Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

The House is expected to vote this week on H.R. 3301, a bill that would replace the current system of open-ended executive branch permits for border-crossing energy infrastructure (such as the Keystone XL pipeline) with "certificates of crossing" issued within 120 days.  H.R. 3301 would streamline the approval process for the construction, connection, operation or maintenance of oil pipelines, natural gas pipelines, and electric transmission lines at the national boundary of the United States (Including exempting the cross-border decision from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review).  The Senate may vote as early as this week on S. 2363 ("to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting, and for other purposes"), a package of 12 bills that include reauthorizations of federal programs to conserve wetlands for waterfowl and that would allow federal agencies to use revenues from land sales to acquire lands of higher conservation value.

Below are the other U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for the week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources.  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).  All times are Eastern.  This page will be updated as warranted.

Monday

• House Rules Committee meeting to set the rules for full House debate on H.R. 3301 (see description, above); 5:00 PM, room H-313 The Capitol.

Tuesday

• Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security mark-up of  Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations bill (includes FEMA funding); 10:00 AM, room SD-138 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. 
• House Science, Space and Technology Committee mark-up of H.R. 4012, "Secret Science Reform Act of 2014," a bill to "prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from proposing, finalizing, or disseminating regulations or assessments based upon science that is not transparent or reproducible;" 10:00 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power Oversight hearing on “New Federal Schemes to Soak Up Water Authority: Impacts on States, Water Users, Recreation, and Jobs;” 10:00 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold an executive session to consider S. 2444, the Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2015 and 2016; 2:30 PM, room 253 Russell Senate Office Building.
• House Rules Committee meeting to set the rules for full House debate on H.R. 4923—Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015; 3:00 PM, room H-313 The Capitol.

Wednesday

• House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit hearing on credit availability in rural America; 10:00 AM, room 1300 Longworth House Office Building. 
• Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia hearing on The Path to Efficiency: Making FEMA More Effective for Streamlined Disaster Operations; 2:30 PM, room SD-342, Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee hearing on S.1971, the "Nexus of Energy and Water for Sustainability Act of 2014;" 2:30 PM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation oversight hearing on "Increasing Carbon Soil Sequestration on Public Lands;" 2:00 PM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.