|
The House and Senate are back in session this week. After finalizing a deal on topline funding, Congress will focus on completing full fiscal year (FY) 2024 funding across all 12 spending bills. Even with an agreement in place, lawmakers will need to act swiftly to avoid a partial federal government shutdown beginning January 20.
On Sunday, Democrats and Republicans reached an agreement on topline numbers for the FY 2024 appropriations bills. Appropriators will draft bills using the $1.659 trillion topline number, with $886 billion for defense funding and $772.7 billion for non-defense funding. Congressional leaders have not yet publicly announced funding allocations for each of the 12 spending bills, an issue that will surely lead to further contentious negotiation. “The bipartisan funding framework congressional leaders have reached moves us one step closer to preventing a needless government shutdown and protecting important national priorities,” said President Biden of the deal. Both party leaders celebrated victories gained during the negotiations, with Republicans touting $30 billion less in funding sought after by Senate Democrats. At the same time, Democrats cheered victories over the deal, citing the exclusion of poison pill policy riders and no cuts in additional IRS funding. The cuts total $16.1 billion, with $10 billion in already-agreed to IRS recissions and $6.1 billion in COVID-related funding rescissions. Given the structure with which Congress passed the current continuing resolution (CR) in mid-November, lawmakers have until Friday, January 19 to address funding for four appropriations bills (Agriculture-FDA, Energy & Water, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Transportation-HUD.) With just 11 days left until the first funding deadline, it is unclear whether Congress will aim to pass another short-term CR for these four spending bills, pass a minibus package, or allow a brief partial government shutdown to occur. Congress has until Friday, February 2 to pass the remaining eight spending bills. Having decided on an FY24 topline, some believe lawmakers will also attempt to settle on a separate deal including funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan and changes to immigration/border policy.
The House will consider five bills under suspension of the rules, all focusing on foreign affairs-related matters pertaining to China, Taiwan, and Russia. The House will also vote on the Senate-passed disapproval resolution S.J. Res. 38 blocking the notice announced by the Federal Highway Administration in February 2023 related to a “Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Electric Vehicle Chargers,” which would temporarily permit the use of non-US made materials for electric vehicle chargers; the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023 (H.R. 788), which prohibits federal agencies from directing payments to third parties, such as charitable organizations, as part of court settlements; and a Congressional Review Act (CRS) disapproval resolution (H.J. Res. 98) nullifying the National Labor Relations Board’s October 2023 final rule establishing a new standard to determine whether two businesses are joint employers of the same workers. The Senate will vote on the nominations of John Kazen to be a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas; Jose Javier Rodriguez to be Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training at the Department of Labor; Joseph Goffman to be an Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation at the Environmental Protection Agency; S. Kato Crews to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of Colorado; and Karoline Mehalchick, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
For the remainder of the week, the House will hold several hearings, including: a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing titled “Protecting Clean American Energy Production and Jobs by Stopping EPA’s Overreach;” a House Financial Services Committee hearing titled “Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration;” a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing titled “Proposals for a Water Resources Development Act of 2024: Members’ Day.” The Senate will also hold various hearings, including a Senate Budget Committee hearing on “Safeguarding Municipal Bonds from Climate Risk;” and a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on “Examining Federal Electric Vehicle Incentives Including the Federal Government's Role in Fostering Reliable and Resilient Electric Vehicle Supply Chains.”
| 
