Later in the week, the House takes up a bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The chamber also considers the FY2013 defense authorization.

The Senate resumes consideration of a House reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. The measure stalled last week in a dispute about offering amendments.

Appropriators in both chambers continue work on FY2013 spending bills. The House Appropriations Committee marks up Homeland Security and Military Construction-VA draft spending bills.

                          

This afternoon, the House Budget Committee will mark up two bills:  The Sequester Replacement Act of 2012 (HR 4966) and The Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012.  Both measures aim to replace sequestration, the mandatory cuts scheduled to begin in January 2013.  The first bill would stop sequestration from happening, while the second would outline a series of cuts to entitlement programs such as health care and food stamps that would replace the cuts to discretionary spending expected through sequestration.  The full House is due to pass the package late in the week likely along partisan lines.  However, the safe bet is Congress won’t reach agreement on how to deal with spending priorities until after the elections. 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday the Senate is scheduled to debate a bill to keep interest rates on federally subsidized student loans at 3.4 percent for one more year, instead of increasing to the previous amount of 6.8 percent.  The House passed a similar bill a week ago, but the two chambers differ on how to pay for the extension.  In a sign of their desire to downplay the partisan tensions, Senate Republicans are expected to help Democrats reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural hurdle to bringing the measure to the floor.  

Tuesday also marks the formal launch of a House-Senate conference to write a surface transportation reauthorization bill.  If conferees can’t come to an agreement on the bill before the November election, then chances are good the bill just won’t get done this year.  And that will mean starting over from scratch early in 2013.  The biggest hurdles include the length of reauthorization, policy riders approving the Keystone XL pipeline and blocking EPA’s authority to regulate coal ash, and how best to pay for the cost of highway and transit programs around the country.  This bill reauthorizes the University Transportation Centers; the UW operates one of these centers for USDOT Region 10.

Also this week, the full House is scheduled to debate the FY 2013 Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill, which includes funding for NOAA and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.  House Rules Committee meets at 5:00pm today to write the spending bill’s rule, and it will hit the floor sometime later in the week.  This will be the first FY 2013 appropriations bill to be approved in the House, but differences over spending levels make it likely that both chambers won’t agree on most or even all of its spending bills until after the elections.  But by sending the measures through committee and to the floor in each chamber, leaders are at least offering a starting place for those year-end negotiations.  Congress has missed the statutory September 30^th appropriations deadline for more than a decade, instead relying on continuing resolutions to keep the government from shutting down until the final bills are cleared and signed by the President.

                          

House Floor Activities
The House of Representatives may take up the FY10 war supplemental spending bill later in the week.

Senate Committee Activities

Tuesday, June 29

Joint Economic Committee
Full Committee Hearing – “Fueling Local Economies: Research, Innovation and Jobs” Witnesses include Dr. Samuel Stanley, President, Stony Brook University

Wednesday, June 30

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
Full Committee Hearing – “Farm Bill Reauthorization Hearing 1, Maintaining Our Domestic Food Supply through a Strong U.S. Farm Policy”

House Committee Activities

Tuesday, June 29

Joint Economic Committee
Full Committee Hearing – “Fueling Local Economies: Research, Innovation and Jobs” Witnesses include Dr. Samuel Stanley, President, Stony Brook University

House Appropriations Committee
Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee Markup – FY2011 C-J-S Appropriations Bill

House Science and Technology Committee
Investigations & Oversight Subcommittee – Setting New Courses for Polar Weather Satellites

Research and Science Education Subcommittee – 21st Century Biology

Wednesday, June 30

House Appropriations Committee
Agriculture Subcommittee Markup – FY2011 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

House Appropriations Committee
State, Foreign-Operations Subcommittee Markup – FY2011 S-FOPS Appropriations Bill

Thursday, July 1

House Science and Technology Committee
Technology & Innovation Subcommittee – Smart Grid Architecture and Standards

                          

Tax Extenders/Social Safety-net Legislation

House Floor Activities

H.R. 4899, Supplemental Appropriations Act

Senate Committee Activities

Tuesday, June 15

Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee
Energy Subcommittee Hearing – Considering several small energy bills, including S. 679, to establish a research, development, demonstration and commercial application program to promote research of technologies for heavy duty plug-in hybrid vehicles; and S. 2900, to establish a research, development and technology demonstration program to improve the efficiency of gas turbines 

House Committee Activities

Tuesday, June 15

House Energy and Commerce Committee
Health Subcommittee Hearing – “NIH In The 21st Century: The Director’s Perspective”

Wednesday, June 16
 
House Science and Technology Committee
Energy and Environment Subcommittee – “Real-Time Forecasting for Renewable Energy Development”

Thursday, June 17

House Education and Labor Committee
Full Committee Hearing  – “The Department of Education Inspector General’s Review of Standards for Program Length in Higher Education”

                          

The Senate will consider a number of judicial nominations on Monday, June 7.  Later in the week, senators may consider a bill to extend expired tax provisions and social safety-net programs.  On Thursday, the Senate is expected to debate whether to proceed to a resolution disapproving of the EPA’s endangerment finding on greenhouse gases.

The House returns Tuesday to vote on a number of lands and hydropower bills.  Later in the week, the House schedule includes bills to boost electricity grid security and to allow the Federal Housing Administration to raise mortgage insurance rates.  The House may also vote on a bill to create a small business lending fund.

HEARINGS AND MARKUPS

Hearings being held this week in Congress focus mainly on the Gulf Coast oil disaster.

Source:  CQ Today

                          

The Senate continues consideration of the fiscal 2010 supplemental appropriations bill (HR 4899).

 On Tuesday, the House is expected to consider several measures under suspension of the rules. Later in the week, the House could also consider a motion to concur in the Senate amendment with a House amendment to a bill (HR 4213) that would extend certain tax cuts.

 On Thursday, the House could consider a bill (HR 5116) that would reauthorize education and research programs in science and technology.

 HEARINGS AND MARKUPS

Tuesday

• the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions will hold a full committee hearing on the ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT REAUTHORIZATION.  2 p.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg. 
• House Appropriations Committee will hold a full committee markup on FISCAL 2010 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, 5:00 p.m., 2359 Rayburn Bldg.

                          

The House will reconvene on Tuesday to bote on a number of minor bills and resolutions.  They are also expected to consider HR 4213, the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act of 2010, a bill to extend expired tax provisions and a bill that would reauthorize science and technology programs that was pulled from the floor on May 13.

The Senate will convene on Monday continue to vote on amendments to a bill to overhaul financial regulations (S 3217).  Hopes are to finish the bill by mid-week.  They may also consider HR 4213 if it is passed by the House.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon will address a joint meeting of Congress at 11:00 am this Thursday.

HEARINGS AND MARKUPS

Tuesday, 5/18 — the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold a hearing on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization.

Wednesday, 5/19 — the House Science and Technology Committee will hold a hearing on nuclear energy research.

Thursday, 5/20 — The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will hold a hearing on renewable energy, and the Senate Finance Subcommittee will hold a hearing on tax incentives and clean technology.

Source:  CQ

                          

HOUSE FLOOR
The House returns on Tuesday to vote on some minor resolutions.  Later in the week, the House will consider HR 5116, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, ) to authorize funds for federal agencies engaging in scientific research.

MARKUPS AND HEARINGS OF INTEREST
Tuesday, May 11
Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
SAFE PATIENT HANDLING
2:30 p.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

Senate Judiciary
U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES
10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Bldg.
Full Committee Oversight Hearing

House Financial Services
TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM
11 a.m., 2128 Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Oversight Hearing

Wednesday, May 12
Senate Appropriations
FISCAL 2011 APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE 
10:30 a.m., 192 Dirksen Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

FISCAL 2011 APPROPRIATIONS: LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION
10 a.m. & 2 p.m., 2358-C Rayburn Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

Thursday, May 13
House Appropriations
FISCAL 2011 APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE
May 13, 10 a.m., H-140 Capitol Bldg.
Subcommittee Hearing

                          

House
The House is not in session on Monday.  The schedule for the week is mostly commemorative resolutions.  It also includes a bill to provide trade benefits for earthquake recovery in Haiti and to provide benefits for home energy efficiency retrofits.

HEARINGS AND MARKUKPS
TUESDAY – MAY 4
Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Full Committee Hearing
Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization
2 p.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.

WEDNESDAY – MAY 5
Fiscal 2011 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Hearings
• Defense  10:30 a.m. , SCV-217 Capitol Bldg.
• Labor, HHS, Education 9:30 a.m., 124 Dirksen

Fiscal 2011 House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing
Defense 10 a.m., H-140 Capitol Bldg.

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Full Committee Hearing
Treating Traumatic Brain Injury
9:30 a.m., 418 Russell Bldg.

THURSDAY – MAY 6
 Fiscal 2011 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Hearings
• Commerce, Justice and Science 10 a.m.
• Transportation and HUD 9:30 a.m.
 
Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Full Committee Hearing
“America Wins When America Competes: Building a High-Tech Workforce”
10 a.m., 253 Russell Bldg

Senate Energy & Natural Resources Full Committee Markup
May 6, 9:30 a.m., 366 Dirksen Bldg.
Pending legislation includes S 1462, American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009

House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Hearing
     HR 4700, Transparency in All Health Care Pricing Act of 2010
     HR 2249, Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2009
     HR 4803, Patients’ Right to Know Act.
10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg