Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For (UPDATED)

Below are the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for this week that relate to Mississippi River Basin natural resources. As the House moves into its last week before a long, five-week recess, its members seek to reach agreement with the Senate on an extension of highway funding before the existing authorization expires this Friday (the Senate is in session two more weeks).  Projects funded under that authority include pedestrian and bicycle trails, and scenic byways near streams and rivers.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday will consider several bills, including an Energy Policy Modernization Act that would in part permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, adding spending set-asides for recreation purposes and requiring federal officials to consider conservation easements (meeting details below).  The Land and Water Conservation Fund Program provides matching grants to States and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities, as well as funding for shared federal land acquisition and conservation strategies.

On Tuesday, the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 427, the "Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act," a bill requiring that "major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law."

Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages and appropriate pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these may be, as well (follow the respective meeting or hearing link). All times are Eastern. This information will be updated as warranted. 

Monday

• House Rules Committee meeting to set the rules for full House consideration of H.R. 427, the "Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act," requiring that "major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law;" 5:00 PM, room H-313 The Capitol.

Tuesday

• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources oversight hearing on "Federal Implementation of the Coastal Zone Management Act," including a discussion of the level of national preparedness for sea level rise; 10:00 AM, room 1334 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting to consider several bills, including the Energy Policy Modernization Act (permanently reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund), and S. 593, to require the Department of Interior to submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure assets; 10:00 AM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on law enforcement policies and tactics in the Interior Department and U.S. Forest Service, 10:30 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee policy discussion roundtable on "Innovations in Pipeline Technology;" 10:30 AM, room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.

Wednesday

• House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing examining "cases of employee misconduct and the manner in which they were handled by Environmental Protection Agency senior management;" 9:00 AM, room 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Federal agencies' "selective enforcement" of consultation under the Endangered Species Act; 10:00 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee business meeting to markup several regulatory reform bills, including S. 779, the "Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act," S. 708. the "Regulatory Improvement Act," S. 1607, the "Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act," S. 1817, the "Smarter Regulations Through Advance Planning and Review Act," and S. 1820, the "Early Participation in Regulations Act;" 10:00 AM, room 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building.