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Capitol Hill Update: May 26, 2020

  • By: FW Staff
  • 05/26/2020

Schedule:

The House will be in session for two days this week. The Senate is in recess.

House:

The House will be in session for only two days this week, Wednesday and Thursday. There are at least seven bills coming to the floor under suspension of the rules. Presumably, these bills will likely be considered in the two-day period. It’s possible that additional legislation could be added.

  • S. 3744, Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act
  • H.R. 6168, Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act]
  • S. 3414, Major Medical Facility Authorization Act
  • S. 3084, To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the limitation on pay for certain high-level employees and officers of the Department of Veterans Affairs
  • S. 2746, Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act
  • H.R. 6782, TRUTH Act
  • H.R. __, Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act

The House Rules Committee hasn’t noticed a hearing on any rule bills, but we do expect the consideration of the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act, H.R. 6172, on Wednesday. We do expect one amendment to H.R. 6172 as well. It’s possible that additional legislation could be considered under a rule.

The House will consider the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act, as well as an amendment offered by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio). Lofgren-Davidson is a modified version of the amendment offered by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) that failed in the Senate by one vote. Wyden-Daines almost certainly would’ve passed if Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) or Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had been present and voting. Lofgren-Davidson would prohibit law enforcement from requiring the production of browser histories or search histories of U.S. persons. It also requires congressional and public reporting on such information collected. Whether or not the amendment would get a vote was an open question, with some drama in the background, until Friday when it was confirmed that leadership would allow a vote on the amendment. If the amendment is adopted, the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act would have to go back to the Senate for approval.

The full House committee schedule for the week can be found here. It’s possible that more committee hearings will be added.

Senate:

The Senate is in recess until Monday, June 1. Nominees are on the agenda when senators return to town. The Great American Outdoors Act, S. 3422, is also on the agenda. In addition to creating the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, which will be funded through revenues from oil, gas, coal, the Great American Outdoors Act would make the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) permanent. The National Defense Authorization Act could also be on the floor in the near future.

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