House and Senate Cloakroom Report: February 14th-18th, 2011
Dustin Carmack /
House Cloakroom Report: February 14th-18th
Analysis:
An interesting week in the House of Representatives will ensue with the Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government for the remaining part of the fiscal year coming to the floor to be debated under an open process. Additional cuts were pushed to the forefront throughout last week by House conservatives demanding stronger action to tackle America’s abysmal debt. A package from the Appropriations Committee was proposed on Friday evening in the range of $100 billion in cuts relative to President Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget request.
Legislation to extend expiring provisions of the Patriot Act through December 8, 2011, is expected to come under a rule and be voted for at some point later in the day on Monday. Also on Monday, the Obama administration will release its 2012 budget and the House Budget and Ways and Means Committees will hold hearings on their proposals.
Major Floor Action:
- CR – The current CR expires on March 4 and will need a further extension to complete the remainder of the year.
- H.R. 514 – To extend expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004
Major Committee Action:
- The House Ways & Means Committee and the House Budget Committee will both hold full committee hearings on the “Fiscal 2012 Budget”
- The House Oversight & Government Reform Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform will hold a hearing on “Unfunded Mandates and Regulatory Issues”.
- The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Economy will hold a hearing on “Environmental Regulations, the Economy and Jobs”.
- The House Judiciary Committee will hold a full committee hearing on the “Constitutionality of the Individual Mandate” and a subcommittee hearing on “Public Employee Pensions and State Financial Problems”