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DC Download 03.04.2024

Lawmakers once again avoided a government shutdown last week and punted the funding deadlines. Now, they are facing a tight timeline to fund the government before a partial shutdown this Friday. Both chambers are aiming to pass six of the 12 funding bills this week. Additionally, President Joe Biden is expected to deliver his State of the Union speech on Thursday — the day before the first deadline.

Table of Contents:

Care Economy

For too long, a handful of special interest-backed politicians and greedy corporations have put profits ahead of our families. They hand out tax breaks to the wealthiest few instead of funding what our families need: affordable, quality childcare, paid family and medical leave, tax relief like the child tax credit, care for our elders and our disabled loved ones, and commonsense standards to ensure everyone is treated with dignity at work.

We all deserve the chance to be there for our children when they take their first steps, care for family members living with a disability, and comfort our elders when they’re sick. Together, we can build a country that works for all our families so that everyone—including every care worker—has dignity on the job, a living wage, childcare, paid family and medical leave, paid sick time, and the support they need to thrive.

Fast Facts:

Paid family leave reduces infant mortality by as much as 20 percent and helps boost women’s labor force participation and earnings as well as supporting small businesses.
Forty-three percent of workers don’t even qualify for job-protected unpaid leave, and millions more can’t afford to take unpaid leave.
Universal pre-kindergarten would save working families $17 billion a year, and investments in child care would help improve access and reduce costs for families while also supporting care workers.
Expanding the Child Tax Credit lifted 6.7 million people out of poverty in one year, including nearly 4 million children. The CTC worked and we can do it again.

For more messaging tools and resources, visit the Progressive Playbook.

House Floor

The House will vote on 14 suspension bills from the Committees on Energy & Commerce and Homeland Security. Suspension bills require a ⅔ majority to pass. For a list of all suspension bills being considered, click here.

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

H.R. 2799 – Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023 (Sponsored by Rep. McHenry / Financial Services Committee): The bill would roll back Securities and Exchange Commission registration and disclosure requirements for investors, companies, advisers, and brokers.

H.R. 7511 – Laken Riley Act (Sponsored by Rep. Collins / Judiciary Committee): The bill would allow states to pursue civil action against the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies for harms allegedly caused by not complying with immigration laws related to admissions and removals. The bill would also require the department to detain migrants who enter the country illegally or who are charged with burglary or shoplifting.

Additional legislative items related to FY 2024 appropriations are expected.

House Committee Highlights

A full list of this week’s hearings and markups can be found here. Notable hearings and markups include:

Wednesday Hearings

Winning in Weather: U.S. Competitiveness in Forecasting and Modeling (Science, Space, & Technology)

Examining the White House’s Role in Pandemic Preparedness and Response (Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic)

Proven Results: Highlighting the Benefits of Charter Schools for Students and Families (Education & the Workforce)

The Federal Reserve’s Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report (Financial Services)

Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Jerome Powell is testifying

Thursday Hearings

Growing Stakes: The Bioeconomy and American National Security (Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party)

The Weaponization of the Federal Government (Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government)

Monetizing Nature and Locking up Public Land: The Implications of Biden's Strategy for Natural Capital Accounting (Natural Resources)

Divisive, Excessive, Ineffective: The Real Impact of DEI on College Campuses (Education & the Workforce)

The Agents of Antisemitism in Latin America (Foreign Affairs)

Presidential Power to Secure the Border (Judiciary)

Nominations

The Senate this week has teed up votes on the following nominees:

Ronald T. Keohane, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense
Moshe Z. Marvit, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission for a term of six years expiring August 30, 2028
Cathy Ann Harris, of Maryland, to be Chairman of the Merit Systems Protection Board

Senate Committee Highlights

A full list of this week’s Senate committee hearings, including confirmation hearings, can be found here. Notable committee hearings include:

Wednesday Hearings

Examining Extended Producer Responsibility Policies for Consumer Packaging (Environment & Public Works)

Global Food Security (Foreign Relations)

National Transportation Safety Board Investigations Report (Commerce, Science, & Transportation)

Thursday Hearings

The Older Americans Act: Supporting Efforts to Meet the Needs of Seniors (HELP)

The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress (Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs)

Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Jerome Powell is testifying

Government Funding

Last week, Congress kicked the government funding can down the road for a fourth time when they passed a temporary bill setting new funding deadlines for March 8 and March 22. Lawmakers are now facing the first deadline at the end of this week and are expected to consider a six-bill spending package that would cover Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD. The remaining six appropriations bills for fiscal year 2024 are expected to be released soon and be voted on ahead of their expiration on March 22.

Summary (House Appropriations Committee)
Congress unveils long-awaited funding bills ahead of shutdown threat (The Hill)
Lawmakers unveil slate of government funding bills ahead of shutdown deadline (CNN)
5 Reasons Why Careening From Near Shutdown to Near Shutdown Is Bad for America (CAP)

State of the Union

On Thursday, President Joe Biden will deliver his third State of the Union before Congress. According to recent reports, Biden is expected to leverage this address to highlight his administration's achievements and set forth his policy priorities against the backdrop of a divided Congress. His speech comes at a critical juncture, following notable events such as a robust jobs report and a politically charged 2024 election cycle. He is expected to reflect on legislative successes, like the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure package, while also addressing the nation's economic outlook.

SCOTUS Watch: Trump v. Anderson

Last month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Anderson, former President Donald Trump’s challenge to the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling that he is ineligible to serve as president due to his involvement in the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Central to the case is Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, historically intended to disqualify from office those who had engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, raising the question of whether this provision applies to presidential candidates. The Colorado Supreme Court had previously ruled that Trump is ineligible to serve as president under this clause, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Court. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court today ruled that the 14th Amendment did not allow states to bar the former president from the ballot and that only Congress can disqualify a presidential candidate under the insurrection clause. The ruling, however, did not decide whether the former president engaged in an insurrection by attempting to subvert the 2020 election results.