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. Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages, and, where appropriate, to pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these should be, as well (follow the appropriate link).

In addition to the Committee activity listed below, House-Senate Conference Committee members are hurrying to resolve differences between competing fiscal year 2016 budget resolutions, and forge a consensus budget plan that can pass both chambers. As noted in this space previously, under Congressional rules, the final budget resolution provides top-line funding limits within which House and Senate appropriators draft their 2016 spending bills.

All times below are Eastern. This page will be updated as warranted.

Tuesday

• Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on the "Opportunities and Challenges for Agriculture Trade with Cuba;" 10:00 AM, room 328A Russell Senate Office Building.

Wednesday

• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing to examine the nomination of Vanessa Lorraine Allen Sutherland, of Virginia, to be a Member and Chairperson of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board; 9:30 AM, room SD-406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment will hold a hearing to "Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request for the United States Army Corps of Engineers and Tennessee Valley Authority;" 10:00 AM, room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hearing on the reauthorization of and potential reforms to the Land and Water Conservation Fund; 10:00 AM, room SD-366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Science, Space and Technology Committee markup of H.R.1806 - "To provide for technological innovation through the prioritization of Federal investment in basic research, fundamental scientific discovery, and development to improve the competitiveness of the United States;" 10:15 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building (among other things, the bill would reauthorize the National Science Foundation, increasing NSF funding by more than 4 percent).
• House Appropriations Committee markup of and vote on Energy and Water Appropriations bill, FY 2016; 10:45 AM, room 2359 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Homeland Security hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2016 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); 2:00 PM, room SD-138 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Thursday

• House Science, Space, and Technology Committee hearing on "Hydraulic Fracturing: Banning Proven Technologies on Possibilities Instead of Probabilities;" 9:00 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security budget hearing - Federal Emergency Management Agency;10:00 AM, room B-308 Rayburn House Office Building.