The Senate confirmed yesterday by a vote of 62 – 37 Kirstjen Nielsen to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She replaces John Kelly, who resigned from that position to become the White House Chief of Staff. She served most recently as the White House Deputy Chief of Staff under Kelly. She also worked for Kelly before joining the White House staff as his chief of staff at DHS.
Category: 115th Congress
House Moves to Go to Conference This Week
Tonight, the House is expected to pass a motion to go to conference on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Senate version of the measure was passed late Friday. The Senate is expected to follow suit, and the full list of conferees is expected shortly.
This week in Congress, September 11-15
Here is a selection of committee meetings taking place this week.
SENATE ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES
Subcommittee Hearing
Energy Department National Laboratories
Sept. 12, 2:30 p.m., 366 Dirksen Bldg.
SENATE COMMERCE, SCIENCE & TRANSPORTATION
Subcommittee Hearing
Fishery Conservation/Management Oversight
Sept. 12, 2:30 p.m., 253 Russell Bldg.
SENATE FINANCE
Full Committee Hearing
Health Care Cost and Coverage
Sept. 12, 10 a.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR & PENSIONS
Full Committee Hearing
Stabilizing Individual Insurance Market
Sept. 12, 10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.
HOUSE OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM
Full Committee Hearing
Evidence-Based Policymaking
Sept. 12, 10 a.m., 2157 Rayburn Bldg.
SENATE JUDICIARY
Full Committee Hearing
Guest Worker Programs/DACA Reforms
Sept. 13, 10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Bldg.
SENATE AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION & FORESTRY
Full Committee Hearing
Farm Bill/Nutrition Programs
Sept. 14, 9:30 a.m., 216 Hart Bldg.
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR & PENSIONS
Full Committee Hearing
Stabilizing Individual Insurance Market
Sept. 14, 10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.
HOUSE ENERGY & COMMERCE
Subcommittee Hearing
Public Health Service Act Workforce Programs
Sept. 14, 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg.
Hurricane-Debt Ceiling-Short-Term Spending Package Expected to be Cleared
In a surprising development earlier this week, President Trump struck a deal with the Democratic leadership in Congress to link measures that would increase the debt ceiling and keep the government funded on a temporary basis to a hurricane-relief bill. The move caught Congressional Republicans off guard, who had earlier expressed opposition to tying the debt ceiling and government-funding efforts to a bill to fund the rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Harvey.
After the House cleared a stand-along hurricane bill totaling approximately $8 billion earlier this week, the Senate followed up by nearly doubling the size of the package as well as increasing the debt limit and funding the government through December 8. The House is expected to take up the Senate-passed package later today.
Gorsuch Nomination Moves Forward After Senate Rule Change
The Senate earlier today used the “nuclear” option on the nomination of Neil Gorsuch for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court by eliminating the filibuster for Supreme Court nominations. The Senate voted along party lines to change the Senate rules to allow Supreme Court nominations to move forward by a simple majority vote rather than meeting the 60-vote filibuster threshold.
After the rule change, the Senate agreed to proceed on the nomination, setting up a final vote on Gorsuch most likely late Friday.