| 11.20.20

House Returns From Recess, Senate Considers Nominations to District Courts and the Fed

How do you feel about this week’s congressional schedule?

What’s happening in Congress?

The House returns from its pre- and post-election recess this week for a five day work week, while the Senate is set to consider more judicial nominations and potentially fill a vacancy on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
Congressional leaders in both parties have expressed a desire to pass coronavirus relief legislation before the end of the year, but there has been little progress to date in reaching a compromise and it appears unlikely that a bipartisan package will get a vote this week.
At the end of the week, both chambers will adjourn for their Thanksgiving district work period, and both are expected to return on Monday, November 30th. The federal government is currently funded through December 11th, so lawmakers will need to approve a spending package before then to avert a partial government shutdown.

HOUSE SCHEDULE

The House convenes Monday for its first day of floor votes since October 2nd, when it will consider several bipartisan bills related to Native American tribes and veterans affairs. Monday’s bills, like most of those on the House’s agenda for Tuesday and Wednesday, will be considered under the fast-track “suspension of the rules” process, which allows for expedited debate and requires a three-fifths majority for passage.
Tuesday has 25 bills on the docket, including legislation to crack down on pandemic scams; provide resources for opioid addiction treatments; house the survivors of major disasters; and reform the aircraft certification system.
Wednesday has 21 bills on the docket, including legislation to condemn China for infringing on Hong Kong’s autonomy; emphasize the importance of U.S. alliances with Japan and South Korea; condemn the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny; and support freedom and human rights in Eastern Europe.
The House is expected to consider a bill to reform apprenticeship programs on Thursday and/or Friday, although there may be additions to the schedule on those days.
Committees will hold hearings on legislation related to ocean-based climate solutions, health concerns of veterans and servicemembers who were deployed to Karshi-Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan between 2001 and 2005, and challenges and solutions for policyholders and insurers during the pandemic.

SENATE SCHEDULE

The Senate convenes Monday and will pick up where it left off last week as it considers a slate of nominations, starting with a procedural vote on the nomination of Mississippi Solicitor General Kristi Haskins Johnson to serve as a federal judge for the Southern District of Mississippi.
After a likely confirmation vote on Tuesday, the Senate may consider the nominations of four more district court judges and one international trade court judge. It may also take up the nomination of Judy Shelton to be a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
Committees will hold hearings on early at home treatments for COVID-19, the censorship and suppression of news in the 2020 election by social media platforms, and a bill to revise Section 230 protections for online platforms.

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)

S. 327: Wounded Veterans Recreation Act Passed 401-0.
S. 1069: Digital Coast Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 1964: Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Recognition Act Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 6237: Proper and Reimbursed Care for Native Veterans Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
S. 910: National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
S. 3587: Department of Veterans Affairs Website Accessibility Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
S. 900: To designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Bozeman, Montana, as the "Travis W. Atkins Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic," as amended Passed by voice vote.
S. 3147: Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act of 2019 Passed 394-0.

Tuesday after 12pm

H.R. 6435: Combating Pandemic Scams Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 2281: Easy MAT for Opioid Addiction Act Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4499: NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 5668: MODERN Labeling Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4712: Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 2466: State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 2117: FASTER Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 5855: Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 3878: Block, Report, And Suspend Shipments Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4806: DEBAR Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4812: Ensuring Compliance Against Drug Diversion Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 6096: READI Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 6624: USA Telecommunications Act Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 7310: Spectrum IT Modernization Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 2610: Fraud and Scam Reduction Act Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 8121: Pandemic Effects on Home Safety and Tourism Act Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 2914: Housing Survivors of Major Disaster Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 8408: Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 8266: FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4611: Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II, as amended Passed 395-4.
H.R. 8326: Child Care is Economic Development Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 5919: National Children’s Museum Act Passed by voice vote.
S. 1869: Secure Federal LEASEs Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 5953: Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4358: Preliminary Damage Assessment Improvement Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.

Wednesday after 12pm

H.Res. 1033: Condemning acts by the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region that violate fundamental rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents as well as acts that undermine Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 6334: Securing America from Epidemics Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.Res. 349: Reaffirming the vital role of the United States-Japan alliance in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.Res. 809: Expressing the importance of the United States alliance with the Republic of Korea and the contributions of Korean Americans in the United States, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.Res. 1012: Resolution Recognizing the historic transformation of the United States-Republic of Korea alliance since the Korean War into a mutually beneficial, global partnership, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.Res. 1062: Affirming the nature and importance of the United States-Iraq bilateral relationship, including security and economic components of the relationship, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4644: Libya Stabilization Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 7990: FENTANYL Results Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.Res. 697: A resolution affirming the significance of the advocacy for genuine autonomy for Tibetans in the People’s Republic of China and the work His Holiness the 14th Dalai lama has done to promote global peace, harmony, and understanding, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 7276: Desert Locust Control Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 5586: Haiti Development, Accountability, and Institutional Transparency Initiative Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 7703: Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.Res. 672: Expressing support of the Three Seas Initiative in its efforts to increase energy independence and infrastructure connectivity thereby strengthening the United States and European national security, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.Res. 1145: Condemning the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and calling for a robust United States and international response, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 8259: To prohibit Russian participation in the G7, and for other purposes Passed by voice vote.
H.Res. 825: A resolution urging the United States to continue to be a leader in supporting the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the global nonproliferation regime to reap the benefits the NPT and such regime bring to United States and international security, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4636: PLASTICS Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 8405: American Values and Security in International Athletics Act Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 8438: Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 5408: Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 4802: To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to authorize rewards under the Department of State’s reward program relating to information regarding individuals or entities engaged in activities in contravention of United States or United Nations sanctions, and for other purposes Passed by voice vote.
H.R. 7954: Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2020 Passed by voice vote.
Motion to close portions of the conference on H.R. 6395: National Defense Authorization Act, FY2021 Adopted 396-8.

Thursday after 12pm

Start debate on H.R. 8294: National Apprenticeship Act of 2020

Friday between 9am and 3pm

H.R. 8294: National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 Passed 246-140.
Additional legislative items are possible.

SENATE

Monday after 5:30pm

Cloture motion on the nomination of Kristi Haskins Johnson to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi Invoked 51-38.

Tuesday after 11am

Confirmation of Kristi Haskins Johnson to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi Confirmed 53-43.
Cloture motion on the nomination of Benjamin Joel Beaton to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky Invoked 52-44.
Confirmation of Benjamin Joel Beaton to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky Confirmed 52-44.
Cloture motion on the nomination of Judy Shelton to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for the unexpired term of 14 years from February 1, 2010 Not invoked 47-50.
Cloture motion on the nomination of Toby Crouse to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Kansas Invoked 51-44.
Confirmation of Toby Crouse to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Kansas Confirmed 50-43.

Wednesday after 11am

Cloture motion on the nomination of Stephen A. Vaden to be a Judge of the U.S. Court of International Trade Invoked 49-44.
Confirmation of Stephen A. Vaden to be a Judge of the U.S. Court of International Trade Confirmed 49-43.
Cloture motion on the nomination of Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida Invoked 49-43.
Confirmation of Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida Confirmed 49-41.

Thursday

Next Floor Session (Monday, November 30th)

Cloture motion on the nomination of Taylor McNeel to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi
Additional legislation or nominations may be considered.

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

— Eric Revell