Senate to Confirm More Federal Judges, House to Return for Anti-Discrimination Votes

What’s happening in Congress?

• The House is set to return from recess for its first work period in September this week, while the Senate picks up where it left off last week with a slate of district court confirmations.
• Leadership from both chambers may make progress off the floor on a short term continuing resolution to fund the government through the election and avoid the prospect of a partial government shutdown at the end of the month.

SENATE SCHEDULE

• The Senate convenes on Monday for a procedural vote on the nomination of Mark Scarsi to be a U.S. District Judge for Central California. A confirmation vote will likely be held on Tuesday.
• After the Senate finishes its consideration of the Scarsi nomination, it’s expected to move on to the consideration of seven additional federal district court judges, all of whom would be on the bench in districts located in California and Illinois if confirmed.
• Committees will hold hearings on federal housing assistance programs, advancing U.S. engagement and competing with China, compensating college athletes, and fixing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

HOUSE SCHEDULE 

• The House starts its week on Monday with the consideration of 24 relatively uncontroversial bills under the fast-track “suspension of the rules” process, including a bill to make federal agencies’ budget requests more accessible and 16 bills renaming post offices.
• Tuesday will be focused on a bill to increase racial and socioeconomic diversity in schools. Wednesday’s slate includes a bill to restore the right to civil action in disparate impact cases in addition to several suspension bills.
• The House is expected to conclude its work week on Thursday with votes on a bill to protect pregnant workers from discrimination and a resolution to condemn anti-Asian sentiment related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
• Committees will hold hearings on the “infiltration of local police departments” by “white supremacy in blue”, worldwide threats to the homeland, and enforcing the ban on imports produced by forced labor in Xinjiang, China.

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

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

HOUSE

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

• H.R. 4894: Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act of 2020, as amended Passed 402-1.
• S. 2193: CHARGE Act Passed 403-2.
• H.R. 6133: STEP Improvement Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6079: Microloan Improvement Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6078: Microloan Transparency and Accountability Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6021: Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Development Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1668: IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2575: AI in Government Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4672: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 21701 Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, California, as the "Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5317: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 315 Addicks Howell Road in Houston, Texas, as the "Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5597: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 305 Northwest 5th Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as the "Clara Luper Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3847: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 117 West Poythress Street in Hopewell, Virginia, as the "Reverend Curtis West Harris Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3870: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 511 West 165th Street in New York, New York, as the "Normandia Maldonado Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5062: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 9930 Conroy Windermere Road in Windermere, Florida, as the "Officer Robert German Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4975: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1201 Sycamore Square Drive in Midlothian, Virginia, as the "Dorothy Braden Bruce Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2969: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1401 1st Street North in Winter Haven, Florida, as the "Althea Margaret Daily Mills Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4034: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 602 Pacific Avenue in Bremerton, Washington, as the "John Henry Turpin Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2246: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 West Cherokee Street in Brookhaven, Mississippi, as the "Deputy Donald William Durr, Corporal Zach Moak, and Patrolman James White Memorial Post Office Building" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4734: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 171 South Maple Street in Dana, Indiana, as the "Ernest 'Ernie' T. Pyle Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3275: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 340 Wetmore Avenue in Grand River, Ohio, as the "Lance Corporal Andy 'Ace' Nowacki Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5384: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 Crosby Street in Mansfield, Louisiana, as the "Dr. C.O. Simpkins, Sr., Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4785: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1305 U.S. Highway 90 West in Castroville, Texas, as the "Lance Corporal Rhonald Dain Rairdan Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4200: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 321 South 1st Street in Montrose, Colorado, as the "Sergeant David Kinterknecht Post Office" Passed by voice vote.
• S. 3105: A bill 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.

Tuesday after 12pm

• H.R. 2639: Strength in Diversity Act of 2020 Passed 248-167.

Wednesday after 12pm

• H.R. 2574: Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act of 2019 Passed 232-188.
• H.R. 7909: Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act of 2020, as amended Passed 387-33.
• S. 2683: Child Care Protection Improvement Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3659: Danny’s Law, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 8162: 21st Century Community Learning Centers Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• S. 881: PROSWIFT Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4979: Rural STEM Education Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4990: Election Technology Research Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.

Thursday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 2694: Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Passed 329-73.
• H.Res. 908: Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19 Adopted 243-164.

SENATE

Monday after 5:30pm

• Cloture motion on the nomination of Mark Scarsi to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California Invoked 77-12.

Tuesday after 10:30am

• Confirmation of Mark Scarsi to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California Confirmed 83-12.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Stanley Blumenfeld to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California Invoked 89-6.
• Confirmation of Stanley Blumenfeld to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California Confirmed 92-4.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of John Holcomb to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California Invoked 83-13.
• Confirmation of John Holcomb to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California Confirmed 83-12.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Todd Robinson to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California Invoked 83-13.

Wednesday after 11:30am

• Confirmation of Todd Robinson to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California Confirmed 86-10.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of David Dugan to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois Invoked 56-40.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Stephen McGlynn to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois Invoked 55-42.
• Confirmation of David Dugan to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois Confirmed 55-41.
• Confirmation of Stephen McGlynn to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois Confirmed 55-41.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Iain Johnston to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Invoked 81-15.

Thursday after 11:30am

• Confirmation of Iain Johnston to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Confirmed 77-14.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Franklin Ulyses Valderrama to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Cloture withdrawn.
• (If cloture is invoked) Confirmation of Franklin Ulyses Valderrama to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Confirmed 68-20.

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

— Eric Revell