Congress Returns From Recess for Votes on Domestic Violence Prevention, Expanding Breastfeeding Accommodations at Work

What’s happening in Congress?

• Lawmakers return to the Capitol from recess this week to kick off what’s expected to be a busy second half of October, as Democrats continue to negotiate their social spending plan and Congress looks to avert another lapse in the authorization of transportation programs at the end of the month. 

SENATE SCHEDULE

• The Senate returns Monday for a confirmation vote on the nomination of Judge Gustavo Gelpi to the First Circuit Court of Appeals. It will then consider the nomination of a federal district court for New Jersey. 
• At some point during the week, potentially Wednesday, the Senate is expected to take a procedural vote on Democrats’ revised election reform bill. The vote is expected to fail along party-lines in the evenly-divided Senate because Republicans oppose the measure and will deny it the 60 votes needed to overcome the legislative filibuster.
• Committees will hold hearings on federal health insurance coverage programs; oversight of the Dept. of Homeland Security with testimony from Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas; and inspector general independence.

HOUSE SCHEDULE 

• The House is off Monday but returns for votes on Tuesday, when it’s expected to consider eight bipartisan bills under the fast-track “suspension of the rules” process, including legislation to address the opioid crisis. Wednesday will see votes on 10 more suspension bills, including several that would rename post offices.
• On Thursday, the House is expected to consider a bill to reauthorize and expand programs focused on preventing family and domestic violence and protecting survivors.
• Friday is expected to feature a vote on a bill to expand access to breastfeeding accommodations in the workplace, and additional votes are possible.
• Committees will hold hearings on economic prosperity in the industrial heartland; holding Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress; and oversight of the Dept. of Justice.

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

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

SENATE

Monday after 5:30pm

• Confirmation of Judge Gustavo Gelpi to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the First Circuit Confirmed 52-41.

Tuesday after 11:30am

• Cloture motion on the nomination of Christine O’Hearn to be U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey Invoked 53-44.
• Confirmation of Christine O’Hearn as U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey Confirmed 53-44.
• Motion to discharge from the Banking Committee the nomination of Brian Nelson to be Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Crimes, Dept. of Treasury Agreed to 50-49.

Wednesday after 11am

• Cloture motion on the nomination of Catherine Lhamon to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Dept. of Education Invoked 51-50.
• Confirmation of Catherine Lhamon to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Dept. of Education Confirmed 51-50.
• Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to S. 2747: Freedom to Vote Act Not invoked 49-51.

Thursday after 10:30am

• Cloture motion on the nomination of Tana Lin to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington Invoked 52-47.
• Confirmation of Tana Lin to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington Confirmed 52-45.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Douglas Parker to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor Invoked 51-47.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Myrna Perez to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit Invoked 51-48.

Rest of the Week (tentative)

• Motion to reconsider the failed cloture motion on the motion to proceed to S. 2747: Freedom to Vote Act
• Additional nominations or legislative items are possible.

HOUSE

Monday

• No votes are scheduled.

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

• H.R. 1029: Free Veterans from Fees Act Passed 421-3.
• H.R. 4089: Darren Drake Act, as amended Passed 379-51.
• H.R. 4369: National Centers of Excellence in Advanced and Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Act of 2021, as amended Passed 368-56.
• H.R. 4611: DHS Software Supply Chain Risk Management Act of 2021, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 2379: State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act of 2021, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 3635: Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2021 Vote postponed.
• H.R. 654: Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 3919: Secure Equipment Act of 2021, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 4032: Open RAN Outreach Act, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 4067: Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 4028: Information and Communication Technology Strategy Act, as amended Vote postponed.

Wednesday after 12pm

• H.R. 654: Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act, as amended Passed 395-30.
• H.R. 4611: DHS Software Supply Chain Risk Management Act of 2021, as amended Passed 412-2.
• H.R. 2379: State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act of 2021, as amended Passed 380-46.
• H.R. 3635: Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2021 Passed 397-22.
• H.R. 3919: Secure Equipment Act of 2021, as amended Passed 420-4.
• H.R. 4032: Open RAN Outreach Act, as amended Passed 410-17.
• H.R. 4067: Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act, as amended Passed 397-29.
• H.R. 4028: Information and Communication Technology Strategy Act, as amended Passed 413-14.
• H.R. 1508: Guidance Clarity Act of 2021, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1170: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1 League in Irvine, California, as the “Tuskegee Airman Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Friend Memorial Post Office Building” Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3210: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1905 15th Street in Boulder, Colorado, as the “Officer Eric H. Talley Post Office Building” Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 767: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 40 Fulton Street in Middletown, New York, as the “Benjamin A. Gilman Post Office Building” Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3419: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 66 Meserole Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11222, as the “Joseph R. Lentol Post Office” Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1444: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 132 North Loudoun Street, Suite 1 in Winchester, Virginia, as the “Patsy Cline Post Office” Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3175: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 135 Main Street in Biloxi, Mississippi, as the “Robert S. McKeithen Post Office Building” Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2044: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 17 East Main Street in Herington, Kansas, as the “Captain Emil J. Kapaun Post Office Building” Passed by voice vote.

Thursday after 12pm

• H.Res. 730: Resolution Recommending that the House Find Stephen Bannon in Content of Congress for Refusal to Comply with a Subpoena Issued by the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol Adopted 229-202.
• H.R. 2119: Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021 Consideration postponed.

Friday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 3110: PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act

Possible Votes

• H.R. 4469: AI in Counterterrorism Oversight Enhancement Act, as amended
• H.R. 960: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3493 Burnet Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio, as the “John H. Leahr and Herbert M. Heilbrun Post Office”
• Additional legislative items are possible.

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

— Eric Revell