Coming Up This Week in Congress: Iraq, ethics, childrens health insurance, energy and the farm bill

Submitted by Conor Kenny on

There's only one more workweek before the Congressional August recess (Aug. 3 - 31) and Democratic leaders are scrambling to pass a number of important bills before leaving Washington. They will try to pass the long-delayed ethics reform bill and an expansion of health insurance for poor children. The House will also debate a number of Iraq-related budget and withdrawal timeline provisions as well as energy and farm legislation. A full listing of the committee schedules for the week is after the jump.

  • Ethics and transparency legislation - After Senate Republicans including Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) stalled the main ethics reform bill after Democrats refused to guarantee the inclusion of earmark reforms (S.1), Democrats are moving to pass a new version out of the House, allowing them to give it an up-or-down vote in the Senate without going through the committee process. Provisions include requirements for lobbyists to disclose campaign fundraising and changes to revolving door lobbing regulations. It is unclear whether the bill will include earmark provisions requiring the disclosure of earmark sponsors and the easy striking of earmarks that originate in conference committees.
  • 2008 Defense budget - The House will debate the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense appropriations bill this week and several Iraq-related amendments are expected. Bush has requested $141.7 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. An amendment is expected from Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) that would require a reduction in troop levels beginning 60 days after the budget is passed but does not include a deadline for a withdrawal to be completed. Another Democratic amendment to require the closure of Guantanamo bill within 180 days.
  • More Iraq bills - The House may debate and vote on two Democratic bills approved by the House Armed Services Committee on Friday. H.R.3159, by Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.), would require that soldiers receive leave equal to the time they are deployed in Iraq and H.R.3087, by Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), would require the Pentagon to make reports on war planning.
  • State Children's Health Insurance Plan - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) are expected to try and pass a reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP), which provides funding to states to provide health insurance to the children of families which have too much income to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private health insurance. The Senate Finance Committee has sent a bipartisan bill to the full body that expands SCHIP by $35 billion over five years from its current level of about $25 billion. Amendments are expected from senate Republicans to reduce the increase to $9 billion and add small business health plans and health savings accounts, but have said they won't filibuster the bill. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is expected to offer an amendment expanding the increase to $50 billion over five years. In the House, the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees have sent a Democratic bill to the floor that expands the program by $50 billion over five years and prevents planned cuts in Medicare physician fees for two years. It would be paid for by a 45 cent-per-pack tax hike on cigarettes, and cuts or freezes on fees paid to Medicare health plans and some healthcare providers. Pelosi said last week she will bring the bill, which faced strong opposition from some Republicans when it was in committee, up for a floor vote this week.
  • Employment discrimination - The House is expected to vote this week on a bill that would nullify a recent Supreme Court ruling on employment discrimination in pay by extending the statute of limitations on claims each time an employee received discriminatory pay or compensation. The Supreme Court had recently ruled against a plaintiff based on the fact that the 180 statute of limitations started when the discriminatory decision was made, not each time the employee was paid. House Republicans have complained of being shut out of the process and President Bush has issued a veto threat.
  • Budgets - The Senate votes to confirm former Rep. Jim Nussle (R-Iowa) as the new OMB Director may be delayed by Democrats if Bush indicates he will veto the domestic spending bills, which exceed his overall proposal (not including Iraq War funding) by $23 billion. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) has scheduled a vote in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee but Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) is waiting to see what Bush says.
  • Farm bill - The House will debate the $90.7 billion 2007 farm bill (H.R.2419).
  • Energy - The House is expected to debate several energy bills this week, many of which are related to bills already filed to combat climate change.

Hearings Schedules:

July 30, 2007

House

July 31, 2007

House

  • Committee on Appropriations -- Legislative Branch on Capitol Visitor Center, July 31, 9 a.m., 2359 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Appropriations -- Oversight and Investigations to continue hearings on A Third Way: Alternatives for Iraq's Future, (Part 4), July 31, 1 p.m., 2212 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Armed Services -- Readiness hearing on Augmenting the Force, July 31, 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
  • Committee on the Budget hearing on the Costs of Military Operations and Reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, July 31, 10 a.m., 210 Cannon.
  • Committee on Energy and Commerce -- Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection to mark up the following bills: H.R. 814, Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act; H.R. 1699, Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act; H.R. 1721, Pool and Spa Safety Act; and H.R. 2474, To provide for an increased maximum civil penalty for violations under the Consumer Product Safety Act, 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Financial Services to continue mark up of H.R. 2895, National Affordable Housing. Trust Fund Acct of 2007, July 31, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Foreign Affairs to markup the following measures: H.R. 1302, Global Poverty Act of 2007; H.R. 1567, Stop Tuberculosis (TB) Now Act of 2007; H.R. 2185, To amend the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 to provide debt relief to developing countries that take action to protect forests and coral reefs and associated coastal marine ecosystems, to reauthorize such Act through fiscal year 2010; H.R. 3096, Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007; H.R. 3062, South Pacific Economic and Educational Development Act of 2007; H. Res. 32, Denouncing the practices of female genital mutilation, domestic violence, ``honor'' killings, acid burning, dowry deaths, and other gender-based persecutions and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that participation, protection, recognition, and independence of women is crucial to achieving a just, moral, and honorable society; H. Res. 34, Recognizing the 75th birthday of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient; H. Res. 238, Commending the first democratic elections in Aceh, a province in Sumatra, Indonesia, and expressing support for the further democratic development and implementation of the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding; H. Res. 508, Recognizing the strong security alliance between the Government of Japan and the United States and expressing appreciation to Japan for its role in enhancing stability in the Asia-Pacific region and its efforts in the Global war against terrorism; H. Res. 518, Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's independence; H. Res. 548, Expressing the ongoing concern of the House of Representatives for Lebanon's democratic institutions and unwavering support for the administration of justice upon those responsible for the assassination of Lebanese public figures opposing Syrian control of Lebanon; H. Res. 557, Strongly condemning the United Nations Human Rights Council for ignoring severe human rights abuses in various countries, while choosing to unfairly target Israel by including it as the only country permanently placed on the Council's agenda; H. Res. 564, Recognizing that violence poses an increasingly serious threat to peace and stability in Central America and supporting expanded cooperation between the United States and the countries of Central America to combat crime and violence; H. Res. 575, Commending the people and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for their continued commitment to holding elections and broadening participation; and a resolution Recognizing the remarkable example of Sir Nicholas Winton who organized the rescue of 669 Jewish Czechoslovakian children from Nazi death camps prior to the outbreak of World War II, July 31, 10 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Foreign Affairs -- International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight, hearing on the Case of Ramos and Compean: the Across-Border Context, July 31, 2 p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Homeland Security -- Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection hearing entitled ``Managing Risk and Increasing Efficiency: An Examination of the Implementation of the Registered Traveler Program,'' July 31, 1:30 p.m., 311 Cannon.
  • Committee on the Judiciary -- Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property hearing on Ensuring Artists Fair Compensation: Updating the Performance Right and Platform Parity for the 21st Century, July 31, 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Natural Resources oversight hearing on Crisis of Confidence: The Political Influence of the Bush Administration on Agency Science and Decision-Making, July 31, 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
  • Committee on Oversight and Government Reform full Committee, hearing on FEMA Preparedness in 2007 and Beyond, July 31, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Oversight and Government Reform -- Federal Workforce, Postal Services, and the District of Columbia hearings on Federal Compensation, Part I, Pay and Part 2, Benefits, July 31, 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure -- Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation hearing to review the Coast Guard Administration Law System, July 31, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  • Committee on Veterans' Affairs -- Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing on the following bills: H.R. 674, To amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal the provision of law requiring termination of the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans as of December 31, 2009; H.R.1273, To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to restore plot allowance eligibility for veterans of any war and to restore the headstone or marker allowance for eligible persons; H.R.1900, To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend eligibility for pension benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to veterans who receive an expeditionary medal during a period of military service other than a period of war; H.R. 1901, To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend eligibility for pension benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to veterans who served during certain periods of time in specified locations; H.R. 2346. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a process for determining whether a geographic area is sufficiently served by the national cemeteries located in that geographic area; H.R. 2696, Veterans' Dignified Burial Assistance Act of 2007; and H.R. 2697, To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for veterans' mortgage life insurance to include members of the Armed Forces receiving specially adapted housing assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs, July 31, 2 p.m., 334 Cannon.
  • Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence -- Intelligence Community Management hearing on DNI 100 Day Plan, July 31, 10 a.m., 2203 Rayburn.

Senate

  • Senate Foreign Relations To hold hearings to examine nuclear energy and nonproliferation challenges, focusing on safeguarding the atom. [SD-419] -- Jul 31, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs To hold hearings to examine the state of the securities markets. [SD-538] -- Jul 31, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Senate Judiciary To hold hearings to examine the impact of the Leegin decision. [SD-226] -- Jul 31, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  • Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Ronald Spoehel, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial Officer, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, William G. Sutton, Jr., of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Thomas J. Barrett, of Alaska, to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation, and Paul R. Brubaker, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Department of Transportation. [SR-253] -- Jul 31, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  • Senate Finance To continue hearings to examine carried interest [SD-215] -- Jul 31, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  • Senate Intelligence (Select) To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- Jul 31, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  • Senate Judiciary To hold hearings to examine death and serious injury relating to oxycontin and defective products. [SD-226] -- Jul 31, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  • Senate Veterans' Affairs To hold hearings to examine Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense education issues. [SD-562] -- Jul 31, 2007 at 9:30 p.m.

August 1, 2007

House

Senate

  • Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Business meeting to consider S.579, to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for the development and operation of research centers regarding environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer, S.625, to protect the public health by providing the Food and Drug Administration with certain authority to regulate tobacco products, and S.1858, to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish grant programs to provide for education and outreach on newborn screening and coordinated followup care once newborn screening has been conducted, to reauthorize programs under part A of title XI of such Act. -- Aug 1, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.

    S. 579: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for the development and operation of research centers regarding environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer

    S. 625: A bill to protect the public health by providing the Food and Drug Administration with certain authority to regulate tobacco products

    S. 1858: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish grant programs to provide for education and outreach on newborn screening and coordinated follow up care once newborn screening has been conducted, to reauthorize programs under part A of title XI of such Act, and for other purposes
  • Senate Foreign Relations -- African Affairs To hold hearings to examine the United States Africa Command, focusing on a new strategic relationship with Africa. [SD-419] -- Aug 1, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Senate Energy and Natural Resources -- Water and Power To hold hearings to examine S.1054 and H.R.122, bills to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Inland Empire regional recycling project and in the Cucamonga Valley Water District recycling project, S.1472, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to create a Bureau of Reclamation partnership with the North Bay Water Reuse Authority and other regional partners to achieve objectives relating to water supply, water quality, and environmental restoration, S.1475 and H.R.1526, bills to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program, H.R.30, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Eastern Municipal Water District Recycled Water System Pressurization and Expansion Project, H.R.609, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project, and H.R.1175, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to increase the ceiling on the Federal share of the costs of phase I of the Orange County, California, Regional Water Reclamation Project. [SD-366] -- Aug 1, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.

    S. 1054: A bill to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Inland Empire regional recycling project and in the Cucamonga Valley Water District recycling project

    H.R. 122: Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Initiative

    S. 1472: A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to create a Bureau of Reclamation partnership with the North Bay Water Reuse Authority and other regional partners to achieve objectives relating to water supply, water quality, and environmental restoration

    S. 1475: A bill to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program, and for other purposes

    H.R. 1526: Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Authorization Act of 2007

    H.R. 30: Eastern Municipal Water District Recycled Water System Pressurization and Expansion Project

    H.R. 609: Central Texas Water Recycling Act of 2007

    H.R. 1175: To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to increase the ceiling on the Federal share of the costs of phase I of the Orange County, California, Regional Water Reclamation Project
  • Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs -- Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia To hold hearings to examine the under-representation of Americans at the United Nations and its organizations; focusing on ways to build a stronger American diplomatic presence. [SD-342] -- Aug 1, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  • Senate Intelligence (Select) To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Donald M. Kerr, of Virginia, to be Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence. [SH-219] -- Aug 1, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  • Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Department of Justice. [SR-253] -- Aug 1, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.

August 2, 2007

House

''Senate''

  • Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Randall S. Kroszner, of New Jersey, Larry Allan Klane, of the District of Columbia, and Elizabeth A. Duke, of Virginia, all to be Members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. [SD-538] -- Aug 2, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Senate Judiciary To continue hearings to examine the Department of Justice politicizing the hiring and firing of United States Attorneys, focusing on preserving prosecutorial independence. [SD-226] -- Aug 2, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  • Senate Commerce, Science, and TransportationBusiness meeting to consider pending calendar business. [SR-253] -- Aug 2, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  • Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs -- Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security To hold hearings to examine the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (Public Law 109-435), focusing on the services that are provided to customers. [SD-342] -- Aug 2, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  • Senate Judiciary Business meeting to consider S.1692, to grant a Federal charter to Korean War Veterans Association, Incorporated, S.1060, to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation, S.453, to prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections, S.1845, to provide for limitations in certain communications between the Department of Justice and the White House Office relating to civil and criminal investigations, a bill entitled, ìSchool Safety and Law Enforcement Actî, and the nomination of Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, to be United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. [SD-226] -- Aug 2, 2007 at 11:30 a.m.

    S. 1692: A bill to grant a Federal charter to Korean War Veterans Association, Incorporated

    S. 1060: A bill to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation, and for other purposes

    S. 453: A bill to prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections

    S. 1845: A bill to provide for limitations in certain communications between the Department of Justice and the White House Office relating to civil and criminal investigations, and for other purposes
  • Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs -- Security and International Trade and Finance To hold hearings to examine reforming key international financial institutions for the 21st century. [SD-538] -- Aug 2, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  • Senate Intelligence (Select) To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- Aug 2, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.

August 3, 2007

House

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