Civic Register
| 1.20.19

This Week in Congress: Trying to End the Partial Shutdown, Supporting NATO & Sanctioning Assad

How do you feel about this week's congressional agenda?

Both chambers of Congress will take up bills this week to end the ongoing partial government shutdown, but its unclear whether any of the proposals will gain the support needed to become law.

When the Senate convenes on Tuesday it’s expected to switch its focus from debating a stalled Middle East policy bill to legislation that will be introduced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to end the shutdown, fund border security, and give unauthorized immigrants with temporary legal status under DACA or TPS three years of protection from deportation. It’s the first bill to end the shutdown that’s gained the endorsement of President Donald Trump, who announced the proposal in a speech Saturday.

Debate on the bill is expected to play out over several days. On Tuesday, the Senate will likely vote on a “motion to proceed” that’d officially start debate on the bill with a simple majority, and if it succeeds then Majority Leader McConnell will file a “cloture motion” to limit further debate on the bill. The cloture motion will have to spend Wednesday “ripening” unless senators unanimously agree to waive that requirement, so it’s likely the next vote debate would occur Thursday. To succeed, 60 senators will have to vote to “invoke cloture” and limit further debate to 30 hours, at which point a vote on passage that’d require a simple majority could occur.

The House will start its week Tuesday votes on foreign policy bills, including one to express support for America’s involvement in the NATO alliance and another to sanction the Assad regime’s supporters in Syria (which is one component of the Senate’s broader Middle East bill that’s stalled). The rest of the week will feature votes on bills to reopen the federal government without funding border security, including one to reopen all affected agencies through the end of February and another that’d fund agencies except for Homeland Security through the end of September.

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

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

Senate

Tuesday after 1:00pm

  • Debating the motion to proceed to the motion to invoke cloture on S. 1: Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act
  • Motion to proceed to H.R. 268: Supplemental Appropriations Act Agreed by unanimous consent.

Wednesday

  • Debating amendments to H.R. 268: Supplemental Appropriations Act

Thursday after 2:30pm

Friday

Friday

  • H.J.Res. 28: Continuing resolution through February 15th Passed by voice vote.
  • H.J.Res. 31: Forming a Conference Committee to negotiate funding for Homeland Security & border security Passed by voice vote.

House

Tuesday after 6:30pm (all suspensions)

  • H.R. 31: Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
  • H.R. 676: NATO Support Act Passed 357-22.
  • H.R. 328: Hack Your State Department Act Passed 377-3.
  • H.R. 498: Clean Up the Code Act Passed by voice vote.
  • H.R. 439: National FFA Organization’s Federal Charter Amendments Act Passed by voice vote.
  • H.R. 353: To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, and for other purposes Passed by voice vote.

Wednesday after 12pm

  • H.J.Res. 28: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019 Passed 229-184.
  • H.R. 648: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 Passed 234-180.

Thursday after 12pm

  • H.J.Res. 31: Further Continuing Appropriations for Homeland Security through February 28th Passed 231-180.

Friday

  • H.J.Res. 28: Continuing resolution through February 15th Passed by voice vote.
  • H.J.Res. 31: Forming a Conference Committee to negotiate funding for Homeland Security & border security Passed by voice vote.
  • H.R. 624: Promoting Transparent Standards for Corporate Insiders Act Vote postponed.
  • H.R. 502: FIND Trafficking Act Vote postponed.
  • H.R. 56: Financial Technology Protection Act Vote postponed.
  • H.R. 424: Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act Vote postponed.
  • H.R. 480: Homeland Threat Assessment Act Vote postponed.
  • H.R. 495: FIRST State and Local Law Enforcement Act Vote postponed.
  • H.R. 428: Homeland Security Assessment of Terrorists’ Use of Virtual Currencies Act Vote postponed.
  • H.R. 449: Pathways to Improving Homeland Security at the Local Level Act Vote postponed.
  • H.R. 504: DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act Vote postponed.

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

— Eric Revell