Coming Up This Week in Congress: Immigration, Labor, and Defense

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Both the House and Senate are in session this week, with each chamber expected to debate and consider several important bills and resolutions. Highlights include:

• The Senate will return to debating a comprehensive immigration bill. Senate leaders have agreed to a list of twenty-four amendments that will receive floor votes, with a final vote on the bill expected by the end of the week.
• The Senate will consider the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill previously passed by the House which would make it easier for workers to form unions.
• The Senate may consider the fiscal year (FY) 2008 Defense Department authorization bill, which was approved by the House last month.
• The House will vote on two fiscal year (FY) 2008 spending bills; a $21.4 billion Financial Services measure and a $27.6 billion Interior-Environment bill. If passed, the Interior measure could face a veto threat as it is $1.9 billion above the Bush administration's request.

After the jump is a full listing of this week's House and Senate hearings, courtesy of GovTrack.

June 25, 2007

House

• House Agriculture – Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
  To consider H.R. 2419, Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007, 10 a.m., 1300 Longworth.

Senate

• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs – Investigations
  To hold hearings to examine excessive speculation in the natural gas market. [SD-106] -- Jun 25, 2007 at 11 a.m.
• Senate Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
  To hold hearings to examine pipeline politics, focusing on conflict prevention and the security of supply and transit of oil and natural gas. [SD-419] -- Jun 25, 2007 at 3 p.m.

June 26, 2007

House

• House Armed Services -- Subcommittee on Military Personnel
  Hearing on findings of the Independent Review Group and an in-progress review of actions at Walter Reed -- Jun 26, 2007 at 1 p.m.
• House Armed Services -- Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces
  Hearing on the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle Program -- Jun 26, 2007 at 4 p.m.
• House Foreign Affairs -- Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere
  Hearing on Violence in Central America -- Jun 26, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Judiciary -- Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security
  Hearing on Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws--the Issues -- Jun 26, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• House Judiciary -- Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
  Oversight hearing on Habeas Corpus and Detention at Guantanamo Bay -- Jun 26, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Oversight and Government Reform -- Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives
  Hearing on 2010 Census: Improving Local Government Participation in LUCA -- Jun 26, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Transportation and Infrastructure -- Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
  To mark up the following bills: H.R. 2722, Integrated Deepwater Reform Act; and H.R. 2830, Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007 -- Jun 26, 2007 at 2 p.m.
  H.R. 2722: To restructure the Coast Guard Integrated Deepwater Program, and for other purposes
  H.R. 2830: To authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2008, and for other purposes.
• House Ways and Means -- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
  Executive, briefing on the Office of the Department of Defense Inspector General -- Jun 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• House Ways and Means -- Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical
  Executive, hearing on Technical Programs -- Jun 26, 2007 at 4 p.m.

Senate

• Senate Appropriations – Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
  Business meeting to markup proposed legislation making appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008. [SD-124] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Appropriations -- Energy and Water Development
  Business meeting to markup proposed legislation making appropriations for Energy and Water Development for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008. [SD-192] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 3 p.m.
• Senate Armed Services
  To receive a closed briefing from the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization [SR-222] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs – Housing, Transportation and Community Development
  To hold hearings to examine ending mortgage abuse, focusing on safeguarding homebuyers. [SD-538] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Budget
  To continue hearings to examine health care and the budget, focusing on the Healthy Americans Act and other options for reform. [SD-608] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  To hold hearings to examine the impact of media violence on children. [SR-253] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the preparedness of the federal land management agencies for the 2007 wildfire season and efforts to contain the costs of wildfire management activities. [SD-366] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Intelligence (Select)
  Closed business meeting to markup S.1547, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and S.1548, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year. [SH-219] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 1:30 p.m.
  S. 1547: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
  S. 1548: Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.
• Senate Intelligence (Select)
  To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Rules and Administration
  To hold hearings to examine Smithsonian Institution governance reform, focusing on a report by the Smithsonian's Independent Review Committee. [SR-301] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship
  Business meeting to consider original bills entitled, “Entrepreneurial Development Act of 2007”, “Small Business Venture Capital Act of 2007”, and other pending calendar business. [SR-428A] -- Jun 26, 2007 at 10 a.m.

June 27, 2007

House

• House Armed Services
  Subcommittee on Military Personnel, hearing to review the policies and procedures regarding the notification of next-of-kin of wounded and deceased service members -- Jun 27, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Natural Resources
  Full Committee, to mark up the following bills: H.R. 1239, National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2007; H.R. 1388, Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail Act; H.R. 1011, Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007; H.R. 189, Paterson Great Falls National Park Act of 2007; H.R. 761, To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitor Center Foundation, Inc. certain Federal land associated with the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in Nebraska, to be used as an historical interpretive site along the trail; H.R. 1285, Snoqualimie Pass Land Conveyance Act; H.R. 1205, Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2007; H.R. 2400, Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act; H.R. 50, Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2007; H.R. 465, Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007; H.R. 1834, National Ocean Exploration Program Act; H.R. 716, Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse Plan Act; H.R. 31, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wastewater and Recycled Water Facilities Act of 2007; H.R. 1503, Avra/Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration Project; H.R. 1526, Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Authorization Act; H.R. 1337, To provide for a feasibility study of alternatives to augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma master Conservancy District and cities served by the district; and 1725, Rancho California Water District Recycled Water Reclamation Facility Act of 2007 -- Jun 27, 2007 at 11 a.m.
  H.R. 1239: To amend the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 to provide additional staff and oversight of funds to carry out the Act, and for other purposes
  H.R. 1388: To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Star-Spangled Banner Trail in the States of Maryland and Virginia and the District of Columbia as a National Historic Trail
  H.R. 1011: To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of Virginia as wilderness or a wilderness study area, to designate the Kimberling Creek Potential Wilderness Area for eventual incorporation in the Kimberling Creek Wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Bear Creek Scenic Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for the wilderness areas and scenic areas, and for other purposes
  H.R. 189: To establish the Paterson Great Falls National Park in the State of New Jersey
  H.R. 761: To authorize the Secretary of Interior to convey to The Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitor Center Foundation, Inc. certain Federal land associated with the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in Nebraska, to be used as an historical interpretive site along the trail
  H.R. 1285: To provide for the conveyance of a parcel of National Forest System land in Kittitas County, Washington, to facilitate the construction of a new fire and rescue station, and for other purposes
  H.R. 1205: To reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and for other purposes
  H.R. 2400: To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish an integrated Federal ocean and coastal mapping plan for the Great Lakes and coastal state waters, the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone, and the Continental Shelf of the United States, and for other purposes
  H.R. 50: To reauthorize the African Elephant Conservation Act and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994
  H.R. 465: To reauthorize the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997
  H.R. 1834: To authorize the national ocean exploration program and the national undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  H.R. 716: To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse Plan
  H.R. 31: To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water Distribution Facilities and Alberhill Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility Projects
  H.R. 1503: To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Avra/Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration Project
  H.R. 1526: To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program, and for other purposes
  H.R. 1337: To provide for a feasibility study of alternatives to augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District and cities served by the District.
• House Science and Technology
  Full Committee, to mark up the following bills: H.R. 906, Global Change Research and Data Management Act of 2007; H.R. 1933, Department of Energy Carbon Capture and Storage Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 2007; H.R. 2773, Biofuels Research and Development Enhancement Act; and H.R. 2774, Solar Energy Research and Advancement Act of 2007 -- Jun 27, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  H.R. 906: To promote and coordinate global change research, and for other purposes
  H.R. 1933: To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize and improve the carbon capture and storage research, development, and demonstration program of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes
  H.R. 2773: To enhance research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of biofuels related technologies, and for other purposes
  H.R. 2774: To support the research, development, and commercial application of solar energy technologies, and for other purposes.
• House Ways and Means
  Full Committee, executive, briefing on Hot Spots -- Jun 27, 2007 at 8:45 a.m.

Senate

• Senate Aging
  To hold hearings to examine the relationship between doctors and the drug industry. [SD-106] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.
• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
  To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Jill E. Sommers, of Kansas, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for the remainder of the term expiring April 13, 2009, and Bartholomew H. Chilton, of Delaware, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for the remainder of the term expiring April 13, 2008. [SR-328A] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources
  To hold hearings to examine S.1171, to amend the Colorado River Storage Project Act and Public Law 87-483 to authorize the construction and rehabilitation of water infrastructure in Northwestern New Mexico, to authorize the use of the reclamation fund to fund the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund, to authorize the conveyance of certain Reclamation land and infrastructure, to authorize the Commissioner of Reclamation to provide for the delivery of water. [SD-366] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  S. 1171: A bill to amend the Colorado River Storage Project Act and Public Law 87-483 to authorize the construction and rehabilitation of water infrastructure in Northwestern New Mexico, to authorize the use of the reclamation fund to fund the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund, to authorize the conveyance of certain Reclamation land and infrastructure, to authorize the Commissioner of Reclamation to provide for the delivery of water, and for other purposes.
• Senate Environment and Public Works – Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality
  To hold hearings to examine protecting water quality at America's beaches. [SD-406] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Finance
  To hold hearings to examine the Stealth Tax, focusing on how to stop the alternative minimum tax from sneaking up on unsuspecting taxpayers. [SD-215] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Foreign Relations
  Business meeting to consider pending calendar business. -- Jun 27, 2007 at 11:15 a.m.
• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  Business meeting to consider S.793, to provide for the expansion and improvement of traumatic brain injury programs, and S.1011, to change the name of the National Institute on Drug Abuse to the National Institute on Diseases of Addiction and to change the name of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to the National Institute on Alcohol Disorders and Health, original bills entitled, “Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act”, “Wired for Health Care Quality Act”, and other pending calendar business. [SD-628] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  S. 793: A bill to provide for the expansion and improvement of traumatic brain injury programs
  S. 1011: A bill to change the name of the National Institute on Drug Abuse to the National Institute on Diseases of Addiction and to change the name of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to the National Institute on Alcohol Disorders and Health.
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  To continue hearings to examine violent Islamist extremism, focusing on the European experience. [SD-342] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Judiciary – Constitution
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the federal death penalty. [SD-226] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Veterans' Affairs
  Business meeting to markup pending legislation; to be immediately followed by a full committee hearing to examine the nomination of Charles L. Hopkins, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Operations, Preparedness, Security and Law Enforcement). [SD-562] -- Jun 27, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.

June 28, 2007

House

• House Budget
  Hearing on Medicare Advantage and the Federal Budget -- Jun 28, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• [[House Committee on Natural Resources|House Natural Resources --
  Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources]]
  Oversight hearing on The Minerals Management Service's Proposed Five Year Program for Oil and Gas Leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf -- Jun 28, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Oversight and Government Reform
  Full Committee, hearing on Waste, Fraud and Abuse at the Kaiserslauten Military Community Center -- Jun 28, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• [[House Committee on Science and Technology|House Science and Technology --
  Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics]]
  Hearing on NASA's Earth Science and Applications Programs: Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Request and Issues -- Jun 28, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Veterans' Affairs -- Subcommittee on Health
  To mark up pending business -- Jun 28, 2007 at 10 a.m.

Senate

• Senate Appropriations
  Business meeting to markup proposed legislation making appropriations for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, and Energy and Water Development for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008. [SH-216] -- Jun 28, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation – Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2008 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [SR-253] -- Jun 28, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Environment and Public Works
  To hold hearings to examine global warming issues in the power plant sector. [SD-406] -- Jun 28, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs – Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security
  To hold hearings to examine financial management systems modernization at the Department of Homeland Security, focusing on systems and processes needed to support the Department's mission and operations. [SD-342] -- Jun 28, 2007 at 3 p.m.
• Senate Indian Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine draft legislation regarding the regulation of class III gaming. [SR-485] -- Jun 28, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Intelligence (Select)
  To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- Jun 28, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Judiciary
  Business meeting to consider S.1145, to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent reform, and S.1060, to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation. [SD-226] -- Jun 28, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  S. 1145: A bill to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent reform
  S. 1060: A bill to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation, and for other purposes.

June 29, 2007

House

• House Foreign Affairs – Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight and the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness of the Committee on Education and Labor
  Joint hearing on International Students and Visiting Scholars: Trends, Barriers, and Implications for American Universities and U.S. Foreign Policy -- Jun 29, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• [[House Committee on Veterans Affairs|House Veterans' Affairs --
  Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity]]
  To mark up pending business -- Jun 29, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.