Analysis provided by Heritage Action for America

House Cloakroom Report: January 24-28

Analysis:

After a week in the House that saw Obamacare repealed, the House will move in to a week heavily focused on spending, further organization of committees, and a slew of hearings on healthcare, the economy, stalled trade agreements, and the oil spill commission report. On Monday afternoon, the House will reconvene with votes scheduled for the evening. On Tuesday, hearings will dominate most of the day with votes on H.Res 38 which would be a resolution reducing non-security spending to fiscal year 2008 levels or less followed by the President’s State of the Union Address that evening at 8:35 pm Eastern. On Wednesday, the House will consider a bill to reduce federal spending and the deficit by terminating taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns and party conventions, thus reducing mandatory spending $520 million according to CBO estimates from last year. Spending cuts, economic recovery, and healthcare will drive the conversation for the week.

Major Floor Action:

  • H.Res. 38 – To reduce spending through a transition to non-security spending at fiscal year 2008 levels.

Major Committee Action:

  • The House Ways & Means Committee will hold a full committee hearing on “US Trade Agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama” as well as a hearing on the “Economic Effects of Health Care Overhaul”.
  • The House Budget Committee will hold an organizational meeting on Wednesday followed by a full committee hearing on the “Fiscal Impact of Health Care Overhaul”.
  • The House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a full committee hearing on Wednesday on the “State of the US Workforce”.
  • The House Financial Services Committee will hold a full committee hearing on “Economic Recovery and Job Creation Strategies”.
  • The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a full committee hearing on the “Oil Spill Commission Report”. See Heritage’s take on putting together a cohesive oil spill response bill here.
  • The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a full committee hearing on Tuesday regarding “Bailouts and Foreclosure Crisis Oversight”.
  • The House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a full committee hearing on Tuesday regarding “Problems at the U.N.”

Senate Cloakroom: January 24-28, 2011

Analysis:

The Senate returns to Washington on Tuesday after being in recess for the majority of January. There is still much transition happening on Capitol Hill; many new Senators have yet to be assigned permanent office space and the new official committee assignments have yet to be resolved, so much of the Senate schedule for the week is still unclear. It does look increasingly more likely that the fight over the filibuster that has been brewing for weeks will come to the Floor for debate and a vote at some point in the week. Also, President Obama will deliver the State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 25.

Major Floor Action:

S Res 10 — Filibuster Rules

Major Committee Action:

The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet to mark up a bill to change the patent system and judicial nominations on Thursday.

The Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing relating to the oil spill commission’s report on Wednesday.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on how Obamacare will impact consumers on Thursday.

1/24/11 – Update: Several Senate committees announced their schedule over the weekend. This section of the Senate report has been updated.