Politics

The Week Ahead in Congress

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

It’s amendment time this week for the Restoring American Financial Stability Act. Banking Committee Chairman and financial reform floor manager Sen. Chris Dodd [D, CT] has set as an end date of May 14 for the bill, meaning that the next two weeks will largely determine how effective Congress’s efforts to address the regulatory lapses that lead to the crisis of 2008 and end “to big to fail” will be. Amendments to be voted on will include things like making the big banks smaller, opening the Federal Reserve up to a full audit, and restricting the authority of a new consumer financial protection bureau. We’ll be covering it all closely on this blog. For now, let’s take a look at what’s going to be happening this week over on the other side of the Capitol.

Here’s this week’s legislative schedule in the House:

First Vote of the Week… Tuesday 6:30 p.m.
Last Vote Predicted… Thursday p.m.

MONDAY, MAY 3, 2010

The House will meet at 10:00 a.m. in pro forma session.

TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2010

On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for Morning Hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Suspensions (7 Bills):

1. H.Res. 1307 – Honoring the National Science Foundation for 60 years of service to the Nation (Rep. Gordon – Science and Technology)
2. H.Res. 1213 – Recognizing the need to improve the participation and performance of America’s students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, supporting the ideals of National Lab Day (Rep. Fudge – Science and Technology)
3. H.Res. 1310 – Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the laser (Rep. Ehlers – Science and Technology)
4. H.Res. 1231 – Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the United States Television Infrared Observation Satellite, the world’s first meteorological satellite, launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on April 1, 1960, and fulfilling the promise of President Eisenhower to all nations of the world to promote the peaceful use of space for the benefit of all mankind (Rep. Holt – Science and Technology)
5. H.Res. 1269 – Commemorating the 400th anniversary of the first use of the telescope for astronomical observation by the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei (Rep. Tiberi – Science and Technology)
6. H.R. 24 – To redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps (Rep. Jones – Armed Services)
7. H.Res. 1132 – Honoring the USS New Mexico as the sixth Virginia-class submarine commissioned by the U.S. Navy to protect and defend the United States (Rep. Heinrich – Armed Services)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK

On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. On Friday, no votes are expected in the House.

Suspensions (13 Bills):

1. H.R. 5160 – Haiti Economic Lift Program Act of 2010 (Rep. Rangel – Ways and Means)
2. H.Res. 1272 – Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, Kent State University shootings (Rep. Ryan (OH) – Education and Labor)
3. H.Res. 1157 – Congratulating the National Urban League on its 100th year of service to the United States (Rep. Hastings (FL) – Education and Labor)
4. H.Res. 1312 – Recognizing the roles and contributions of America’s teachers to building and enhancing our Nation’s civic, cultural, and economic well-being (Rep. Graves – Education and Labor)
5. H.Res. 1149 – Supporting the goals and ideals of National Charter School Week, to be held May 2 through May 8, 2010 (Rep. Bishop (UT) – Education and Labor)
6. H.R. 2421 – Mother’s Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act (Rep. Capito – Financial Services)
7. H.Res. 1295 – Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother’s Day (Rep. Fortenberry – Oversight and Government Reform)
8. H.Res. 1247 – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that public servants should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the Nation during Public Service Recognition Week, May 3 through 9, 2010, and throughout the year (Rep. Lynch – Oversight and Government Reform)
9. H.R. 1722 – Telework Improvements Act (Rep. Sarbanes – Oversight and Government Reform)
10. H.Res. 1301 – Supporting the goals and ideals of National Train Day (Rep. Brown (FL) – Transportation and Infrastructure)
11. H.Con.Res. 247 – Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby (Rep. Hoyer – Transportation and Infrastructure)
12. H.Con.Res. 263 – Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run (Rep. Norton – Transportation and Infrastructure)
13. H.Res. 1278 – In support and recognition of National Safe Digging Month, April, 2010 (Rep. Shuster – Transportation and Infrastructure

H.R. 5019 – Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 (Rep. Welch – Energy and Commerce) (Subject to a Rule)

 

• Conference Reports may be brought up at any time.
• Motions to go to Conference should they become available.
• Possible Motions to Instruct Conferees.

And here’s what’s on the official Senate schedule, though it will be getting filled up with amendment vote beginning tomorrow:

Convenes: 2:00pm

Resume consideration of S.3217, Wall Street Reform.

Votes:

There will be no roll call votes on Monday, May 3.

As always, Congress Matters has this week’s full committee schedules for the House and the Senate.

Full post as published by Open Congress on May 04, 2010 (boomark / email).