Below is the Federal Policy team's weekly preview, published each week when Congress is in session.
HEADLINES
- The week begins with federal offices closed after a weekend snowstorm blanketed the Washington area with nearly a foot of snow; meanwhile, the partial government shutdown is now the longest in the nation's history.
- The House plans to take up legislation funding disaster relief and will also continue passing individual appropriations bills for agencies whose funding has lapsed.
- Attorney general nominee William Barr will begin his confirmation process before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
HOUSE
- The House has votes planned Monday through Thursday. The agenda includes a supplemental disaster relief bill as well as noncontroversial legislation from the Small Business Committee, Oversight Committee and Commerce Committee.
- The House will also continue to take up individual appropriations bills similar to those passed by the Republican Senate last year, aiming to pressure the Senate to take them up.
- House committees are still in the midst of organizing – Democrats late last week announced new members gaining seats on key committees, with Republicans expected to follow suit this week.
- If any committees post notices of hearings for this week, that activity will be listed here.
SENATE
- The Senate will reconvene Monday, beginning its agenda with another attempt at procedural votes on legislation aiming to improve U.S. security in the Middle East, which Democrats blocked last week over the shutdown.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin confirmation hearings on Tuesday for Trump's attorney general nominee William Barr.
- The Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday will take up the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
- The current list of Senate committee activity can be found here.
WHITE HOUSE
- Trump's schedule this week remains fluid as the shutdown drags on.
- Today he is traveling to New Orleans to speak at the American Farm Bureau's annual convention.
- This evening he hosts the college football national champions, the Clemson Tigers, at the White House.
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