Alston & Bird’s Legislative & Public Policy Group previews the week ahead highlighting anticipated federal legislative, regulatory, and political activity, and key upcoming actions in Congress, the Administration, and relevant policy arenas.
Administration
- Vice President JD Vance will head to Pakistan for a second round of in-person negotiations with the Iranian government, following weekend altercations in the Strait of Hormuz. Tomorrow marks the end of a two-week ceasefire.
- The Trump Administration plans to launch the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal for tariff refunds. Companies seeking tariff refunds paid under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) can apply through the newly created Customs and Border Protection (CBP) system.
- Virginia voters will decide on Tuesday whether to pause the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission. State lawmakers would have temporary power to redraw their congressional map.
House
- The House Rules Committee will meet this afternoon to determine how energy, environmental, and infrastructure legislation will be handled on the floor this week.
- Speaker Johnson remains steadfast in wanting the Senate GOP to show progress on reconciliation to fund the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and CBP prior to voting on the Senate-passed bill to reopen the remainder of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency has been shut down for 65 days.
Senate
- The Senate may begin voting as early as Tuesday on a budget resolution for a second reconciliation bill to fund ICE and CBP. Majority Leader Thune would like to keep the bill as narrow as possible, though some Republicans see this as their final chance to include policies to lower Americans’ cost of living.
- Kevin Warsh, President Trump’s nominee to succeed Jay Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve, will have his confirmation hearing on Tuesday. His nomination remains in limbo since Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) has said he will not vote for Warsh until the Department of Justice resolves its investigation into the current Federal Reserve chair.
Key Hearings
April 21, 2026
- House Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee: The Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Health and Human Services Budget
- Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies: A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Health and Human Services
- Senate Banking Committee: Nomination Hearing of Kevin Warsh to Be a Member and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
April 22, 2026
- House Ways & Means Committee: The Trump Administration’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer
- House Education & Workforce Committee: Profits Over Patients: The PBM Business Model Under Scrutiny
- House Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee: Help or Hindrance? The Impact of U.S. Environmental Laws on Critical Material Supply Chains, National Security, and Economic Growth
April 23, 2026
- House Appropriations Committee: Budget Hearing – Department of Commerce
- Senate Appropriations Committee: A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Commerce
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