Congress Looks to Avoid Gov’t Shutdown, Possibly Consider Ukraine Aid Package

What’s happening in Congress?

• Congress is facing yet another government funding deadline as it convenes this week as lawmakers have until midnight Friday to pass a spending bill or the federal government will experience a partial shutdown as the weekend begins.
• As of Sunday, lawmakers have yet to agree to a funding package that will cover the rest of fiscal year 2022 (through September 30th). That raises the likelihood of Congress passing another short-term stopgap bill to avoid a shutdown. 
• Democrats are mulling an effort to include an emergency aid package for Ukraine in the bill to avoid a government shutdown, but Republicans are arguing the Ukraine funding package should receive a standalone vote early in the week. 
• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) haven’t added the Ukraine aid bill to the schedule as of Sunday, although it could reach the floor with short notice.

SENATE SCHEDULE

• The Senate starts its week Monday with a procedural vote on a bipartisan bill to reform the U.S. Postal Service. A passage vote could occur later in the week.
• It’s unclear exactly when the government package and/or the Ukraine aid bill will receive a vote. Senators may also consider nominations over the course of the week.
• Committees will hold hearings on combating the rise in hate crimes; the U.S. military’s posture in the Indo-Pacific and Korea; and worldwide threats.

HOUSE SCHEDULE 

• The House starts its week Monday with votes on four homeland security-related bills under the fast-track “suspension of the rules” process, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage.
• On either Tuesday or Wednesday, the House will take up non-binding resolutions to condemn a terrorist who took hostages at a Texas synagogue and bomb threats that were made against historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). 
• House Democratic lawmakers are scheduled to hold their annual issues conference on Thursday and Friday, so the chamber isn’t scheduled to be in session those days and will likely take up the government funding package early in the week.
• Committees will hold hearings on inflation; worldwide threats; and federal climate adaptation.

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. 5615: Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Act
• H.R. 5616: DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021, as amended
• S. 658: National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act of 2021, as amended
• H.R. 5681: Shadow Wolves Enhancement Act

Tuesday after 12pm or Wednesday after 9am

• H.Con.Res. 70: Condemning threats of violence against historically Black colleges and universities (“HBCUs”) and reaffirming support for HBCUs and their students, as amended
• H.Res. 881: Condemning the heinous terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022, as amended
• Legislation related to FY2022 appropriations.
• Additional legislative items are possible.

Thursday and Friday

• No votes are expected.

SENATE

Monday after 5:30pm

• Cloture motion on H.R. 3076: Postal Service Reform Act of 2021

Rest of the Week

• H.R. 3076: Postal Service Reform Act of 2021
• Legislation related to FY2022 appropriations.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Maria Pagan to be Deputy U.S. Trade Representative 
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Ed Gonzalez to be an Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security

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

— Eric Revell