Review

Monday, September 22nd, 2025

Continuing Resolution: The House passed H.R.5371 (217-212), which extends federal funding at current levels without any other policy changes. It would keep the government open through Nov. 21st. Leaders in both parties reached a deal to tee up a pair of votes on their competing approaches to averting a partial government shutdown. Under the agreement, if the House passes the GOP's spending bill (which they did), the Senate first would take up an alternative proposal Democrats unveiled (S.2882), subject to a 60-vote passage threshold.

If Democrats couldn’t get their bill passed, which they didn’t, then the chamber would proceed to a vote on the House-passed CR, also with a 60-vote threshold. That vote also failed. The idea was that the votes would give both sides proof that they need to start hashing out a compromise that could get to President Donald Trump's desk before the spending deadline on September 30th. The Republican stopgap would extend current funding through Nov. 21. The Democrats' version would end on Oct. 31, and adds a permanent extension of enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year

DC CRIMES: The House passed H.R.4922 (240-179), which asserts congressional authority over the District by prohibiting the D.C. Council from advancing progressive, soft-on-crime sentencing policies. It lowers D.C.’s definition of a “youth” from under 25 years old to under 18, ensuring that individuals 18 and older are treated and tried as adults in the criminal justice system. The bill also removes judicial discretion to sentence youth offenders below the mandatory minimum and requires the D.C. Attorney General to establish a public website reporting juvenile crime statistics.

  • D.C. Juvenile Sentencing Reform: The House passed H.R.5140 (225-, which lowers the age at which juveniles can be tried as adults in D.C. for certain violent offenses—such as murder, first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree burglary, and armed robbery—from 16 to 14, for crimes committed after the date of enactment.

  • District of Columbia Policing Protection: The House passed H.R.5143 (245-182), which would repeal restrictions on the circumstances under which law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia (DC) may engage in vehicular pursuits (i.e., police chases) of suspects fleeing in motor vehicles, and instead generally requires such pursuits in the absence of other means of apprehension.

    District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform: The House passed H.R.5125 (218-211), which would terminate the District of Columbia (DC) Judicial Nomination Commission. Currently, the commission recommends to the President nominees for judges for DC's Superior Court and Court of Appeals, who must then be confirmed by the Senate. The commission also appoints the chief judges for these courts. The bill terminates the commission's involvement in nominations and requires the President to appoint the chief judges.

    Honoring our Heroes: The House passed H.R.2721, which would establish and implement a two-year pilot program to furnish, when requested, an appropriate headstone or burial marker to commemorate covered veterans. Covered veterans are veterans who died on or before November 1, 1990, and were released or discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable. Currently, these benefits are only available to eligible veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990.

    Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare: The House passed H.R.3400, which addresses the critical lack of accessible veterans’ healthcare in the smaller, remote areas like the CNMI. The legislation empowers the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to assign traveling VA physicians to aid underserved communities, providing them with much- needed medical services. These physicians will receive a travel bonus and will be assigned to serve select regions for up to one year, helping to provide a sustained presence in the community.

    Promoting Cross-border Energy Infrastructure: The House passed H.R.3062 (224-203), which replaces the Presidential permit requirement with a more transparent and effective review process by authorizing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review applications for cross-border oil and natural gas pipelines, and the Department of Energy to review applications for cross-border transmission facilities.

    National Coal Council Reestablishment: The House passed H.R.3015 (217-209), which makes the National Coal Council permanent by removing requirements under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to re-charter every two years, therefore preventing future administrations from disbanding this essential council. 

    GRID Power: The House passed H.R.1047 (216-206), which provides Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators with authority to prioritize energy projects that are ready to bring more baseload power onto the grid immediately, improving grid reliability and resiliency and helping to meet the demand of industrial and household customers alike.

    Preview

    Monday, September 22nd, 2025

    Congress will be on Recess the week of September 22nd through the 26th. They will return to normally scheduled business on Sept. 29th. Be looking for your next R&P on Oct. 6th. 

    Review

    Monday, September 15th, 2025

    Stop Illegal Entry: The House passed H.R.3486 (226-197), which would increase criminal penalties for non-US citizens who illegally cross the border multiple times. The measure would increase the maximum allowed prison sentences — and in some cases set mandatory minimum sentences — for noncitizens who are caught more than once entering or attempting to enter the US without inspection or through willfully fraudulent means. It also would increase the length of prison sentences for noncitizens who enter, attempt to enter, or are found in the country after having been ordered deported.

    Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization: The House passed H.R.3838 (231-196), which authorizes the President's request of $882.6 billion in discretionary funding, including $33.8 billion for Energy Department nuclear weapons development and associated activities. For the Defense Department it authorizes $295.1 billion for operation and maintenance, $153.2 billion for weapons and other procurement (including President Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defense), $142.4 billion for research and development, $193.9 billion for personnel, and $41.0 billion for the defense health program.

    It restricts the President's ability to withdraw U.S. troops in Europe unless the Pentagon certifies it is in U.S. national interests; authorizes funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative; and codifies President Trump's executive orders ending Pentagon DEI and other initiatives. House Democrats scored a major victory with the repeal of the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for use of military force against Iraq—which provide statutory authorization to the president to justify military action or counter specific threats abroad. Republicans backed amendments barring healthcare access to transgender troops and their families with a handful of Democrats joining them in support. They also supported a provision blocking men at military academies from participating in activities and athletics designated for women.

    Transitioning Retiring and New Service Members: The House passed H.R.3055, which requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop and make public the Veteran to Supply Chain Employee Action Plan. Among other elements, the plan must identify (1) barriers and challenges of veterans and members of the Armed Forces who are eligible for counseling under the Transition Assistance Program in searching or training for employment in the supply chain industry, and (2) challenges that supply chain employers face when recruiting, hiring, or retaining veterans and such members of the Armed Forces.

    Personnel Oversight and Shift Tracking: The House passed H.R.3425, which improves safety at federal buildings by addressing security failures, improving training for contract guards, and making critical improvements to the Federal Protective Service’s (FPS) shift tracking system. The bill improves safety by linking contract guard training to demonstrated security failures and requiring updates to the personnel tracking system to ensure adequate staffing at security posts and better communication with tenant agencies.

    Shared Property Agency Collaboration and Engagement:   The House passed H.R.3424, which would expand on public buildings reforms that were included in the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 by directing the General Services Administration (GSA) to collaborate with federal tenants on shared-space arrangements, develop criteria for expanded space-sharing, and identify special-use spaces that can improve space sharing. This bill continues the Committee’s work to reduce the federal real estate footprint and ensure taxpayer dollars are only supporting necessary workspace – not unused or empty buildings.

     

    Preview

    Monday, September 15th, 2025

    Continuing Resolution: House GOP leaders are considering bringing to the floor this week a stopgap funding bill to extend current spending levels through late November or early December. The measure would be "clean," according to the sources, without partisan policy riders or an extension of the enhanced health insurance tax credits that expire at the end of the year. A shorter CR would also mean another opportunity for supporters to attach a Medicaid subsidy extension to a must-pass vehicle before they expire after Dec. 31.

  • D.C. Bills: The House is set to take up several bills dealing with Washington D.C. that would limit the authority of the District of Columbia (DCgovernment over its criminal sentencing laws (H.R.4922), allow D.C. law enforcement officers and their supervisors greater discretion to engage in vehicular pursuits when apprehending suspects in motor vehicles (H.R.5143), and eliminate the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission and give the U.S. President the sole authority to nominate judges for the D.C. Courts (H.R.5125).

  • Energy Bills: The House looks to consider several energy measures that would reestablish the National Coal Council (H.R. 3015), modify the approval process for cross-border energy projects (H.R. 2883), and prioritize power plants’ connection to the electric grid (H.R. 1047).

     

    Review

    Monday, September 8th, 2025

    FY26 Energy-Water Appropriations: The House passed H.R.4553 (214-213), which would provide the Energy Department, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and related agencies would receive $57.3 billion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2026. The total would be a $766.4 million decrease from fiscal 2025, according to a summary from House Appropriations Committee Republicans. The measure would provide $33.2 billion in defense funding and $24.1 billion in non-defense funding.

    The measure would provide new funding to support nuclear reactor projects while cutting funds for nuclear cleanup and clean energy projects. It would block diversity initiatives and changes made to rename military facilities honoring the Confederacy. It also would bar agencies from issuing rules with major economic effects.

    Made-in-America Defense: The House passed H.R.4216, which aims to boost American defense exports by simplifying regulations and increasing access for U.S. manufacturers to supply allied nations with defense equipment. It promotes domestic industry by making a list of restricted defense items public and requiring annual review and potential removal of restrictions, which currently slow sales through government channels. 

    Stop Chinese Fentanyl: The House passed H.R.747, which sanctions opioid manufacturers in China and holds the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for their role in the deadly opioid crisis plaguing American communities. The bill would amend the “Fentanyl Sanctions Act” and enable the U.S. government to impose sanctions on Chinese officials and organizations involved in the production, sale, financing, or transportation of synthetic opioids or their precursor chemicals. Entities that fail to cooperate with U.S. counternarcotics efforts would be designated as foreign opioid traffickers.

    The House passed three joint resolutions aimed at rolling back several Bureau of Land Management plans which were put in place under the Biden administration:

    • BLM Montana Management Plan: The House passed H.J.Res.104 (211-208), which resolution nullifies the Bureau of Land Management's "Miles City Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment" issued in November 2024 which generally prohibits BLM from issuing any new coal leases for certain public lands under the jurisdiction of the Miles City Field Office in Montana.

    • BLM North Dakota Management Plan: The House passed H.J.Res.106 (215-210), which nullifies BLM's "North Dakota Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Manage Plan" issued in January 2025 which limits development of oil and gas in low-potential areas and new coal leasing to areas within four miles of existing mines on public lands under the jurisdiction of the North Dakota Field Office.

    • BLM Alaska Management Plan: The House passed H.J.Res.105 (215-211), which nullifies BLM's "Central Yukon Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan" issued in November 2024 which designated 3.6 million acres as areas of "critical environmental concern" in the Central Yukon planning area, effectively limiting mining claims and oil and gas development on such lands.

     

    Preview

    Monday, September 8th, 2025

    Stop Illegal Entry: The House is set to begin mark-up of H.R.3486, which would increase penalties for aliens who illegally enter or reenter the United States, particularly those with prior felony convictions or multiple previous removals.

    Modernize the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Acquisition System: The House Committee on Rules may meet this week to provide for floor consideration the H.R.3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) Act. The bill fundamentally reforms the Defense Acquisition System (DAS) to cut red tape and deliver capabilities to servicemembers as quickly and effectively as possible.

    Government Funding: The odds of a partial government shutdown may be decreasing after the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee cautiously embraced an emerging GOP game plan for a stopgap spending measure. That support, however, hinges on such a measure avoiding partisan policy riders and funding cuts and extending no longer than a few months.

    National Defense Authorization (NDAA): The Senate voted (84-14) to move forward with consideration of S.2296. The Senate’s version of the NDAA would authorize US defense and national security programs to receive $925.8 billion. The bill would more than double funding for military construction, and it would authorize a roughly 12% boost above the request for procurement.

    It would set an end-strength military force limit of 1.3 million active duty personnel, and support a 3.8% pay increase for military personnel. It would authorize $500 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and extend it through 2028. It would also set policies for the development and deployment of the domestic Golden Dome missile defense program and provide up to $200 million to support Israel’s missile defense systems.

     

    Review

    Monday, July 21st, 2025

    Rescissions Package: Congress passed H.R.4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, that would rescind a total of $9 billion in previously appropriated funding, including (The measure now goes to the President):

    • $7.9 billion in foreign aid and

    • $1.1 billion provided for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service.

    It would also rescind:

    • $1 million for voter ID in Haiti

    • $6 million for "Net Zero Cities" in Mexico

    • $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street

    • $2.1 million for climate resilience in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and East Africa

    • $500,000 for electric busses in Rwanda

    • $33,000 for "Being LGBTI in the Caribbean"

    • $643,000 for LGBTQI+ programs in the Western Balkans

    • $5.1 million to strengthen the "resilience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer global movements"

    • $135 million in contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO).

    Department of Defense Appropriations: The House passed H.R.4016 (221-209), which allocates roughly $832 billion in funding for defense programs for fiscal year 2026. The bill passed Thursday would boost funding for active, reserve, and National Guard military personnel by $6.6 billion above current levels, to a total of $189 billion. It also allows for an increase of 3.8 percent in basic pay for military personnel that would take effect beginning in January.

    It calls for $174 billion for procurement, up $6.5 billion from current levels, and would provide $283 billion for operation and maintenance, or a roughly $7 billion decrease below 2025 levels. The bill also includes about $148 billion for research, development, test and evaluation, as well as boosts for Defense Department health programs and overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid programs.

    Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks: The House passed H.R.1709, which requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to examine and report on the cybersecurity of mobile service networks and the vulnerability of these networks and mobile devices to cyberattacks and surveillance conducted by adversaries.

    Consumer Safety Technology: The House passed H.R.1770, which proposes a pilot program for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and directs the Department of Commerce and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study and report on blockchain technology and digital tokens. It focuses on leveraging technology to enhance consumer product safety.

    Anti-CBDC Surveillance State: The House passed H.R.1919 (219-210), which prevents the Federal Reserve from issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) directly to individuals or through intermediaries. This is intended to protect financial privacy and prevent the government from potentially using a CBDC for surveillance or control of individual financial activity. It also requires that Congress pass legislation authorizing any government-created digital dollar, safeguarding private sector innovation and any future development of digital cash.

    Digital Asset Market Clarity: The House passed H.R.3633 (294-134), which establishes a regulatory framework for digital assets. The bill aims to provide clarity on digital asset regulation, potentially shifting oversight from the SEC to the CFTC for certain assets. The industry has long sought legislation to help delineate when digital assets are considered securities or commodities and, as a result, which financial regulator they fall under. 

    Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins: The House passed S.1582, which would establishes a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, digital assets designed to maintain a stable value linked to a national currency like the U.S. dollar. It aims to provide clarity and oversight for these digital assets, fostering innovation while prioritizing consumer protection and strengthening the U.S. dollar's reserve currency status. The bill was passed by the Senate and is now headed to President Trump who is expected to sign it.

     

    Preview

    Monday, July 21st, 2025

    Stop Illegal Entry: The House is set to take up H.R.3486, which would increase penalties for individuals who illegally enter or re-enter the United States after being removed. Specifically, it seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to impose harsher punishments, including longer prison sentences and potentially life imprisonment for certain repeat offenders. 

    Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure:  The House is also expected to take up H.R.3898, which aims to strengthen the Clean Water Act permitting process for permit seekers and holders, while providing clearer instruction and standards for permitting agencies. 

     

    Review

    Monday, June 30th, 2025

    Impeachment Charges: The House voted (344-79) to table (set aside) a motion to impeach Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. Democratic Representative Al Green of Texas introduced the articles over what he views as "illegal and unconstitutional" military strikes against Iran.

    Condemning the Attacks on Minnesota Lawmakers: The House passed H.Res.519, which condemns and denounces the June 14 attacks on Minnesota state legislators, honors those killed and wounded, and calls on everyone to reaffirm a commitment to a safe, civil, and peaceful democracy. It calls for unity and the rejection of political violence in Minnesota and across the United States.

    Condemning Violent LA Protests: The House passed H.Res.516 (212-195), which condemns the violent June 2025 riots in Los Angeles, California. It also expresses gratitude to law enforcement agencies (including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) with respect to recent demonstrations in Los Angeles.

    Military Construction, Veterans Affairs Appropriations: The House passed H.R.3944 (218-206), which would provide $152.1 billion in net discretionary spending for military construction, Veterans Affairs Department (VA) medical care, and related agencies, nearly 3% more than FY 2025 (on a programmatic basis after factoring out a $15.9 billion rescission, it provides more than $167.7 billion in discretionary funding). It also provides $301.6 billion in mandatory funding for VA compensation and other benefits as well as medical care for veterans exposed to toxins, thereby providing a total of about $469.5 billion for FY 2026. The bill is the first FY 2026 spending bill to come to the House floor.

    Deportation of Immigrants Convicted of a DUIs: The House passed H.R.875 (246-160), which would make a DUI conviction a deportable offense for undocumented immigrants. Currently, DUIs are not automatically considered a deportable offense under U.S. immigration law. 

    Dangerous Migrant Apprehension Numbers: The House passed H.R.275 (231-182), which would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report every month on non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who attempt to unlawfully enter the United States and who potentially pose a national security risk. DHS must report on (1) the number of individuals, (2) the nationalities or countries of last residence of these individuals, and (3) the location of the encounters.

    Sanction Sea Pirates: The House passed H.R.1998, which would impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities engaged in piracy worldwide, including asset freezes and denial of entry into the United States. The legislation comes in response to a surge in attacks by both Houthi militants and Somali pirates in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

    Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts: The House passed H.R.3394, which would expand the eligibility criteria for an accredited investor for purposes of participating in private offerings of securities to include an individual determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to have qualifying professional knowledge through educational or professional experience. 

     

    Preview

    Monday, June 30th, 2025

    Senate Republicans will launch a so-called vote-a-rama this morning in hopes of passing their "big, beautiful" reconciliation bill (H.R.1) later today.

    However, Democrats will likely attempt to make the process as politically painful as possible, and it's by no means clear whether at least 50 of the 53 Senate Republicans will support the bill on a final vote. Vice President JD Vance serves as a potential tiebreaker. 

    A vote-a-rama involves senators taking up an unlimited number of amendments in a marathon session. Other votes, such as on points of order, are also possible.

    The first vote the Senate takes before starting the vote-a-rama is on the current policy baseline, the accounting tactic Republicans are using to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent. 

    The vote-a-rama follows a weekend Senate session. A substitute amendment to the House-passed bill was released just before midnight Friday. GOP leaders held a procedural vote open for hours Saturday evening as they negotiated with a handful of members. Once that vote gaveled down, 51-49, Democrats forced the 940-page substitute amendment to be read aloud on the floor. That took until just after 3 p.m. Sunday, at which point floor debate commenced.

    Absent major changes, it appears unlikely that the two GOP senators who voted against a motion to proceed to the bill, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, will support it on a final vote. Republicans can lose no more than one additional vote and still pass it, assuming all senators vote and all Democrats vote "no." 

    Should the Senate pass the measure, the House is prepared to return from recess as soon as Wednesday morning, in hopes of clearing it for President Donald Trump's signature ahead of his July 4 self-imposed deadline.

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