Legislative Activity

House and Senate Budget Resolutions Heading to the Floor for Debate

The House and Senate Budget Committees have reported their respective budget resolutions out of committee, and the House and Senate will bring those resolutions to the floor this week. Both committees have seen defense hawks and fiscal conservatives at odds over the level of defense spending included in the budget. Several defense hawks have said they would not vote for a budget resolution that did not increase defense spending, while fiscal conservatives do not want to vote for any budget that increases the deficit.

The House Budget Committee passed their budget resolution on a party-line vote, but fiscal conservatives blocked House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) desired $20 billion in additional defense spending designed to garner support from defense hawks. House Republican leadership plans to add the increased defense spending back into the bill this week through the Rules Committee, before the resolution comes to the House floor. House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX) is confident he will be able to get the increased funding into the budget resolution, and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) will make a “full-court press” to drum up support for the additional funding.

The Senate Budget Committee passed their budget resolution on a party-line vote as well, and included an additional $38 billion in defense spending that will go into the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account, which is not subject to the strict spending caps. The additional funding will be paid for by decreasing defense spending between 2022 and 2025. The increased defense spending is intended to garner support from defense hawks, such as John McCain (R-AZ), who have indicated they will support the resolution if it includes the increase to the OCO account. Senate Democrats plan to offer several amendments when the resolution is on the floor this week, which are intended to draw a contrast with Republicans on issues such as paid sick leave, free community college, and minimum wage increases.

This Week’s Hearings:

• Tuesday, March 24: The House Appropriations Committee Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “American Indian and Alaska Native Public and Outside Witness Hearing.”

• Wednesday, March 25: The House Appropriations Committee State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee will hold a Public and Outside Witness hearing.

• Wednesday, March 25: The House Appropriations Committee Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “American Indian and Alaska Native Public and Outside Witness Hearing.”

• Thursday, March 26: The House Appropriations Committee Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold an oversight hearing on federal investments in neuroscience and neurotechnology.

• Thursday, March 26: The Senate Appropriations Committee State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “Diplomacy, Development, and National Security.”

Senate Appropriations Committee FY 2016 Budget Hearings

• Tuesday, March 24: The Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Judiciary.

• Wednesday, March 25: The Defense Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Defense Health Program.

• Wednesday, March 25: The Energy and Water Development Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Department of Energy.

• Thursday, March 26: The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Department of Labor.

• Thursday, March 26: The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for Select Defense Agencies.

House Appropriations Committee FY 2016 Budget Hearings

• Monday, March 23: The Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the United States Supreme Court.

• Tuesday, March 24: The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Department of Agriculture Research Agencies.

• Tuesday, March 24: The Energy and Water Development Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

• Tuesday, March 24: The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Programs.

• Tuesday, March 24: The Defense Subcommittee will hold a closed hearing on the Budget Request for the Missile Defense Agency.

• Tuesday, March 24: The Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Federal Communications Commission.

• Tuesday, March 24: The Homeland Security Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the United States Coast Guard.

• Tuesday, March 24: The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the National Labor Relations Board.

• Tuesday, March 24: The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for Central America Foreign Aid.

• Wednesday, March 25: The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Federal Railroad Administration, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

• Wednesday, March 25: The Energy and Water Development Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the National Nuclear Security Administration, Nuclear Nonproliferation, and Naval Reactors.

• Wednesday, March 25: The Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Judiciary.

• Wednesday, March 25: The Defense Subcommittee will hold a closed hearing on the Budget Request for the Intelligence Community Budget and Global Threat.

• Wednesday, March 25: The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Wednesday, March 25: The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

• Thursday, March 26: The Defense Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the United States Army.

• Thursday, March 26: The Homeland Security Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security.

Timothy Drake also contributed to this article.