

Tuesday, September 17

• Senate Finance Committee Hearing: “Lower Health Care Costs for Americans: Understanding the Benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act”
• Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law Hearing: “Oversight of AI: Insiders’ Perspectives”
• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research Hearing: “Keeping Kids Learning in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program”
• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy Hearing: “The Macroeconomic Impacts of Potential Tax Reform in 2025”
• House Rules Committee meeting to formulate a rule on various measures, including:
  • H.R. 5339 – RETIRE Act (Protecting Americans’ Investments from Woke Policies Act)
  • H.J. Res. 136 – Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the EPA relating to “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles”

Wednesday, September 18

• House Homeland Security Committee Hearing: “A Country Without Borders: How Biden-Harris’ Open Borders Policies Have Undermined Our Safety and Security”
• House Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion Hearing: “Dazed and Confused: Breaking Down the SEC’s Politicized Approach to Digitized Assets”
• House Small Business Committee Hearing: “Holding the SBA Accountable” with testimony from Small Business Administrator Guzman
• House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Hearing: “Oversight of Homeland Security Investigations”
• House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Hearing with the Inspectors General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
• House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing: “Investing in a Healthier America: Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment”
• House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions Hearing: “Protecting Americans’ Savings: Examining the Economics of the Multi-Billion Dollar Romance Confidence Scam Industry”

Thursday, September 19

• House Oversight and Accountability Committee Hearing: “A Legacy of Incompetence: Consequences of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Policy Failures”
• House Homeland Security Subcommittees on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence and Border Security and Enforcement Joint Hearing: “Beyond the Border: Terrorism and Homeland Security Consequences of Illegal Immigration”
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Hearing: “Holding the Biden-Harris EPA Accountable for Radical Rush-to-Green Spending”
• House Budget Committee Hearing: “The Cost of the Biden-Harris Energy Crisis”
• House Foreign Affairs Committee Markup to find Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress

Friday, September 20

• House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade Hearing: “Protecting Americans Innovation by Establishing and Enforcing Strong Digital Trade Rules”

www.psw-inc.com