Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Below are the U.S. House and Senate hearings and meetings currently scheduled for this week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources. Links are provided to the relevant Committee pages on the Internet. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these may be, as well (follow the appropriate link). All times are Eastern.

At some time during the week, most likely on Wednesday or Thursday, the full House is scheduled to take up H.R. 3370 - the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. Among other things, that bill would prohibit Federal Emergency Management Agency from implementing flood insurance rate hikes for certain properties, scheduled to take place under provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012. For more background on this issue, see this article.

Date to-be-determined

• The House Rules Committee may meet at some point during the week of February 24 to establish a rule that could limit the amendment process for subsequent House floor consideration of H.R. 2804, the All Economic Regulations are Transparent Act of 2013. Among other things, the bill would require the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to list rules online for six months before finalizing them (opponents say the bill is meant to stymie the administration's development of regulations and guidance); Room H-312 The Capitol.

Tuesday

• Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to consider President Obama's nominee (John Cruden) to lead the Department of Justice's environmental office.  Room 255 Dirksen Senate Office Building; 10:00 AM.
• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight hearing entitled, “Natural Resource Adaptation: Protecting ecosystems and economies;"  Room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building; 2:30 PM.

Thursday

• House Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources oversight hearing on "Obama Administration Oversight: GAO Report - Interior Hiring and Retention Challenges;" Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building; 2:00 PM.

• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's Water and Power Subcommittee hearing to consider pending legislation, including S. 1800, the Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act, a bill

  

  Angostura Dam and Reservoir
  Cheyenne River, South Dakota

  that, among other things, would require the Department of Interior to report to Congress information on maintenance needs and potential public safety threats at individual Bureau of Reclamation projects due to aging infrastructure, and major repair and rehabilitation needs (i.e., related to the safety of dams, extraordinary operations at and maintenance of dams, deferred maintenance, and all other significant repairs and extraordinary maintenance). Bureau of Reclamation's Missouri River Basin program in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming is composed of about 150 "units," each of which has been or is being constructed or investigated; SD-366 Senate Dirksen Building; 2:30 PM.