Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, the DC Download, to get updates on what’s happening on the Hill, what we are reading, key issues to watch, and progressive analysis and tools.

DC Download 06.05.2023

Having avoided economic catastrophe by passing last week’s debt limit deal, lawmakers are back in Washington, D.C. and tackling other priorities. On the agenda this week, House lawmakers are considering a series of bills that would “protect” gas stoves and limit the executive branch’s ability to craft new rules and regulations. Furthermore, Senators are advancing some of President Biden’s nominees.

Table of Contents:

Climate Crisis

Whether we are Black or White, Latino or Asian, newcomer or Indigenous, we all want our families to grow up healthy, happy, and safe for generations to come. But for too long, fossil fuel CEOs and corrupt politicians have divided and distracted us with lies while they allow our air to be polluted and deny some communities clean drinking water. Big polluters exploit their workers, while dumping toxins into communities of color and low-income neighborhoods.

By coming together, we can heal the damage done to all of our communities, and power our future with locally produced renewable energy that creates millions of good union jobs in the process.

Fast Facts:

Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, the top 5 oil corporations have spent well over a combined $1 billion on attacking climate science, lobbying, and misleading climate-related branding.
A majority of Americans see at least some local effects of climate change like drought, wildfires or sea level rise. From 2017-2021, the total cost of U.S. climate-related disasters exceeded $742 billion.
From PVC to lead to hazardous waste, exposure to dirty air, poisoned water and industrial contamination is sickening and killing Indigenous communities, communities of color, and poor communities. For example, tribal lands are 4 percent of U.S. lands but nearly 25 percent of Superfund sites.

House Floor

The House will vote on eight suspension bills from the Committee on Financial Services and Transportation & Infrastructure. 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. 1615 - Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act (Sponsored by Rep. Armstrong; Energy and Commerce Committee): The bill would prohibit the Consumer Product Safety Commission from banning gas stoves or imposing additional safety standards that would substantially increase the price of gas stoves.

Methane and NOx Emissions from Natural Gas Stoves, Cooktops, and Ovens in Residential Homes (Environmental, Science, and Technology)

H.R. 1640 - Save Our Gas Stoves Act (Sponsored by Rep. Lesko; Energy and Commerce Committee): The bill would prohibit the Department of Energy from finalizing its proposed rule expanding energy efficiency regulations on gas stoves and prevent the department from imposing energy conservation standards for kitchen ranges or ovens.

H.R. 288 - Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023 (Sponsored by Rep. Fitzgerald; Judiciary Committee): The bill would replace the current judicial standard of review, known as Chevron deference, and direct courts to conduct their own interpretation of laws when reviewing administrative actions without regard to the agency’s interpretations.

H.R. 277 - REINS Act of 2023 (Sponsored by Rep. Cammack; Judiciary Committee): The bill would require Congress to approve major regulatory actions and require agencies to submit to Congress a cost-benefit analysis of every rule before it goes into effect.

What is the REINS Act and why do we oppose it? (Public Citizen)

House Committee Highlights

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

Tuesday Hearings

Hearing: Amtrak Operations: Examining the Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Efficiency and Service (Transportation & Infrastructure)

Uncertain Debt Management: Treasury Markets and Financial Institutions (Financial Services)

Help Wanted: Law Enforcement Staffing Challenges at the Border (Oversight & Accountability)

American Ingenuity: Promoting Innovation Through the Tax Code (Small Business)

EPA’s New Standards for Cutting Pollution from Fossil Fuel Power Plants (Energy & Commerce)

Hearing on Title 42 and Republicans Wanting More Chaos (Homeland Security)

ESG Part II: The Cascading Impacts of ESG Compliance (Oversight & Accountability)

Wednesday Hearings

American Confidence in Elections: The Path to Election Integrity in the District of Columbia (House Administration and Oversight & Accountability)

Innovation, Employment, Integrity, and Health: Opportunities for Modernization in Title IV (Agriculture)

Dollar Dominance: Preserving the U.S. Dollar’s Status as the Global Reserve Currency (Financial Services)

Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Labor (Education & the Workforce)

Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su is testifying

Senate Floor

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

David Crane, of New Jersey, to be Under Secretary of Energy
Dale E. Ho, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York
Dilawar Syed, of California, to be Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration

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

State Department Services for the American People: An Overview of Consular Affairs and Programs (Foreign Relations)

Aligning Transatlantic Approaches on China (Foreign Relations)

Horticulture Title: How the Farm Bill Works for Specialty Crop Producers (Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry)

Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property – Part I: Patents, Innovation, and Competition (Judiciary)

Oversight of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (Rules & Administration)

An Abiding Commitment to Those Who Served: Examining Veterans’ Access to Long Term Care (Veterans’ Affairs)

Thursday Hearings

Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs (Finance)

Why Are So Many American Youth in a Mental Health Crisis? Exploring Causes and Solutions (HELP)

Protecting Consumers from Junk Fees (Commerce, Science, & Transportation)

Debt Limit Deal

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden signed into law the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, the deal negotiated between the White House and House Republican Leadership to suspend the debt limit and avoid a catastrophic debt default. The deal suspends the debt limit until January 2025, but also cuts government spending for the next two years; imposes onerous and unnecessary time limits on families who depend onSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); rescinds IRS funds intended to catch wealthy tax cheats; and weakens environmental protections under the National Environmental Policy Act. While Congress narrowly avoided a debt default by passing the deal, it also kicked the can down the road and ensured that Congress will have to deal with this manufactured crisis once again at the end of the 118th Congress when the deal expires.

Breaking Down the Debt Ceiling Deal (CPCC)
New Details in Debt Limit Deal: Where $136 Billion in Cuts Will Come From (The New York Times)
TANF Provisions in Debt Ceiling Agreement (CBPP)

Court Watch: Texas v. United States

This case is Texas’ and other Republican state attorneys general’s challenge to the original Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This case is different from Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California (2020) that challenged former President Trump’s repeal of DACA, in which the court found that the attempt to rescind the program was “arbitrary and capricious” and violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Instead, Texas v. United States is expected to address the legality of the underlying program. In this case, Texas argues that DACA was an overreach by the Obama administration and violates federal immigration law. It is complicated by the fact that the Biden Administration issued a rule on DACA while this case was in process. The U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Texas must now examine the original DACA process set forth as guidance by the Obama Administration and the formal rule set forth by the Biden Administration. The Court’s ruling will determine if the more than 830,000 people who have been granted DACA status since its inception can work and live without constant fear of deportation. In addition, it could impact the scope of the executive branch’s power to direct and prioritize immigration enforcement priorities going forward.