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The House and Senate are in session this week. After the Senate worked over the weekend, the upper chamber will work to finalize a foreign aid-related funding package.
On Sunday afternoon, Senators voted 67-27 in favor of advancing the Senate amendment for the National Security Act, 2024 (H.R. 815) a $95.3 billion foreign aid package that would send $60 billion in support to Ukraine, $14 billion in emergency aid to Israel, and $4.8 billion to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region. 18 Republican Senators joined all members of the Senate Democratic Caucus (except Sen. Bernie Sanders [I-Vt.]) to clear a key procedural hurdle for the bill. The foreign aid-only package is the Senate’s latest attempt to pass foreign assistance after Senate Republicans announced they would block funding for the long-negotiated bipartisan border security and foreign aid package, which included $20 billion for the border and numerous immigration-related policy changes. The package for foreign aid faces opposition from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who said he would use the “talking filibuster” tool to slow down the process of passing the package. The attempt will only result in a temporary delay, as the legislation has the necessary votes to pass the Senate. After the chamber passed cloture on Sunday, Sen. Paul will only have an hour to speak on the issue. Senators must now decide on the amendment process, which could cause a further delay on the final vote on the bill, which may occur as early as Wednesday this week. However, the prospects of this legislation passing in the House are less likely.
The House will consider nine bills under suspension of the rules, including the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 5856), which reauthorizes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. The House will also vote on the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024 (H.R. 7176), which would repeal restrictions on natural gas imports and exports. After a vote failed last week, the House will vote again on the impeachment resolution (H. Res. 863) for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday evening. Three Republicans joined all House Democrats to vote down the impeachment last week. Still, the return of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) from cancer treatment will allow for the impeachment of the Homeland Security secretary to proceed with 216 yes votes if all House Republican members are present and voting. House lawmakers may also consider Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reauthorization legislation, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act. The legislation would renew the controversial Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Act, which would grant spying surveillance authorities.
For the remainder of the week, the House will hold several committee hearings, including a Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management hearing on “Disaster Readiness: Examining the Propriety of the Expanded Use of FEMA Resources;” an Energy and Commerce hearing on “Powered Up: State Utility Regulators on Challenges to Reliable, Affordable Electricity;” and an Energy and Commerce hearing “Safeguarding American Prosperity and People’s Livelihoods: Legislation to Modernize Air Quality Standards”.
Voters in New York’s 3rd Congressional District held to the polls on Tuesday to elect a new Member of Congress in a special election, following the expulsion of former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) on December 1. Former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) is running against Republican candidate Mazi Philip, a member of the Nassau County Legislature.
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