House Cloakroom
Analysis: This week, the House returns from a week of recess to take up a bill that would require the President to produce a date by which his proposed budget will balance. The Require a PLAN Act would be triggered when the President sends his budget to Congress and it does not balance within the time span of the budget.
Major Floor Action:
- HR ___ – Require a PLAN Act
Major Committee Action:
- The House Budget Committee will hold a hearing on “Budget and Economic Outlook.”
- The House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on the “FHA Financial Situation.”
- The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on “Immigration Issues.”
- The House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing on “School and Workplace Challenges and Opportunities.”
Senate Cloakroom
Analysis: This week, the Senate will return to the Violence Against Women Act, which it passed in the last Congress but was never able to reach a compromise with the House-passed version. Heritage evaluated the previous Senate-passed bill and found it deeply flawed. Heritage Action’s Katherine Rosario addressed the this bill:
Over the past 18 years, VAWA has morphed into a smorgasbord of feel-good intentions about violence. Over that same period of time, VAWA has had no scientifically discernible effect on the level of violence in this country, proving once again Washington is not the solution.
The bill is expected to have enough support to pass the Senate this week.
Major Floor Action:
- S 47 – Violence Against Women Act
Major Committee Action:
- The Senate Select Intelligence Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
- The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on “No Child Left Behind and State Flexibility Waivers.”