Civic Register
| 7.22.21

Senate Prepares to Start Infrastructure Debate While House Takes Up Visas for Afghan Interpreters
How do you feel about this week’s congressional schedule?
What’s happening in Congress?
- The Senate is set to confirm another one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees before it takes procedural steps to start considering infrastructure legislation, while the House returns for floor business after a two-week break.
SENATE SCHEDULE
- The Senate starts its week Monday with a confirmation vote on the nomination of Tiffany Cunningham to be a federal judge on the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Additional nominations may be considered later in the week.
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) indicated that the Senate will take its initial procedural vote on infrastructure legislation on Wednesday.
- At a time to be announced, the Senate is expected to take a vote on a bill to increase funding for grants to help crime victims.
- Committees will hold hearings on the federal perspective on the COVID-19 response; impacts of climate change on communities; cybersecurity vulnerabilities in physical infrastructure; immigrant farmworkers; and labor union organizing.
HOUSE SCHEDULE
- The House will convene for floor business on Monday when it will consider 14 bills under the fast-track suspension of the rules process, including bills to encourage reunions between Korean-Americans with relatives in North Korea and to have the U.S. participate in a vaccine development program for future epidemics. Lawmakers are also expected to consider another slate of 13 suspension bills later in the week.
- The rest of the week will feature bills to increase the number of visas available to Afghan interpreters and their families along with streamlining their visa process; designate PFAS as hazardous substances and monitor their presence in water systems; and allow the Federal Trade Commission to obtain both injunctive and monetary relief for violations of laws it enforces.
- Committees will hold hearings on small business cybersecurity; equitable housing infrastructure; and environmental justice in infrastructure.
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. 826: Divided Families Reunification Act Passed 415-0.
- H.R. 2118: Securing America From Epidemics Act Vote postponed.
- H.R. 3119: Energy Emergency Leadership Act Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 2931: Enhancing Grid Security through Public-Private Partnerships Act Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 2928: Cyber Sense Act of 2021 Vote postponed.
- H.R. 678: PHONE Act of 2021 Vote postponed.
- H.R. 1250: Emergency Reporting Act Vote postponed.
- H.R. 1754: MEDIA Diversity Act of 2021 Vote postponed.
- H.Res. 277: Reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity Vote postponed.
- H.R. 3003: Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2021 Vote postponed.
- H.R. 1158: Refugee Sanitation Facility Safety Act of 2021 Vote postponed.
- H.Res. 294: Encouraging reunions of divided Korean-American families Vote postponed.
- H.R. 1079: Desert Locust Control Act, as amended Vote postponed.
- H.R. 1036: Bassam Barabandi Rewards for Justice Act Vote postponed.
Tuesday after 12pm
- H.R. 2668: Consumer Protection and Recovery Act Passed 221-205.
- H.R. 2118: Securing America From Epidemics Act Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1870: Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2021, as amended Passed by voice vote.
- H.R. 1893: Transportation Security Preparedness Act of 2021 Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1895: Transportation Security Public Health Threat Preparedness Act of 2021 Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1877: Security Screening During COVID-19 Act, as amended Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1871: Transportation Security Transparency Improvement Act Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 2795: DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, as amended Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 3138: State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, as amended Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1833: DHS Industrial Control Systems Capabilities Enhancement Act of 2021, as amended Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 2980: Cybersecurity Vulnerability Remediation Act, as amended Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 3223: CISA Cyber Exercise Act Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 3264: Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1850: Supporting Research and Development for First Responders Act Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 3263: DHS Medical Countermeasures Act Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 2928: Cyber Sense Act of 2021 Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 678: PHONE Act of 2021 Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1250: Emergency Reporting Act Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1754: MEDIA Diversity Act of 2021 Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.Res. 277: Reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 3003: Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2021 Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1158: Refugee Sanitation Facility Safety Act of 2021 Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.Res. 294: Encouraging reunions of divided Korean-American families Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1079: Desert Locust Control Act, as amended Passed en bloc 319-105.
- H.R. 1036: Bassam Barabandi Rewards for Justice Act Passed en bloc 319-105.
Wednesday after 12pm
- H.R. 2467: PFAS Action Act of 2021 Passed 241-183.
Thursday between 9am and 3pm
- H.R. 3985: Allies Act of 2021 Passed 407-16.
SENATE
Monday after 5:30pm
- Confirmation of Tiffany Cunningham as a judge for the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals Confirmed 63-33.
Tuesday after 11:30am
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Kenneth Polite, Jr. to be an Assistant Attorney General Invoked 57-43.
- Confirmation of Kenneth Polite, Jr. as Assistant Attorney General Confirmed 56-44.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Jennifer Ann Abruzzo to be General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board for a term of four years Invoked 51-50.
- Toomey Amendment to H.R. 1652: VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 Not adopted 40-60.
- H.R. 1652: VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 Passed 100-0.
Wednesday after 11:30am
- Confirmation of Jennifer Ann Abruzzo as General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board for a term of four years Confirmed 51-50.
- Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3684: Legislative vehicle for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Not invoked 49-51.
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Bonnie Jenkins to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Invoked 52-48.
- Confirmation of Bonnie Jenkins as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Confirmed 52-48.
Thursday after 1:30pm
- Confirmation of Jill Hruby to be Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, Dept. of Energy
Tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills and share your thoughts below!
— Eric Revell
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Afghan interpreters should be rescued. If we turn our backs on these folks who in their right minds would aid us in this way in the future. Most important is what I’ve seen in the Presidents tv appearances this past week. Is there really anyone out here who truly believes that Biden is competent to lead this country? This guy belongs in a rest home. He is incapable of speaking publicly and it is obvious that he is incapable of calling the shots. The big question is who behind the scenes is in fact running this country. I’m sure that question is discussed daily by our adversaries.
We need to look at mcconnels pick of judged. Especially the ones who were not experienced judges.
pretty sad that congress has to take up these visas for the afghan interpreters when this is so time sensitive - why not either executive order or just allow temporary while they're vetted? This is slap when we are allowing pretty much anyone who can get to our southern border to come in.
The fact that so many responders believe that the bill is really about infrastructure is evidence enough that the public education system in this country is an embarrassing wreck. Buy a dictionary and reference it. Then maybe you'll understand the concept of "pork" in politics. Almost 80% of funds sought are for purposes other than infrastructure. Social benefits aren't infrastructure - but they do buy votes for Dimocrats.
I’m hopeful but worried about Republican obstruction instead of working with democrats. I am sick of the obstructing and the obstacles to get things done like the filibuster and the two democrats that don’t work with our party. It’s just ridiculous. Get infrastructure and voting rights done.
Those Afghan aides and their families need to get out LAST MONTH! It's the least we can do for those who helped Americans when they needed them. DO NOT ABANDON THEM!!!!
We have got to save the Afghan men and women and their loved ones! Please make this a priority - they have done so much for our cause, even though it was awful. Hoping that we can eventually get period products and diapers included under SNAP as well - Illinois is already poised to do so once the feds okay it.
Infra-structure really means - Communist funding. I am squarely against anything Democrat ANTI-CUBAN who are ANTI-Communism - propose.
Jeez, get in with the infrastructure already. Get your acts together. If Congress moves as slowly to get this done, the Afghans who helped the US will not get out in time.
Republicans need to stand strong against the egregious Infrastructure Plan that the Democrats have cooked up. How much of this money will actually be used for “ infrastructure “ and how much will be lining pockets of the most questionable politicians. And please, let’s not hear the rhetoric that Democratic politicians are throwing at us regarding what infrastructure means. Americans are aware of evil strategies the Democrats use, applying this monetary amount will lead to inflation. In less than a year we have seen our country go to hell, gas prices rising each day, pricing of food, lumber and much more rise each day. Meanwhile, Biden and his corrupt administration are sneaking illegals during the dark of night into states and will want to place some idiotic amnesty bill into this erroneous Infrastructure Bill. Republican Senators need to fight against all this, show Americans that we won’t abide by Schumer’s evil ideas that in the end will not benefit the American people.
Would you all please get something done that the majority of the countries citizens want! It’s not about you!
They need 60 to start the debate so hopefully nothing will happen this week. Sometimes it is a good thing when Congress gets nothing done.
We voted for joe. You are killing your followers by lying to them. So you don’t even care about your own. You want to prove you are not one of the terrorists? Then stop behaving like one! Start doing the right thing. Let joe sink or swim. You are not saving your soul by throwing the people under the bus to bow down to a deviant false idol. We are in horrible times. If you truly believe joe is doing the wrong thing, let him sink or swim. Stop sandbagging him. Let him be right or wrong. We chose him. The more you oppose that, the more you turn us against YOU. I wish I could make you understand that. Stop lying. Start doing the right thing. Period.
A smile for the Afghanistan workers but the infrastructure vote and republicans, again them, are largely against it. Do they know they work fir the betterment of the country?
We need to help those that helped us!
As long as infrastructure is limited to bridges, roads, buildings, etc. Healthcare et al are not infrastructure.
Really is the money going for real infrastructure projects!
Get….something done!
Mioiil looko op o “
Representatives, We need to debate the ability of powerful media channels, most notably FOXNews, to spread misinformation, particularly about the Corona Virus Vaccine. There seems to be enough room under the First Amendment to stop the misinformation about COVID vaccines. We would use the same line of reasoning that makes it a crime to yell "Fire" in a movie theater baselessly. If we do not take aggressive action, we cannot hope to wipe out COVID and get back to some semblance of normal. See, for example, "Fox News' alarming vaccine disinformation is a danger to America" https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/18/opinions/vaccine-disniformation-fox-news-obeidallah/index.html Highlight (This is horrifying given the message going out to a high number of senior citizens.) "(CNN) "Do you think we could've eradicated polio or defeated the measles if you had Fox News night after night warning people about these vaccine issues that are just bunk?" CNN's Jim Acosta asked Saturday of Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser. "Fauci response was jaw-dropping: "If we had had the pushback for vaccines the way we're seeing on certain media, I don't think it would have been possible at all to not only eradicate smallpox, we probably would still have smallpox and we probably would still have polio in this country." The nation's premier infectious disease specialist added, "If we had the kind of false information that's being spread now if we had that back decades ago, I would be certain that we'd still have polio in this country." "There's no dispute that Fox News has been delivering to its audience, of which almost 60% is in the high-risk over-65 age group, dangerously misleading information about the Covid vaccine and its rollout by the Biden administration. A report released Friday by the liberal media watchdog group Media Matters documents that the majority of vaccine-related segments that Fox News aired over the past two weeks "repeatedly fearmongered about and downplayed the need for continued vaccination campaigns." Also, see "Fox News’s dismissive vaccine coverage is particularly dangerous for its relatively old audience "But it’s tricky to blame the network for Republican skepticism" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/16/fox-newss-dismissive-vaccine-coverage-is-particularly-dangerous-its-relatively-old-audience/ Highlight "In 2019, the median age of a Fox News viewer was 65. In other words, a member of the group most at risk from the coronavirus. "Month after month, the vast majority of those who die of covid-19 are 65 or older, as data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate." The article did not explicitly point out that these seniors were unvaccinated. We can quibble over the age of the data. But the point is the unscientific misinformation that results in sickness, suffering, hospitalization in a quarantined intensive care unit, and even death.