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DC Download - January 13, 2025

Congress is back in full swing, with members sworn in and the results of the 2024 election officially certified. House GOP leaders are eyeing an aggressive timeline to enact their agenda, debating whether to advance their priorities through one comprehensive package or two, how it will be funded, and how soon it can be passed.

Meanwhile, the Senate has a full schedule this week, with votes expected on two contentious bills passed by the House: the Laken Riley Act, which the House approved last week, and the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which the House took up last year. The Senate may also consider the controversial Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act. Beyond legislative action, Senators will conduct confirmation hearings for the incoming Administration’s cabinet nominees.

Below, we dive into the critical issues on the new Congress’s agenda for the week.

Table of Contents:

We know that tearing families apart, promoting laws that create obstacles to citizenship, and turning our backs on refugees seeking safety doesn’t make our communities safer. In fact, targeting marginalized groups—whether immigrants or the LGBTQ+ community—only makes them more vulnerable to sexual harassment and violence. We need to join together across our differences to create fair laws that embrace our differences and treat every member of society with dignity and respect.

The Progressive Playbook is a one-stop-shop for the best progressive messaging resources from across the movement when you need it most. Our messages are based in progressive values and intended to serve as a living, shared, open resource for progressive partners. Check out our work here.

House Floor

The House will vote on seven suspension bills from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Suspension bills require a ⅔ majority to pass. For a list of all suspension bills being considered, click here.

This week the House will also consider the following bills, subject to a rule:

H.R. 28 – Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (Sponsored by Rep. Steube / Education and Workforce Committee) This legislation would amend Title IX—a federal civil rights law that protects against sex-based discrimination and harassment—to prohibit schools from allowing transgender female athletes to participate in an athletic program or activity “designated for women or girls.” The bill defines sex as “based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” Last year, the Biden Administration finalized rules expanding protections under Title IX to include discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Last week, a federal judge struck down this rule protecting LGBTQ+ students.

H.R. 33 – United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act (Rep. Smith (MO) / Ways and Means Committee) This legislation would allow the U.S to enter into agreements with Taiwan to provide tax relief for qualified residents of Taiwan.

H.R. 30 – Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act (Rep. Mace / Judiciary Committee) This legislation would add provisions dictating inadmissibility and deportability for sexual offenses for undocumented immigrants that largely already exist. The bill would also broadly expand the current grounds for deportability for domestic violence that would endanger survivors of domestic violence acting in self-defense.

House Committee Highlights

Tuesday Hearings

The Need to Make Permanent the Trump Tax Cuts for Working Families (Committee on Ways and Means)

Wednesday Hearings

The Stay-at-Home Federal Workforce: Another Biden-Harris Legacy (Committee on Oversight and Government Reform)

Floor Action

The Senate has teed up votes on the following bills:

S. 5 Laken Riley Act (Sponsored by Sen. Boyd) This legislation would grant Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the authority to mandate the detention without bond of any undocumented individual who has been arrested or charged with a property-related crime, such as theft, regardless of whether they are ultimately convicted. The legislation would also allow state attorneys general to sue the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) over alleged mishandling of immigration laws.

S. 9 Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (Sponsored by Sen. Tuberville) This legislation is the Senate companion for H.R. 28.

Nominations

No nominations are being considered by the full Senate at the time of publication.

Senate Committee Highlights

Tuesday Hearings

Nomination of Douglas Collins to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Veterans’ Affairs)

Nomination of Doug Burgum to be Secretary of the Interior (Energy & Natural Resources)

Wednesday Hearings

Nomination of Peter Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense (Armed Services)

Nomination of Chris Wright to be Secretary of Energy (Energy and Natural Resources)

Nomination of Kristi Noem to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs)

Nomination of Russell Vought to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget (Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs)

Nomination of Pamela Jo Bondi to be Attorney General of the United States (Judiciary)

Nomination of Marco Rubio to be Secretary of State (Foreign Relations)

Nomination of John Ratcliffe to be the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (Intelligence)

Nomination of Sean Duffy to be the U.S. Secretary of Transportation (Commerce, Science, & Transportation)

Improving Wellness Among Seniors: Setting a Standard for the American Dream (Special Committee on Aging)

Thursday Hearings

Examining Remain in Mexico Policy (Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs)

Nomination of Eric Scott Turner to be Secretary of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs)

Reconciliation Bills

Republicans hope to pass an expansive agenda, focusing on border policies, energy, and tax reforms through the budget reconciliation process, which allows bills to pass with a simple majority—that is, on a party-line—Senate vote. Speaker Johnson hopes to pass one single reconciliation bill by the end of April, but Senate Majority Leader Thune prefers two separate packages.

If Republicans follow Johnson’s plan, the process will likely take longer, as multiple committees will need to craft, debate, and approve provisions within one comprehensive bill. This approach would allow more time for public scrutiny, especially given that the tax proposals alone could add an estimated $4.6 trillion to the deficit, offset by steep cuts to public infrastructure.

Alternatively, splitting the agenda into two packages—separating tax policies from border and energy priorities—could increase the chances of passing at least one bill, especially with the looming expiration of key Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provisions. However, the slim GOP majority in the House (219 seats, requiring 218 votes to pass with a simple majority) poses challenges to both approaches. Cabinet appointments for Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Michael Waltz (R-FL), along with potential unforeseen absences, could further complicate vote counts.

Unity on even one package will be difficult, as Republicans face internal divisions over competing priorities. Contentious issues include state and local tax (SALT) deductions, raising the debt ceiling, and proposed cuts to popular programs, all of which must be reconciled to secure needed votes.

More on this: The Basics of Budget Reconciliation (CPCC, NWLC, & Indivisible)

Spending Offsets

To offset the costs of their reconciliation bill, Republicans are proposing more than $5 trillion in cuts to several programs, including changes to Medicare, reversing the Biden Administration’s climate programs, cutting $151 billion in Affordable Care Act subsidies, instituting Medicaid work requirements and per capita caps, and slashing several programs Americans depend on for food assistance, like TANF ($15 billion) and SNAP ($22 billion).

Some GOP members may be hesitant to take votes reducing funding for health care, food assistance, clean energy investments, and other critical supports for working families and communities. Last August, a group of 18 House Republicans sent a letter to Speaker Johnson urging him to protect clean energy tax credits from repeal. If this is any indication of the differing priorities of some Republican members, this could further complicate the path to 218 House votes and 51 Senate votes for their agenda.

More on this: House GOP puts Medicaid, ACA, climate measures on chopping block (Politico)

House Budget Committee Offset Menu (Politico)