Weekly Legislative Update

April 8, 2024

Congressional Outlook

The House and Senate are in session this week. 

 

The House Republican Steering Committee expects to vote on Tuesday for a new Chair of the Appropriations Committee after Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-Texas) announced she was stepping down effective immediately. The current Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee is the leading candidate to replace Granger. In a Dear Colleague letter, fellow longtime appropriator Robert Aderholdt (R-Ala.) is pushing for a delay in selecting a new Appropriations lead as he also vies for the position and pushes for additional reforms to the spending process.  

 

Many expect a motion from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to dismiss the impeachment case against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Upon formally receiving the articles of impeachment from the House on Wednesday, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and President pro-tem will swear in senators on Thursday, leading to the potential motion from Majority Leader Schumer, which would require a simple majority to pass, effectively ending the trial quickly. In the House, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) will begin to work on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act FISA reauthorization. The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R.7320) would reauthorize and change Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). It remains unclear if the bill will make it to the floor or pass once there, Congress has until April 19 to reauthorizing spying authority. Funding for Ukraine and Israel remains an outstanding item of consideration for Congress to decide on.

 

The House will consider fifteen bills under suspension of the rules, including A Stronger Workforce for America Act (H.R. 6655), which amends and reauthorizes the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act (H.R. 6492), which improve recreation opportunities on, and facilitate greater access to, Federal public land; and the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (H.R. 524), which amends the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to create an exemption for certain shoreline borrow sites. The Senate will vote this week on the nominations of Susan Bazis to be a U.S. District Judge for Nebraska, Robert White to be a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Ann Allen to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of Utah.

 

For the remainder of the week, the House will hold several hearings, including multiple Appropriations Subcommittee hearings for the Government Accountability Office, The Government Publishing Office, The Congressional Budget Office, the Department of Education, the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The House will also hold an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on “I Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Telehealth Services.” The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on “The National Wildlife Refuge System at Risk: Impacts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Proposed BIDEH Rule;” and a Ways and Means Committee hearing on “Expanding on the Success of the 2017 Tax Relief to Help Hardworking Americans.” The Senate will hold several committee hearings, including several Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearings for the Air Force and Space ForceU.S. Agency for International DevelopmentU.S. Forest Service, and Department of Homeland Security; the Armed Services Committee will hold a budget hearing for the Department of Defense; a Judiciary hearing on “Examining the the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program”; and an Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on “Examining the state of air quality monitoring technology.

Bills and Regulations of Interest to You

Bill

Title

Sponsors

Background

H.R. 7821

Safer American Family Enterprise (SAFE) Retail Act of 2024

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-3)

Establishes a tax credit that small businesses can claim for expenditures related to storefront security, including cameras and anti-theft technologies.

H.R. 7826

Tribal Community Protection Act

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30)

The Tribal Community Protection Act would create a funding incentive through Byrne Justice Assistance Grants to states and localities.

H.R. 7839

Prioritizing Digital Infrastructure Financing Act

Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-2)

Amends the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act 2018 to prioritize support to projects under that Act that increase digital infrastructure and connectivity.

H.R. 7842

Biking Instruction, Knowledge, and Education (BIKE) Act

Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI-2)

Ensures that federal funding from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grants can be used to support bicycle education and safety programs.

H.R. 7849

Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act of 2024

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-4)

Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to require the President to establish an individual household disaster mitigation program.

H.R. 7851

Bill creating further requirements for bridge projects

Rep. Van Drew Jefferson (R-NJ-2)

Amends title 23, United States Code, to establish additional requirements for bridge projects funded under such title.

H.R. 7862

Government Facilities to Affordable Housing Conversion Act

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30)

Supports the conversion of unused and underutilized federal, state, and local government-owned buildings into affordable housing units, increasing the supply of affordable housing nationwide and developing housing that is responsive to the needs of local communities.

H.R. 7885

Bill creating a pilot program awarding grants to generate jobs.

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24)

Amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to create a pilot program to award grants to units of general local government and community-based organizations to create jobs.

Agency

Title

Proposed Regulation

Comment Deadline

Corps of Engineers

Guidelines for Federal Investments in Water Resources

Provides a framework to govern how the Corps would evaluate proposed water resource investments, including identification of which Corps programs and activities are subject to the Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines.

April 15, 2024

FHWA

Highway Safety Improvement Program

Amends the regulatory language to incorporate the Safe System Approach, clarify the scope of the HSIP to focus on the safety of all road users on the entire public road network, improve evaluation practices, streamline reporting efforts, and ensure States are collecting Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE) fundamental data elements.

April 22, 2024

USTR

Promoting Supply Chain Resilience


USTR requests comments to inform objectives and strategies that advance U.S. supply chain resilience in trade negotiations, enforcement, and other initiatives.

April 22, 2024

HHS

Elder Justice Coordinating Council Priorities

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) seeks information on recommended area(s) and or issue(s) for which elder justice stakeholders believe the Elder Justice Coordinating Council (Council) can be the most beneficial to promoting elder justice and have the greatest positive impact for survivors of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and their communities.

April 24, 2024

OMB

Methods and Leading Practices for Advancing Public Participation and Community Engagement With the Federal Government

OMB seeks input on the experiences of individuals and organizations, including from underserved communities, with informing Federal Government decision-making and participating in engagement activities with government agencies; examples of leading practices in this space; and other recommendations on available methods, approaches, and tools that could assist in the effort to develop and implement a Federal framework for participation and engagement.

May 17, 2024

FEMA

Individual Assistance Program Equity

Amending its regulations governing the Individual Assistance program to increase equity by simplifying processes, removing barriers to entry, and increasing eligibility for certain types of assistance under the program.

July 22, 2024

Week in Review

Schumer expected to move quickly to dismiss Mayorkas impeachment

 

The farm bill slide continues

 

Johnson tees off latest surveillance fight with a warning