This Week in Congress: Taking Gray Wolves Off the Endangered Species List & Reauthorizing the Coast Guard

With the midterm elections now in the rearview mirror, Congress returns to the Capitol this week, and will kickoff the lame duck session with bills to remove federal endangered species protections for gray wolves and reauthorize the Coast Guard the most prominent items on the agenda.

The House is expected to be in session Tuesday through Friday this week, with 16 bills on the docket. Among those on the agenda is a bill to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act in all of the lower 48 states for the first in more than 40 years, effectively returning management to state control. The House will also take up bills to make the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership permanent and extend the PEPFAR program for five years― which provides foreign aid to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

The Senate also begins its week on Tuesday, when it will take a procedural vote on a bill to reauthorize the Coast Guard, establish a national standard for ships’ ballast discharges, and allow the White Mountain Apache Tribe to use funds to build a rural water system. A passage vote is expected on Wednesday, which will in turn be followed by a procedural vote on the nomination of Michelle Bowman to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The schedule for the rest of the week is yet to be announced.

Check here throughout the week to see the vote results and updates to the schedule.

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

House

Tuesday after 6:30pm

• H.R. 6018: Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6651: PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2740: Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2017 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5787: Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2018, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 5706: World War II Pacific Sites Establishment Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4033: National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act Vote postponed.
• H.R. 6064: To rename the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge as the Congressman Lester Wolff National Wildlife Refuge Passed 385-4, 2 present.
• H.R. 5636: Flatside Wilderness Enhancement Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• S. 440: To establish a procedure for the conveyance of certain federal property around the Dickinson Reservoir in the State of North Dakota Passed by voice vote.
• S. 2074: To establish a procedure for the conveyance of certain Federal property around the Jamestown Reservoir in the State of North Dakota, and for other purposes Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6146: Cottonwood Land Exchange Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2615: Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act Passed 375-1.
• H.R. 6666: To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to grant to States and local governments easements and rights-of-way over Federal land within Gateway National Recreation Area for construction, operation, and maintenance of projects for control and prevention of flooding and shoreline erosion Vote postponed.
• H.Res. 1055: To affirm strong United States-Liberia ties and support for democratic principles, and call for full implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations, including the establishment of an Extraordinary Criminal Tribunal for Liberia Passed by voice vote.
• H.Res. 1052: Affirming United States-Australia cooperation on space research, exploration, and utilization Passed by voice vote.

Wednesday after 12pm

• Debating H.R. 6784: Manage our Wolves Act
• H.R. 5787: Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2018, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 6666: To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to grant to States and local governments easements and rights-of-way over Federal land within Gateway National Recreation Area for construction, operation, and maintenance of projects for control and prevention of flooding and shoreline erosion Passed by voice vote.

Thursday after 12pm

• No votes are scheduled.

Friday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 6784: Manage our Wolves Act Passed 196-180.
• H.R. 5787: Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2018, as amended Passed 375-1.

Senate

Tuesday after 5:30pm

• Cloture vote on S. 140: Coast Guard Reauthorization Invoked 93-5.

Wednesday

• S. 140: Coast Guard Reauthorization Passed 94-6.
• Cloture vote on the nomination of Michelle Bowman to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve for the unexpired term of 14 years from February 1, 2006 Invoked 63-36.

Thursday

• S.J.Res. 65: Disapproving the sale of $300 million in arms to Bahrain Motion tabled 77-21.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Michelle Bowman to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve for the unexpired term of 14 years from February 1, 2006 Confirmed 64-34.

Tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills and share your thoughts below!

— Eric Revell