Both the House and Senate are in this week.
On Tuesday, President Biden will meet again with top congressional leaders, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), to continue negotiations on raising the debt limit. There was little progress made in last week’s initial meeting, but congressional staffers and the White House leadership engaged to try to build a consensus, indicating that talks are going well and expressing guarded optimism that a deal can be reached. Many Republicans are still pushing for streamlining to expedite domestic energy production projects and ease permitting on pipelines and refineries, clawbacks on unspent COVID-19 relief funding, and work requirements for social programs, including Medicaid and food assistance.
The negotiators continue to operate under an increasingly short time schedule; Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has stated that the federal government reached the statutory cap on borrowing in January and the Treasury has since been using extraordinary measures to make cash available, which is due to run out as early as June 1. If that happens, Yellen and other economists have warned it would result in a global economic meltdown, including the loss of millions of jobs.
Administration
On Wednesday, President Biden will depart Washington for a weeklong trip to the Pacific Rim nations, including Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. However, the White House has indicated that Biden may cut his trip short if there is no further progress in raising the debt ceiling.
House Side
On Monday, the House will meet to consider multiple bills under suspension.
- Bills expected under suspension of the rules.
- H.Res. 363 – A resolution memorializing law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, as amended (Rep. Guest – Judiciary). The legislation would convey the House’s support for law enforcement officers across the United States and condolences to the loved ones of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty.
- H.R. 3089 – NDO Fairness Act (Rep. Fitzgerald – Judiciary). The legislation would institute new requirements for court orders blocking electronic communication service providers from notifying customers when government entities search their electronic data records.
Tuesday – Thursday, the House is scheduled to meet for legislative business.
- Bills expected under a rule.
- H.R. 2494 – POLICE Act of 2023 (Rep. Garbarino – Judiciary). The measure would permit the deportation of immigrants who are not U.S. citizens if they have been convicted of assault, or admit to committing assault, against a law enforcement officer.
- H.R. 3091 – Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act (Rep. Fry – Judiciary). The legislation would require the General Services Administration to create a program, within one year of enactment, to facilitate the purchase of retired handguns by federal law enforcement officers from the agencies that issued them.
- H.Con.Res. 40 – Expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies (Rep. Buck – Judiciary). The legislation would express congressional support for local law enforcement officers and condemn calls to defund or dismantle the police.
Senate Side
On Monday, the Senate will vote on the confirmation of Bradley Garcia as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The upper chamber will also vote on legislation repealing a District of Columbia law that changed the capital city’s police practices, according to a spokesperson for Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who introduced the companion bill to the House’s earlier passed legislation. Only a simple majority in the Senate is needed to clear the measure under a provision in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, but President Biden has promised to veto the measure if it comes to his desk.