Preview: Congress This Week (Nov. 30–Dec. 7, 2007)

by Conor Kenny — December 2, 2007 - 11:43pm
  • Topics: This Week In Congress
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    It's crunch time for Congress. Coming off of their two-week Thanksgiving recess, lawmakers have a full plate on their table: 11 appropriations bills (the bulk of the federal budget) remain to be approved; energy legislation might have a shot in both chambers; warrantless wiretapping will be on the agenda; and the farm bill waits in the wings.

    Appropriations
    Even with high-profile, controversial subjects on the agenda in both chambers, funding the federal government will have to take front stage soon. Congress included a continuing resolution tucked in the FY08 Defense Appropriations Bill to generally fund the government at the same levels as last year, but that will expire on Dec. 14, and 11 of the 12 spending bills are still unresolved. The House and Senate approps. committees will be busy consolidating funding for 15 Cabinet departments and numerous smaller agencies, with Democratic leaders likely to push for an omnibus spending package rather than try to pass each individually.

    For details on the Senate and House calenders, including committee schedules, click through below the fold.

    In the Senate
    Negotiations throughout the recess yielded a compromise on comprehensive energy legislation. At issue were tougher fuel-efficiency standards, long-opposed by automakers, for the U.S. automobile fleet. Under the agreement, vehicles will have to meet 35 mile-per-gallon requirements by 2020. That translates to a 40% increase in efficiency, and would be the first such increase in 32 years. It also requires utility companies to get 15% of their portfolio from renewable resources over the same time frame. Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), ranking member of the Senate Energy Committee, called the renewable portfolio standard "costly" and "ineffective," and said the bill would be "untenable for many in the Senate."

    A controversial bill that would limit the president's authority to conduct surveillance without a warrant will likely appear on the Senate schedule this week. Debate is expected on retroactive immunity for telecom companies that may have helped federal agencies listen in on American's phone calls—without a warrant—following the Sept. 11 attacks. The House already approved similar legislation, which did not include such immunity.

    The 2007 farm bill, long delayed in the Senate, might also find its way to the floor this week. The energy bill compromise may receive some credit for movement on this bill, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had promised to bring the bill to a vote prior to the recess. At that time, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)accused Reid of preventing "an open dialog and debate." Republicans want to hold votes on amendments that would change the estate tax and install a ban on issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Democrats say the issues are unrelated to the legislation.

    Democrats' promise to pay-as-you-go (match every spending increase with a tax increase or equal spending decrease) might be scrapped because of the expiring alternative minimum tax. The AMT could affect 23 million families in 2008 if it is not renewed, but the question of paying for package remains: spending cuts elsewhere, or a tax increase in an election year? We might have to wait until next week to find out.

    But first things first: the Senate today should begin debate on the Peru Free Trade Agreement, and a vote is expected Tuesday. The majority is split on the measure, and the final tally could mirror the House vote: enough Democrats voting with Republicans to approve the measure.

    In the House
    The State Children's Health Insurance Program is on the radar once again, with House leaders working to bring a bill acceptable to enough Republicans to override a promised veto. President Bush has already vetoed a $35 billion expansion once. Pressure is mounting to pass an expansion or, at least, a bill that provides funding for states who will run out of money early next year.

    The House Financial Services Committee will discuss two measures that would address the subprime lending crisis. The first, by Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), would create penalties for lenders that repeatedly violated lending standards. Rep. Michael Castle's (R-Del.) bill would remove "legal liability" for lenders that change loans under certain circumstances.

    The House is also set to consider the establishment of an independent ethics office to conduct oversight on representatives, with language expected to appear by the end of the week. The panel would conduct preliminary investigations into House members, but such queries would have to be initiated by House members. A vote is not expected before the end of the year.

    Committee Schedules
    (Only the Senate has their schedule currently posted. We'll update this post with the House's schedule as soon as it is available.)

    December 3 - December 7, 2007

    Here are the committee hearings scheduled for this week in Congress:

    December 4, 2007

    Senate

    • Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs – Subcommittee on Investigations
      To hold hearings to examine credit card practices, focusing on unfair interest rate increases, 9:30 a.m., SD-342.
    • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
      To hold hearings to examine electronic prescribing of controlled substances, addressing health care and law enforcement priorities, 10 a.m., SD-226
    • Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
      To hold hearings to examine developing a comprehensive response to food safety. 10:30 a.m., SD-430
    • Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
      Business meeting to consider S.1581, to establish an interagency committee to develop an ocean acidification research and monitoring plan and to establish an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, S.2307, to amend the Global Change Research Act of 1990, S.2355, to amend the National Climate Program Act to enhance the ability of the United States to develop and implement climate change adaptation programs and policies, and S.2332, to promote transparency in the adoption of new media ownership rules by the Federal Communications Commission, and to establish an independent panel to make recommendations on how to increase the representation of women and minorities in broadcast media ownership, and promotion lists in the U.S. Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commission Corps, 2:30 p.m., SR-253.
      S. 1581: Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2007
      S. 2307: A bill to amend the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and for other purposes
      S. 2355: A bill to amend the National Climate Program Act to enhance the ability of the United States to develop and implement climate change adaptation programs and policies, and for other purposes
      S. 2332: A bill to promote transparency in the adoption of new media ownership rules by the Federal Communications Commission, and to establish an independent panel to make recommendations on how to increase the representation of women and minorities in broadcast media ownership.
    • Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs –Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration
      To hold hearings to examine the earthquake zone within the central Mississippi Valley, extending from northeast Arkansas, through southeast Missouri, western Tennessee, western Kentucky to southern Illinois, known as the Madrid Seismic Zone, 2:30 p.m., SD-342.

    House

    • House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health
      Hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1343, Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007; H.R. 2915, National Health Service Corps Scholarship and Loan Replacement Programs Reauthorization Act of 2007; and H.R. 4230, School-Based Health Clinic Act of 2007, 2 p.m., 2322 Rayburn.

    December 5, 2007

    Senate

    • Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
      Business meeting to consider S. 2191, to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, and the nominations of John S. Bresland, of New Jersey, to be Chairperson, and Charles Russell Horner Shearer, of Delaware, both to be Members of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, William H. D1561Graves, of Tennessee, Susan Richardson Williams, of Tennessee, and Thomas C. Gilliland, of Georgia, all to be Members of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority, 9 a.m., SD-406.
    • Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
      To hold hearings to examine the nomination of James B. Peake, of the District of Columbia, to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 9:30 a.m., SD-G50.
    • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
      To hold hearings to examine reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (Public Law 93-415), focusing on protecting children and communities. 10 a.m., SD-226.
    • Senate Special Committee on Aging
      To hold hearings to examine the elderly who have been displaced by war, poverty, and persecution abroad, 10:30 a.m., SD-106.
    • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
      To hold hearings to examine the foreclosure crisis, focusing on helping families save their homes, 2:30 p.m., SD-226.
    • Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
      Meeting of conferees on proposed legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 2008 for the intelligence community. 3 p.m., S-407, Capitol.

    House

    December 6, 2007

    Senate

    House