WASHINGTON UPDATE
May 3, 2024
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACTIVITY
The House Appropriations Committee sent out its requirements and guidance for Congressionally Directed Spending projects last week. They have a short turnaround due to the late start. The House is holding hearings on the FY2025 budget . Chairman Tom Cole (R -OK) received pushback from members about the one-week turnaround time . So, he extended the deadline for three subcommittees by one week until May 10. The House is moving forward with an aggressive timeline after a slow start due to the late passage of the FY2024 spending bills.
Senate leaders have pledged to move the spending measures on time. However, there is the usual growing divide over defense versus non -defense spending levels next year . Democrats want parity in increases between defense and non -defense spending while the Republicans want robust defense increases to offset the growing China-Russia threat.
SPEAKER’S ACTIVITIES
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) announced Wednesday she will act next week to force a vote on whether to oust Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). She has the support of Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ).
Taylor Greene’s announcement came one day after the top three House Democrats announced that they would vote to table a motion to vacate the chair (remove the Speaker) if it came to the floor, joining a number of rank -and-file Democrats who have said for months that they would protect Speaker Johnson from a conservative vote to remove him.
Many House Republicans do not support the effort to remove Speaker Johnson even if they disagree with his legislative program . Many Republicans admit there is no clear alternative to Speaker Johnson after the debacle earlier when former Speaker McCarthy was removed, and the House was without a Speaker for three weeks. Congressman Matt Gaetz (R -FL) expressed concern that if several Republicans were not available to vote , Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) could be elected Speaker. Trump has not supported Taylor Greene’s efforts to remove Speaker Johnson.
OTHER NOTABLE ACTION THIS WEEK
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill negotiations were said to be completed last weekend . However, Senate progress has stalled over potential germane and non - germane amendments . The Senate voted 81 to 10 on Thursday to move to consider the bill .
Agreement on the ame ndments may not occur until next week . The FAA authorization expires on May 10.
QUOTABLE QUOTE(S)
“If this vote fails (to remove Speaker Johnson) and the whole conference, the whole Congress, supports the uniparty, let me tell you something, that is not a failure, it’s a win for the American people because that’s a list of names,” Congresswoman Taylor Greene said. “They deserve that list.” (NOTE: the term “uniparty” refers to the convergence of the moderate Republicans and the Democrats to vote together on issues and they account for more than 75% of the members of Congress.)
Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ), who voted to remove McCarthy and has been critical of Speaker Johnson said of the effort to remove him “What’s really the point? I mean, I guess other than to show massive frustration, disappointment.”
Representative Marcus Molinaro (R-NY), who represents a swing district, said Taylor Greene’s efforts have been “galvanizing” Republican opposition to ousting an unpopular speaker. He said “It really needs to come to an end. I mean, it’s truly a ridiculous and absurd way . And this consistent effort to hold the body hostage just undermines Congress and undermines the country and undermines our ability to do the work that we’re saying we’re going to do.”
WASHINGTON UPDATE
May 10, 2024
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACTIVITY
House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R -OK) has issued to his subcommittee chairs “notional” spending allocations. These are rough guesses and ranges about the amount of money each subcommittee will be allowed to allocate . The formal allocations to each subcommittee (known as 302b allocations) will come later when the House adopts them. Chairman Cole will be discussing the issue with Speaker Mike Johnso n (R -LA) likely next week . There is growing concern that the House may follow the spending limits set in the which could lead to steep spending cuts for both defense and non -defense spending. Chairman Cole wants to begin moving forward with the bills as his goal is complete House floor action on the 12 spending measures by the August break.
SPEAKER’S ACTIVITIES
After Speaker Johnson met with Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R -GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) for the second time, Congresswoman Taylor Greene moved to make her resolution vacating the Chair (removing the Speaker) a privileged motion. This has the effect of making the House act on it in the next two legislative days . A motion to table her resolution was adopted by a vote of 359-43-7, thus killing it . 11 Republicans and 32 Democrats voting against the motion to table Greene’s resolution. Seven Democrats voted “present.” Only the most conservative Republicans and the most liberal Democrats opposed the motion to table the resolution.
Representatives Taylor Greene and Massie had demands of Speaker Johnson which included: a commitment to oppose additional Ukraine aid , requiring support from a majority of the GOP majority for Republican leaders to bring a bill to the floor, a promise to enact a 1 percent across-the- board spending cut as part of stopgap funding legislation if the 12 annual appropriations bills aren't enacted by the Sep tember 30 deadline, and defund Special Counsel Jack Smith ’s investigation of the efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
OTHER NOTABLE ACTION THIS WEEK
The five-year Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill passed the Senate by a vote of 88-4 on Thursday. Action on the bill was held up in the Senate through a series of “holds” and amendments germane and non -germane. In the end the bill moved with limited changes. In the end five more slots (or ten incoming and outgoing flights) will be added to Reagan National Airpo rt (DCA) and the retirement age for pilots will remain 65. The current FAA authorization expires on May 10, but a one-week reauthorization has been adopted by the House and Senate . This will give the House a chance to pass th e bill next week. Senator Ted C ruz (R-TX), ranking member on the Senate Commerce Committee, in a twist shepherded the bill to passage limiting amendments. In the past he has often held up movement on legislation introducing non -germane amendments and seeking to delay votes. His Republican colleagues ribbed him for that change of roles.
QUOTABLE QUOTE(S)
Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) told reporters on Wednesday that he thinks “Moscow Marjorie has clearly gone off the deep end, maybe the result of a space laser.”
A Republican Senator told reporters regarding the change of roles for Senator Ted Cruz from obstructionist to shepherd of legislation “It’s been entertaining to be able to watch ” and then he quoted the movie “Airplane!” “What’s the old Hollywood joke? ‘The foot’s on the other hand.’”
WASHINGTON UPDATE
May 17, 2024
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACTIVITY
House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R -OK) has issued to his subcommittee chairs “notional” spending allocations. These are rough guesses and ranges about the amount of money each subcommittee will be allowed to allocate . The formal allocations to each subcommittee (known as 302b allocations) are scheduled to be adopted by the House Appropriations Committee on May 23.
Chairman Cole has laid out an aggressive mark up schedule. Subcommittee mark ups begin on May
21. The last full Committee mark ups are scheduled for July 10 . Chairman Cole hopes that he may be able to consider the 12 bills on the floor of the House before the August recess.
The Senate process is still on hold as the Democrats and Republicans discuss the allocations at the full committee and subcommittee levels. The House is proceeding with the numbers laid out in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which set spending levels and the debt limit last year. Chairman Cole said there are “no side deals” to increase spending for non-defense spending.
The Senate fears those numbers will lead to steep spending cuts to non-defense spending. The defense spending increase under the law will not match the increase in inflation.
SPEAKER’S ACTIVITIES
Speaker Johnson and other House Republicans have attended the former President Trumps trial in New York this week . They did this to show support for him after he was threatened with potential jail time for not following the judge’s gag order.
OTHER NOTABLE ACTION THIS WEEK
The Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill was passed by the House on Wednesday by a vote of 387-26. President Biden signed it into law on Thursday.
The House Oversight Committee on Thursday night erupted into chaos. The mark up of legislation to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress was delayed after Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) accused Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) of wearing fake eye lashes. And then the name calling began and Chairman Comer (R-KY) lost control of the mark up. At one point Congresswoman Taylor Greene asked for more time to speak, it was approved 22 -20. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO), who has clashed with Taylor Greene in the past, voted against allowing Taylor Greene more time.
Senator Menendez’ (D-NJ) corruption trial began this week in New York City, not far from former President Trump’s trial. As part of his legal strategy his la wyers will argu e it was his wife that accepted the gifts and not Senator Menendez.
QUOTABLE QUOTE(S)
Senator Menendez’s chief Capitol Hill critic Senator John Fetterman (D -PA) said the news of Menendez’ wife’s diagnosis of breast cancer only made him question Menendez’ defense strategy even more. “I sincerely reach out and hope that they have an absolutely full, complete recovery,” Fetterman said, before adding: “I can't imagine anybody in his legal circles would think that throwing your wife under the bus was ever good. And now that she is sick with cancer, I can't really think that's a smart PR move. I don't even see the legal upside on that.” Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) said “found it rather odd when you're blaming your partner.”
WASHINGTON UPDATE
May 31, 2024
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACTIVITY
The House Appropriations Committee has begun moving their spending bills. The full Committee approved the Military Construction -VA spending measure on May 23. The Legislative Branch bill was approved on the same day at the subcommittee level. The House Appropriations Committee adopted the subcommittee allocations (a .k.a. 302b allocations) on May 23 by a party line vote.
These allocations determine how much money each subcommittee can allocate for the agencies and programs under their jurisdiction.
The outlook is difficult for the 12 spending bills . Chairman Tom Cole (R -OK) has stuck with the enacted spending levels from last year. This will lead to decreased spending for non -defense programs a nd only a 1% increase for defense spending . Many Republicans are angry with the funding level for defense and Democrats are upset with the cuts for non -defense programs. The Senate has not even begun moving or scheduling action on their bills.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) told the House Republican conference that the chamber will start moving spending bills to the floor for consideration the first week of June, with the Military Construction -VA bill first to go to the floor . The Homeland Security, State -Foreign Operations, and Defense measures are scheduled for action before the July 4th break.
SPEAKER’S ACTIVITIES
Speaker Johnson (R-LA) has been quiet the last two weeks. He is working with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D -NY) on a letter inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before a joint session of the US Congress before the August recess.
OTHER NOTABLE ACTION THIS WEEK
House Majority Leader Scalise is getting a jump start on next year's legislative agenda if Republicans sweep the November elections. He told the largest conservative bloc of House members that he has instructed committee chairs to come up with initiatives by the end of June that could be pushed through the budget reconciliation process next year (this is a process that bypasses the Senate filibuster) . The message to committee leaders was to "get creative, be bold" in offering up ideas for reconciliation.
Among the top agenda items would be tax cuts and measures to boost domestic energy production, Scalise told reporters. He said he wanted to make sure Republicans will be ready to move legislation quickly if they win the White House and both chambers of Congress in November.
QUOTABLE QUOTE(S)
"I think the goal is to mark up (spending bills) in July, and we would like to actually mark up the bills and have bipartisan bills come out the way we did last year," said Sen ator Jeff Merkley (D- OR) after the meeting of Senate Democrats last week . " But this year is going to be tougher . The funding is tougher."
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said that she and Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) have been having discussions on when markups will start. "Obviously she needs to get the 302(b)s out before we can do markups," Collins said. "But we are proceeding very rapidly with an aggressive schedule for hearings, and that lays the foundation."