House Cloakroom: June 28 – July 2, 2010
Analysis:
Moving in to the final week before the July 4th recess, the House is expected to take up the War Funding Supplemental, which is an $84.3 billion bill that includes only 39% for actual defense and military construction. The bill was originally scheduled to be marked up in May but has been on hold after amendments were added to cut non-defense spending from the package. The House will also take action after negotiating provisions with Senate conferees on the conference report for the Financial Regulatory Overhaul bill. Finally, last Thursday evening, the Senate failed to file cloture on the tax extenders bill, thus leaving any action by the House on hold until the Senate can resolve their differences with the bill and the increase in taxes and irresponsible spending that would come with it.
Major Floor Action
- H.R. 4899 – FY 2010 War Funding Supplemental
- H.R. 4173 – Financial Regulatory Overhaul Conference Report
Major Committee Action:
- The House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection will hold a hearing on air cargo security screening. The Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response will also hold a hearing regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate and its future.
- The House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation will hold a hearing regarding “Smart Grid Architecture and Standards: Assessing Coordination and Progress.”
Senate Cloakroom: June 28 – July 2, 2010
Analysis:
The Senate has set an aggressive agenda for next week. Several major committee hearings will take place, and a few large pieces of legislation are on track to be considered before the July Fourth recess.
A cloture vote on the Tax Extenders bill failed last Thursday night, successfully preventing $48 billion in new taxes. After that vote failed, Senator Reid filed cloture on a small-business lending bill, setting up a procedural vote on Monday night. Also, the conference report to the Financial Regulatory Overhaul bill was approved early last Friday morning, clearing the way for a vote on the conference report later this week.
Major Floor Action:
- H.R. 5297: The Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010
- H.R. 4173: The Conference Report to the Financial Regulatory Overhaul bill
Major Committee Action:
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary begins the confirmation hearings for Solicitor General Elena Kagan to succeed Justice Stevens on the United States Supreme Court on Monday. Her hearings are expected to last the entire week.
On Tuesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee will begin the confirmation hearing on the nomination of General David Petraeus for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the International Security Assistance Force and commander of the U.S. Forces Afghanistan.
