Blog - The Week Ahead in Congress

The big item on the agenda this week is the House Republicans’ budget resolution for 2013. This is the Rep. Paul Ryan [R, WI] budget plan that you’ve probably been hearing about recently, and it’s basically just a political statment of the Republican party’s fiscal agenda.

The resolution calls for a range of tax cuts, new non-defense spending cuts beyond what Congress agreed to in the 2011 debt-ceiling deal, and a revamp of Medicare that includes an eventual increase in the age of eligibility. The lower tax rate on money earned from capitol gains would not be affected, which would mean that wealthy individuals would generally benefit more from the Ryan plan than middle-income and poor people.

Below is a full look at the House schedule for the week:

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

Suspensions (5 Bills)

1. H.R. 2779 – To exempt inter-affiliate swaps from certain regulatory requirements put in place by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as amended (Rep. Stivers – Financial Services/Agriculture)
2. H.R. 2682 – Business Risk Mitigation and Price Stabilization Act of 2011, as amended (Rep. Grimm – Financial Services/Agriculture)
3. H.R. 4014 – To amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act with respect to information provided to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Rep. Huizenga – Financial Services)
4. H.R. 3298 – Homes For Heroes Act of 2011 (Rep. Al Green – Financial Services)
5. H.R. 4239 – Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (Rep. Mica – Transportation and Infrastructure/Ways and Means/Natural Resources/Science, Space, and Technology/Energy and Commerce)

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

Suspension (1 Bill)

1. Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3606 – Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act (Rep. Fincher – Financial Services)

H.R. 3309 – Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2012 (Rep. Walden – Energy and Commerce) (Subject to a Rule)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. On Thursday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business with last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m. On Friday, the House is not in session.

H.Con.Res. __ – Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022 (Rep. Ryan – Budget) (Subject to a Rule)

And here’s what we know so far about the Senate plan for the week:

Senate Floor Schedule for Monday, March 26, 2012

Convenes: 2:00pm

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 4:30pm.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of Calendar Order #337, S.2204, the Repeal Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act with the time until 5:30pm equally divided and controlled between the Leaders or their designees.

As a reminder to all Senators, on Thursday, March 22nd, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S.2204, the Repeal Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act and on the motion to proceed to Calendar Order #296, S.1789, the Postal Reform bill.

At approximately 5:30pm on Monday, there will be a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2204.  If cloture is not invoked, there will be a second roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1789, the Postal Reform Bill.