Cloakroom: Resolving to Continue
Josh Robbins /
House Cloakroom: March 4 – March 8
Analysis: This week, the House plans to take up a bill that would fund the government for the remainder of the 2013 fiscal year. As of March 1, we are now living under the sequester that was passed overwhelmingly by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in the summer of 2011. This continuing resolution would fund the government through September 30 under the sequester while also attempting to mitigate the cuts on defense programs by attaching a defense appropriations bill.
Major Floor Action:
- HR __ – Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act
Major Committee Action:
- The House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on “North Korea Criminal Activities.”
- The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing on the taxes in Obamacare.
- The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power will hold a hearing on the “Impact of Health Care Law on Health Insurance Premiums.”
- The House Education and Workforce Committee will hold a markup of the SKILLS Act.
- The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises will hold a hearing on the “Role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the Financial Crisis” featuring Heritage’s John Ligon.
- The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a hearing on “Threats from Space.”
Senate Cloakroom: March 4 – March 8
Analysis: The Senate is taking up a resolution to authorize its committees for this Congress. It is also expected to take up the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Heritage Action is has issued a key vote against her nomination.
Major Floor Action:
- Pending
Major Committee Action:
- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Sally Jewell to be Secretary of the Interior.
- The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the “Fiscal 2014 Defense Authorization: Military Commands.”
- The Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing on “Wasteful Spending in the Tax Code.”
- The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on “Cybersecurity Issues.”