Legislative Activity

Transportation-Housing and Defense Appropriations Bills on the House Floor

The House will continue consideration of the Transportation-Housing (T-HUD) Appropriations Bill this week. The House was expected to vote on the $55.3 billion measure last Thursday, but leadership said a large number of amendments required pushing the vote to this week. Rail safety was the focus of debate last Wednesday and Thursday, given the recent Amtrak incident and Republicans’ efforts to reduce funding for Amtrak by about $250 million. Amendments to replace the funding were defeated on the floor. Some have questioned whether a group of fiscal hawks, with united Democratic opposition, could make the vote on T-HUD close. President Obama has said he will veto the measure.

The House will also debate the $578.6 billion Defense Appropriations Bill this week. The bill includes $38 billion of increased funding in the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account, a controversial measure used to gain support from defense hawks. The OCO account is not subject to the sequester’s spending limits, and President Obama has said he will veto any bill that increases defense spending without also increasing discretionary spending.

Senate and House Markup Hearings Continue This Week

The Senate Appropriations Committee will markup the Defense; Commerce-Science-Justice; and Legislative Branch Appropriations Bills this week, following Subcommittee markups of the Defense and Commerce-Justice-Science bills earlier in the week. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has said Democrats will not let any appropriations bills get to the Senate floor as long as they adhere to the sequester, in an attempt to force Republicans to make a budget deal.

The House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will markup the Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill this Wednesday.

This Week’s Hearings:

• Monday, June 8: The Senate Budget Committee will hold a field hearing in Villanova, PA, on the Crime Victims Fund.

FY 2016 Appropriations Committee/Subcommittee Markup Hearings

• Tuesday, June 9: The Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee will hold a markup of the FY 2016 Defense Appropriations Bill.

• Wednesday, June 10: The Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a markup of the FY 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill.

• Wednesday, June 10: The House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a markup of the FY 2016 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill.

• Thursday, June 11: The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold markups of the FY 2016 Defense Appropriations Bill; Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill; and Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill.