Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Below are the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for this week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources.  The House is recessed on Monday, June 16.  But the Senate will be in session beginning Monday afternoon, and at some point during the week, the full Senate is expected to take up a spending "minibus" bill package funding the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development for fiscal year 2015.  Links are provided to the relevant committee pages on the Internet, and, where appropriate, to pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these should be, as well (follow the appropriate link at the scheduled hearing time).  All times are Eastern.  This page will be updated as warranted.

Tuesday

• Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee Markup of the fiscal year 2015 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill; 10:00 AM, room SD-192 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing entitled “Grow it Here, Make it Here: Creating Jobs through Bio-Based Manufacturing;" 10:00 AM, room 328A Russell Senate Office Building.

Wednesday

• House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation hearing on Maintaining Coast Guard Readiness; 9:30 AM, room 2253 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Appropriations Committee mark up of FY 2015 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill;10:00 AM; room 2359 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting to consider pending nominations (including Suzette M. Kimball to be Director of the United States Geological Survey, Monica C. Regalbuto to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Environmental Management)), and pending legislation (including S. 1800, a bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure assets, and "an original bill to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline"), 10:30 AM, room SD-366 Senate Dirksen Office Building. 
• Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety hearing entitled, “Climate Change: The Need to Act Now;” 10:00 AM, room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Thursday

• House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry hearing on the Interpretive Rule regarding the applicability of Clean Water Act agricultural exemptions; 10:00 AM; room 1300 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Appropriations Committee markup of the FY 2015 Energy and Water Development; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill 10:30 AM (tentative), room SD-106 Dirksen Senate Office Building.  POSTPONED (Committee will still mark up two other bills, but not the Water and Energy spending bill)

Friday

• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Legislative hearing on legislation (H.R. 4293 and H.R. 1587), concerning approval of natural gas pipelines on Federal and Indian land; 9:30 AM, room 1334 Longworth House Office Building.