This Week in Congress: Corporate Outsourcing, Hong Kong, and Confirming Judges
How do you feel about this week's congressional agenda? What else should Congress vote on?
Congress returns on Tuesday for its first work week since House Democrats announced they will undertake an impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump.
The House will vote on several bipartisan bills related to China’s suppression of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, help homeless veterans, and make Dept. of Veterans Affairs websites more accessible. The rest of the House’s work week will be primarily focused on a bill to require publicly-traded companies to report the locations of their employees to deter outsourcing, and to require financial regulators to conduct investor testing before issuing rules related to investor disclosures.
The Senate will take up the nomination of Barbara Bennett to be Secretary of the Air Force on Tuesday. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) took procedural steps to set up potential votes on the nominations of four district court judges that could be held after the Senate completes its consideration of Bennett’s nomination.
It’s possible that the House could take up a resolution to formally launch its impeachment inquiry, and Congress may take up bipartisan legislation related to the Trump administration’s withdrawal from Northern Syria that’s allowing Turkey to attack Syrian Kurds. Congress may also begin the consideration of FY2020 spending legislation if a bipartisan agreement is reached.
Check here throughout the week to see the vote results and updates to the schedule.
Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.
HOUSE
Monday
- No votes are expected.
Tuesday after 6:30pm (under suspension of the rules)
- H.R. 3289: Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 4270: PROTECT Hong Kong Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
- H.Res. 543: Recognizing Hong Kong’s bilateral relationship with the United States, condemning the interference of the People’s Republic of China in Hong Kong’s affairs, and supporting the people of Hong Kong’s right to protest, as amended Adopted by voice vote.
- H.Res. 521: Commending the Government of Canada for upholding the rule of law and expressing concern over actions by the Government of the People’s Republic of China in response to a request from the United States Government of Canada for the extradition of a Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., executive Adopted by voice vote.
- H.R. 95: Homeless Veteran Families Act Passed 408-0.
- H.R. 1199: VA Website Accessibility Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 2385: To permit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant program to conduct cemetery research and produce educational materials for the Veterans Legacy Program Passed 409-1.
- H.R. 2334: To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community based outpatient clinic in Odessa, Texas, as the ‘‘Wilson and Young Medal of Honor VA Clinic” Passed by voice vote.
Wednesday after 12pm
- H.J.Res. 77: Opposing the end of U.S. efforts to prevent Turkish military operations against Syrian Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria Passed 354-60, 4 present.
- H.R. 1496: Presidential Allowance Modernization Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 3889: ONDCP Technical Corrections Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 1252: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6531 Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys, California, as the "Marilyn Monroe Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 1253: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13507 Van Nuys Boulevard in Pacoima, California, as the "Ritchie Valens Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 1833: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 35 Tulip Avenue in Floral Park, New York, as the "Lieutenant Michael R. Davidson Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 2151: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7722 South Main Street in Pine Plains, New York, as the "Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon M. Kent Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 2451: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 575 Dexter Street in Central Falls, Rhode Island, as the "Elizabeth Buffum Chace Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 3144: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 8520 Michigan Avenue in Whittier, California, as the "Jose Ramos Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 3152: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 456 North Meridian Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, as the "Richard G. Lugar Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 3207: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 114 Mill Street in Hookstown, Pennsylvania, as the "Staff Sergeant Dylan Elchin Post Office Building", as amended Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 3314: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1750 McCulloch Boulevard North in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, as the "Lake Havasu City Combat Veterans Memorial Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 3329: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5186 Benito Street in Montclair, California, as the "Paul Eaton Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 1972: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1100 West Kent Avenue in Missoula, Montana, as the "Jeannette Rankin Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 887: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 877 East 1200 South in Orem, Utah, as the "Jerry C. Washburn Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
Thursday after 12pm
- H.R. 1815: SEC Disclosure Effectiveness Testing Act Passed 229-186.
Friday between 9am and 3pm
- H.R. 3624: Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2019 Passed 226-184.
- H.Res. 630: Condemning and censuring Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) for Misleading the American Public Vote postponed.
SENATE
Monday
- No votes are expected.
Tuesday after 3:00pm
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Barbara Barrett to be Secretary of the Air Force Invoked 84-7.
Wednesday after 11am
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Frank Volk to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia Invoked 90-0.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Charles Eskridge to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas Invoked 61-29.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of David Novak to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia Invoked 86-4.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Rachel Kovner to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York Invoked 85-3.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Barbara Barrett to be Secretary of the Air Force Confirmed 85-7.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Frank Volk to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia Confirmed 92-0.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Charles Eskridge to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas Confirmed 61-31.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of David Novak to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia Confirmed 89-3.
- Confirmation vote on the nomination of Rachel Kovner to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York Confirmed 88-3.
Thursday after 12pm
- S.J.Res. 53: Affordable Clean Energy Rule CRA Not agreed to 41-53.
- Veto override on S.J.Res. 54: Terminating the Border Emergency Declaration Not agreed to 53-36. (Veto sustained, 2/3 required).
Tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills and share your thoughts below!
— Eric Revell
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