Skip to content
News and updates

Category: 115th Congress

House Passes Omnibus, Senate Next

Posted on

The House just passed a sweeping FY 2017 Omnibus appropriations bill (H.R.244) to fund the government through Sept. 30. The House is sending the $1.07 trillion spending package over to the Senate for a vote later this week, likely Friday. The House vote was 309-118. The lengthy legislation comprises 11 unfinished appropriations bills, along with an intelligence authorization bill and other provisions.

The White House has formally backed the spending agreement, and the Senate is expected to clear the legislation as soon as Thursday. The bill must pass the Senate and be signed by midnight Friday or government funding under a continuing resolution would expire causing a shutdown.

House Scraps ACA Vote, House and Senate Pass One Week CR

Posted on

Late last night, House Republican leadership decided to forego a vote on the ACA amendment by Rep. Tom MacArthur circulated earlier this week. MacArthur, who is the leader of the moderate Republican Tuesday Group, would shift how individuals with preexisting conditions are insured to the states. The amendment won the support of the conservative House Freedom Caucus by loosening insurance mandates, but didn’t gain many moderates. Additionally, the House Democrats announced that if the House voted on the amendment, Democrats would all vote against the much-needed, short-term CR to keep the government open though midnight Friday.

This morning, the House of Representatives passed the one-week CR to keep the government operating. It is an necessary step to avert a shutdown as negotiators continue to work on an agreement to extend funding through the remainder of the year via an omnibus appropriations measure.

The Senate unanimously passed a stopgap spending bill, about an hour after the measure was overwhelmingly approved by the House.

The bill funds the government for one week, avoiding a government shutdown at midnight. Lawmakers plan to pass a broader spending package next week to fund the government through September.

Another Short-Term Funding Measure Unveiled

Posted on

In order to buy more time for the two parties, the two chambers, and Congress and the White House to negotiate with each other on a spending package for the remainder of FY2017, Congressional leaders have unveiled a short-term measure that would keep the government funded for another week. Without an extension, the current funding agreement expires at midnight this Saturday.

The short-term measure would extend funding through next Friday, May 5.

White House Rolls Back Shutdown Demands on Border Wall, Okays Subsidies

Posted on

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and Hill look closer to a deal as the Trump Administration has backed down on demands for a downpayment on the border wall in FY 2017. The decision by Trump to postpone a battle over wall funding until the fall, if necessary, came as a victory for Democrats who oppose a wall and a comfort for Republican negotiators who were given more freedom to maneuver to get a deal in place that would prevent a government shutdown. 

A bigger sticking point has been the ACA subsidies. This afternoon, the White House has said that it will continue paying Affordable Care Act cost-sharing subsidies, removing the biggest remaining hurdle in the negotiations to avoid a government shutdown.

Negotiations continue, but a short term CR may still be in order.

This Week in Congress, April 24-28

Posted on

Here is a selection of committee meetings happening this week.

 

TUESDAY, APRIL 25

 

Senate Judiciary

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND INNOVATION

April 25, 10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Bldg.

Full Committee Hearing

 

 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

 

Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation

FREE ENTERPRISE IN SPACE

April 26, 10 a.m., 253 Russell Bldg.

Subcommittee Hearing

 

Senate Environment & Public Works

WOTUS RULE REVIEW

April 26, 10 a.m., 406 Dirksen Bldg.

Full Committee Hearing

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

PENDING LEGISLATION/GOTTLIEB NOMINATION

April 26, 9:30 a.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.

Full Committee Markup

 

Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs

FEDERAL PROGRAMS WASTE AND FRAUD

April 26, 10 a.m., 342 Dirksen Bldg.

Full Committee Hearing

 

Senate Special Aging

AGING WITHOUT COMMUNITY

April 26, 1:30 p.m., 562 Dirksen Bldg.

Full Committee Hearing

 

House Oversight & Government Reform

UNFUNDED MANDATES

April 26, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn Bldg.

Subcommittee Hearing

 

House Science, Space & Technology

SPACE LIFE SEARCH

April 26, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn Bldg.

Full Committee Hearing

 

House Transportation & Infrastructure

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

April 26, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn Bldg.

Subcommittee Hearing

 

 

THURSDAY, APRIL 27

 

Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs

ASSESSING RUSSIA SANCTIONS

April 27, 10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Bldg.

Full Committee Hearing

 

House Education & the Workforce

STRENGTHENING SCHOOL ACCREDITATION

April 27, 10 a.m., 2175 Rayburn Bldg.

Full Committee Hearing

 

House Oversight & Government Reform

BORDER WALL SECURITY

April 27, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn Bldg.

Subcommittee Hearing