This Week in Congress: Gun Background Checks, Protecting Infants Born After Failed Abortions, and Ending Trump’s Nat’l Emergency

Congress returns from its Presidents Day recess this week with the threat of a partial government shutdown over border security behind it, but a new fight over the national emergency declared by President Donald Trump is brewing.

The House starts its week Monday with votes on seven relatively uncontroversial bills under the fast-track suspension of the rules process, including bills to enhance penalties for pirating radio broadcasts and to strengthen a task force that prevents healthcare fraud. Tuesday will feature votes on a resolution to terminate Trump’s border security emergency declaration and a bipartisan public lands & natural resources package. The rest of the week will be focused on bills to strengthen firearm background checks by requiring gun dealers to wait for a completed background check and lengthening the review period.

The Senate convenes on Monday when it’ll take a procedural vote on a bill that’d punish healthcare providers who don’t try to save infants born alive after attempted abortions. If it succeeds, debate and an eventual passage vote could follow. Whenever that debate concludes, the Senate will take a procedural vote on the nomination of Eric D. Miller to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Later in the week the Senate could move on to other nominations, including that of Andrew Wheeler to be EPA Administrator.

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

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

House

Monday after 6:30pm (all suspensions)

• H.R. 583: PIRATE Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 525: Strengthening the Health Care Fraud Prevention Task Force Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 276: Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees Act Passed 387-19.
• H.R. 425: Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 539: Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act of 2019 Passed 385-18.
• H.R. 501: Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1235: MSPB Temporary Term Extension Act Passed by voice vote.

Tuesday after 12pm

• H.J.Res. 46: Relating to a national emergency declared by the president on February 15, 2019 Passed 245-182.
• S. 47: Natural Resources Management Act Passed 363-62.

Wednesday after 12pm

• H.R. 8: Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 Passed 240-190.

Thursday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 1112: Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019 Passed 228-198.

Senate

Monday after 5:30pm

• Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to S. 311: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act Not invoked 53-44 (60 votes required).
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Eric D. Miller to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Invoked 51-46 (majority required).

Tuesday

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Eric D. Miller to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Confirmed 53-46.
• Cloture vote on the nomination of Michael Desmond to be Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service and an Assistant General Counsel in the Treasury Dept. Invoked 84-15.

Wednesday

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Michael Desmond to be Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service and an Assistant General Counsel in the Treasury Dept. Confirmed 83-15.
• Cloture vote on the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Invoked 52-46

Thursday

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Confirmed 52-47.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of John Ryder to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2021 Confirmed by voice vote.

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

— Eric Revell