Legislative Activity

Senate Expected to Consider Energy-Water Appropriations Act on Floor, MilCon-VA Likely Next

The Senate is expected to consider the FY 2017 Energy and Water Development (Energy-Water) Appropriations Act on the floor this week (full text available here), and will likely move on to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act next. However, Senate Democrats could significantly slow down the appropriations process on the floor, particularly if Republicans are expected to offer contentious policy riders that Democrats are unwilling to accept.

The Senate’s 2017 appropriations process is beginning considerably earlier than the FY 2016 appropriations process, in part based on efforts to restrict policy riders during consideration by the Appropriations Committee. In fact, if the Senate votes on the Energy-Water bill on Monday, it would be the earliest the Senate has ever considered an appropriations bill on the floor. Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said he will provide as much as 12 weeks of floor time for the appropriations process, floor time that is particularly limited in the Presidential election year.

The FY 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations bill would provide $37.5 billion, a small increase over FY 2016 funding levels. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Energy-Water bill by a vote of 30-0, in part because Committee members saved controversial amendments for the Senate floor. Energy and Water Subcommittee Chairman, Lamar Alexander (R-TN), said he hopes the bill will pass the Senate this week, but said it will require “a little restraint in the amendment process.” During the markup, Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) withdrew one of the most contentious amendments, a policy rider to defund Army Corps of Engineers’ activity related to the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, but is expected to offer the amendment on the floor.

House and Senate Appropriations Committees to Continue Markups

Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will hold subcommittee and full committee appropriations bill markups this week, as the appropriations process continues even without a budget resolution. Congress missed the statutory deadline for passing a budget on April 15, though missing the deadline does not cause any real consequences and both the House and Senate are expected to move on appropriations bills without a budget resolution in place.

The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold both subcommittee and full committee markups this week of the FY 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act and the FY 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Act this week. The subcommittee markups will take place on Tuesday, April 19, and the full committee markups will be held on Thursday, April 21. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved FY 2017 302(b) suballocations last week, which would provide $56.5 billion for the THUD Appropriations Act, down from $57.3 billion in FY 2016, and $56.285 billion for the CJS Appropriations Act, up from $55.7 billion in FY 2016. If the Senate Appropriations Committee follows a similar path as last week’s markups, Committee members will save any contentious amendments for the Senate floor.

On Tuesday, April 19, the House Appropriations Committee will markup the FY 2017 Agriculture Appropriations Act (full text available here) and the FY 2017 Energy and Water Development (Energy-Water) Appropriations Act (full text available here), and are also expected to consider the Committee’s 302(b) suballocations.

The Energy and Water Subcommittee approved the Energy-Water Appropriations Act, which would provide $37.4 billion for FY 2017, by voice vote. The subcommittee did not vote on any amendments during the markup, and members are instead expected to offer their amendments during full committee consideration. Similarly, the Agriculture Subcommittee approved the Agriculture Appropriations Act, which would provide $21.3 billion for FY 2017, by voice vote. Democrats noted there are provisions in the Agriculture Appropriations Act they will challenge during the full committee markup, including what they see as insufficient funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

This Week’s Hearings:

• Tuesday, April 19: The Senate Appropriations Committee Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a markup of the FY 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

• Tuesday, April 19: The Senate Appropriations Committee Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a markup of the FY 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

• Tuesday, April 19: The House Appropriations Committee will hold a markup of the FY 2017 Agriculture Appropriations Act, the FY 2017 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, and the Revised Report on the Interim Suballocation of Budget Allocations for FY 2017.

• Wednesday, April 20: The Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing titled “Fixing the Broken Budget Process and Restoring Stability to Government Operations.”

• Wednesday, April 20: The House Appropriations Committee Legislative Branch Subcommittee will hold a markup of the FY 2017 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act.

• Thursday, April 21: The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a markup of the FY 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act and the FY 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

• Thursday, April 21: The House Appropriations Committee Defense Subcommittee will hold a closed budget hearing on the Intelligence Community.

Senate Appropriations Committee FY 2017 Budget Hearings

• Wednesday, April 20: The Senate Appropriations Committee Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the FY 2017 budget request and funding justification for the Environmental Protection Agency.

• Wednesday, April 20: The Senate Appropriations Committee Defense Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the FY 2017 budget request and funding justification for Defense innovation and research.