Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Members of the U.S. House and Senate return from their week-long holiday recess tomorrow (Tuesday), and below are the Congressional activities currently scheduled for the shortened work week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources.

Expect the full House to restart its floor consideration of H.R. 2822 - the fiscal year 2016 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill would cut funding for U.S. EPA programs by about nine percent, and contains riders blocking key Obama administration climate change and clean water policy, while putting a halt to endangered and threatened species listings. Debate on the measure began on June 25, before Congress adjourned. Final consideration of the spending bill will include debate on some of its more contentious issues (such as its language blocking implementation of the administration's new Clean Water Act jurisdiction rule). Thus far Democrats have not offered any amendments to strip the more controversial policy riders from the bill, although the House leadership has put members on notice to offer amendments by Tuesday. In addition to that spending bill, the House is scheduled to consider a bill this week to "expedite under the National Environmental Policy Act and improve forest management activities in . . . the National Forest System" - "H.R.2647 - Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015."

Links are provided below to the respective committee hearing web pages. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these may be, as well (follow the respective meeting link).  All times are Eastern. This page will be updated as warranted.

Tuesday

• Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security hearing entitled “Technologies Transforming Transportation: Is the Government Keeping Up?” (including testimony and discussion on how technology integrates with ports to impact safety, efficiency, and reliability); 10:00 AM, room 253 Senate Russell Office Building.
• House Rules Committee meeting to set the rules for House floor consideration of H.R. 2647 - the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015; 5:00 PM, room H-313 The Capitol.

Wednesday

• House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency hearing "Examining DHS’s Misplaced Focus on Climate Change;" 10:00 AM, room 311 Cannon House Office Building.  The hearing will "examine the Department of Homeland Security’s rhetoric, role, and budget regarding climate change."
• House Appropriation Committee meeting to markup the fiscal year 2016 Agriculture Appropriations Bill; 10:15 AM, room 2359 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Small Business Committee hearing on "the Calm Before the Storm: Oversight of SBA's Disaster Loan Program;" 11:00 AM, room 2360 Rayburn House Office Building.

Thursday

• House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing "Examining EPA’s Regulatory Overreach;" 10:00 AM, room  2318 Rayburn House Office Building.