This Week in Congress: Reforming Programs for Veterans & Their Families, Financing Exports, & Protecting SCOTUS Justices

Congress will be out of session on Monday as it observes Veterans Day, but much of the legislative agenda for the week to come will be focused on veterans and their families. It may also consider legislation to provide FY2020 appropriations and prevent a partial government shutdown on November 21st.

The House will spend Tuesday voting on a slate of nine bipartisan bills related to veterans and their families, such as GI bill benefits and preventing veterans from being punished for overpayment of VA benefits. Later in the week it will take up another batch of bipartisan bills, including bills to provide citizenship to the children of servicemembers and extend security for Supreme Court justices.

The House will also take up a bill that would reauthorize the Export-Import Bank for 10 years, increase its lending cap, and rebrand it as the U.S. Export Finance Agency. The bill also includes provisions to make export financing available for veteran-owned businesses.

The Senate starts its week with a procedural vote on the nomination of Chad Wolf to be an undersecretary the Dept. of Homeland Security. His confirmation would allow President Donald Trump to appoint him as the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security. The Senate is expected to take up the nomination of Steven Menashi to be a judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals later in the week and may also consider FY2020 appropriations legislation.

Check here throughout the week to see the vote results and updates to the schedule.

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

HOUSE

Tuesday after 6:30pm (under suspension of the rules)

• H.R. 4625: Protect the GI Bill Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1424: Fallen Warrior Battlefield Cross Memorial Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4360: VA Overpayment Accountability Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4356: Protecting Families of Fallen Servicemembers Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4477: Reducing High Risk to Veterans and Veterans Services Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4771: VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4162: GI Bill Planning Act of 2019, as amended Passed 408-0.
• H.R. 3996: VA Design-Build Construction Enhancement Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3224: Deborah Sampson Act, as amended Passed 399-11.

Wednesday after 12pm

• H.R. 4258: Reauthorizing Security for Supreme Court Justices Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4803: Citizenship for Children of Military Members and Civil Servants Act Vote postponed.
• H.R. 3661: Patriotic Employer Protection Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1663: Foundation of the Federal Bar Association Charter Amendments Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3537: Veteran Entrepreneur Training Act of 2019 Passed 424-1.
• H.R. 499: Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act Passed 423-0.
• H.R. 3734: SERV Act, as amended Passed 421-3.
• H.R. 1615: VA-SBA Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1773: Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.

Thursday after 12pm

• Debating amendments to H.R. 4863: United States Export Finance Agency Act of 2019

Friday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 4863: United States Export Finance Agency Act of 2019 Passed 235-184.

SENATE

Tuesday after 5:30pm

• Cloture motion on the nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans, Dept. of Homeland Security Invoked 54-40.

Wednesday after 11am

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans, Dept. of Homeland Security Confirmed 54-41.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Steven Menashi to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit Invoked 51-44.

Thursday at 1:45pm

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Steven Menashi to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit Confirmed 51-41.

Tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills and share your thoughts below!

— Eric Revell