Lawmakers are a few days away from leaving Washington for the July 4th recess, but they still have a lengthy to-do list. The House is set to hold two public hearings this week on the Jan. 6th attack on the country and will be finalizing a veterans’ healthcare bill. At the same time, a group of bipartisan Senators are closing in on a deal on a possible bill to tackle gun violence.
Table of Contents:
- Progressive Playbook
- House
- Senate
- Issues to Watch
- Key Dates
- What We’re Reading
Progressive Playbook
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
All people, whoever we are or wherever we live, deserve to be able to make the best personal healthcare decisions for ourselves and our families. The decision of when and if to become a parent is one of the most important any of us will make in life. For decades, far-right groups and politicians have tried to demonize people who seek abortion care, eliminate access to healthcare providers, and restrict and outright ban abortion, even as they attack access to contraception, sex education, and policies that help parents and children. We must come together to ensure that everyone, whoever we are or wherever we live, has the freedom to decide if, when, and how to become a parent or grow our families.
FAST FACTS
- The powerful few create roadblocks to prevent people, especially people of color, fromgetting the care they need, including access to abortion care.
- Reproductive healthcare must be made accessible to everyone, no matter where we live, who we work for or how much money we earn. We must ensure that everyone – including people with low incomes, trans people, LGBTQ+ people, and Black, Indigenous and other people of color – have control over decisions about their reproductive health.
- Reproductive healthcare – including abortion care – is an essential service, now and always.
House
House Floor
The House will vote on five suspension bills from the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. 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 rules:
H.R. 7666 – Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022 (Rep. Pallone – Energy and Commerce): The bill would establish a Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and would reauthorize key programs within SAMHSA and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
- Press Release (Energy & Commerce)
H.R. 5585 – Advanced Research Projects Agency–Health Act (Rep. Eshoo – Energy and Commerce): The bill would create an independent Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a health agency focused on accelerating biomedical innovation to develop transformative breakthroughs to detect and treat the deadliest diseases.
- Press Release (Rep. Eshoo)
Senate Amendment to H.R. 3967 – Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 (Rep. Takano – Veterans’ Affairs): The bill would expand access to Veterans’ Affairs Department healthcare and expedite disability compensation for veterans exposed to toxic substances in the line of duty, including those exposed to burn pits, which the military has long used to dispose of jet fuel, medical waste, and garbage.
- Press Release (Rep. Takano)
H.R. 4176 – LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act (Rep. Grijalva – Oversight and Reform): The bill would require federal surveys to include data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity on a voluntary basis and ensure that lawmakers and federal agencies have the comprehensive data they need to address LGBTQ+ issues.
- Press Release (Rep. Grijalva)
House Committee Highlights
A full list of this week’s hearings and markups can be found here. Notable hearings and markups include:
Tuesday Hearings
On the January 6th Investigation (Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol)
Fiscal Year 2023 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill (Appropriations)
FY 2023 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Bill (Appropriations)
Wednesday Hearings
Addressing Root Causes of Migration from Central America through Private Investment: Progress in VP Harris’ Call to Action (Foreign Affairs)
A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Dairy Provisions (Agriculture)
H.R. 7900 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Armed Services)
Legislative Hearing to Strengthen Energy Infrastructure, Efficiency, and Financing (Energy & Commerce)
Tackling the Tax Code: Evaluating Fairness, Efficiency and Potential to Spur Inclusive Economic Growth (Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth)
A Growing Threat: How Disinformation Damages American Democracy (House Administration)
FY 2023 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee Bill (Appropriations)
FY 2023 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill (Appropriations)
Thursday Hearings
On the January 6th Investigation (Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol)
Congress & Technology: Modernizing the Innovation Cycle (Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress)
A Hearing with Trump White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx (Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis)
Assessing Federal Programs for Measuring Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks (Science, Space, & Technology)
Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (Education & Labor)
Fiscal Year 2023 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee Appropriations Bill (Appropriations)
FY 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill (Appropriations)
Friday Hearings
Cutting Methane Pollution: Safeguarding Health, Creating Jobs, and Protecting our Climate (Select Committee on the Climate Crisis)
FY 2023 Homeland Security and Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bills (Appropriations)
Senate
Nominations
The Senate this week has teed up votes on the following nominees:
- Ana Isabel de Alba to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California
- Mary T. Boyle to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
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
Toxic Substances Control Act Amendments Implementation (Environment & Public Works)
Supporting Students and Schools: Promising Practices to Get Back on Track (HELP)
Examining FEMA’s Strategic Priorities and Disaster Preparedness (Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs)
NATO Enlargement: Examining the Proposed Accession of Sweden and Finland (Foreign Relations)
Thursday Hearings
Putting People First: Building Trust in Government through Customer Experience (Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs)
Strengthening Support for Grandfamilies during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond (Aging)
Issues to Watch
January 6th Committee Public Hearings
Last week, the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol held two public hearings focused on former President Trump’s decision to spread the false claim that he won the 2020 election and his campaign to pressure former Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election. The Committee will continue their series of public hearings with two scheduled for this week – today at 1pm ET and Thursday, June 23 at 3PM ET. The hearings are expected to focus on the campaign to pressure Justice Department officials and state-level officials to overturn the 2020 election results. The Select Committee is expected to release an extensive report on its findings later this year.
- Jan. 6 Hearings: Why they matter and what we can do together to protect democracy (Southern Poverty Law Center)
- The January 6th Hearings: Criminal Evidence Tracker Third Edition (Just Security)
- Preparing for the January 6th Select Committee Hearings: Frequently Asked Questions (CREW)
- The Money Behind January 6 Is Flowing into the 2022 Elections (Brennan Center)
Gun Violence Prevention Talks
After agreeing to a legislative framework to address gun violence in the U.S., Senate negotiators are trying to iron out their differences on some key areas including red flag laws, closing the boyfriend loophole, and Hyde Amendment language, which blocks certain health insurance programs from covering abortion. The Senate is expected to release details and legislative text as early as today, with a floor vote possibly later this week before they break for a recess.
- Hyde hurdle: abortion slows gun bill text (Politico)
- Clock is ticking on the Senate’s gun deal: Negotiators stuck on two issues as recess looms (ABC News)
- Here’s what you need to know about the ‘boyfriend loophole’ holding up gun safety negotiations (CNN)
SCOTUS Decisions
The Supreme Court this morning announced decisions in five cases, including in Carson v. Makin, in which the court struck down a law in Maine that provides funds for students to attend some private schools but excludes schools that provide religious instruction, calling the exclusion unconstitutional. There are still 13 cases pending before the Supreme Court ends its term. Other notable cases on which there may soon be decisions include:
- Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: The Court will decide whether pre-viability bans on elective abortion are constitutional.
- Biden v. Texas: The Court will decide whether the Biden administration must continue to enforce Trump’s “remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while they await a hearing in U.S. immigration court.
- West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency: The Court will consider whether the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in virtually any industry, so long as it considers cost, non-air impacts, and energy requirements.
- New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen: The Court will decide whether New York’s denial of petitioners’ applications for concealed-carry licenses for self-defense violated the Second Amendment.
The Supreme Court typically releases opinions on Monday and some Wednesday mornings, but will also release opinions this Thursday. You can find them here.
- U.S. Supreme Court backs public money for religious schools (Reuters)
- The Supreme Court, Public Opinion and the Fate of Roe (The New York Times)
- How does a case make it to the Supreme Court? (The Washington Post)
- The Supreme Court’s Legitimacy Crisis: From Recusal Issues to Blatant Partisanship (Teen Vogue)
Key Dates
June: Immigrant Heritage Month
June: LGBTQ+ Pride Month
June: National Gun Violence Awareness Month
June 27 – July 8: Senate is out of session
June 28: House remote voting expires
July 1 – 11: House is out of session
July 4: Independence Day
July 26 – 24: Latino Conservation Week
July 30 – Sept. 5: August Recess
What We’re Reading
“Big Lie” Vigilantism Is on the Rise. Big Tech Is Failing to Respond. (ProPublica)
America’s Foreign Aid Is Shackled by Budgetary Obligations (Foreign Policy)
The Hidden Driver of High Gas Prices (The American Prospect)
Why The Racial Wealth Gap Is So Hard To Close (NPR)
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