This Week in Congress: Rejoining the Paris Agreement & Ending Support for the Saudi Coalition in Yemen’s Civil War

Congress returns this week after two weeks away for a Easter & Passover recess with debates over climate change and war powers set to dominate the week’s agenda on the floor.

The House convenes Monday when it’ll vote on three relatively uncontroversial bills under the fast-track suspension of the rules, including bills to give states more time to use existing federal grants for public shooting ranges and to improve safety & sanitation at Columbia River Treaty tribal fishing sites. Tuesday will feature further votes on suspension bills, including resolutions to promote financial literacy among young & elderly people, and set up a task force to prevent financial crimes against seniors. The rest of the week will be focused on a bill that’d stop efforts to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on climate change and require the administration to develop a plan to meet the agreement’s pollution reduction goals.

At a time to be determined this week the Senate is expected to try to override President Donald Trump’s veto of a bill that’d withdraw U.S. forces supporting the Saudi-led coalition against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen, which would require a two-thirds vote to succeed. On Monday it’ll take a procedural vote and potentially a confirmation vote on the nomination of the Dept. of Energy’s general counsel. The rest of the week’s slate of nominations that may be up for eventual confirmation votes includes five district court judges and two other executive branch officials.

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. 1222: Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 91: Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act Passed 396-18.
• H.R. 317: Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Land Affirmation Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.

Tuesday after 12pm (all suspensions)

• H.R. 1876: Senior Security Act of 2019 Passed 392-20.
• H.Res. 327: Encouraging greater public-private sector collaboration to promote financial literacy for students and young adults Agreed to by voice vote.
• H.Res. 328: Supporting the protection of elders through financial literacy Agreed to 411-6.
• H.R. 1449: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3033 203rd Street in Olympia Fields, Illinois, as the “Captain Robert L. Martin Post Office” Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1198: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 404 South Boulder Highway in Henderson, Nevada, as the “Henderson Veterans Memorial Post Office Building” Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 828: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 25 Route 111 in Smithtown, New York, as the “Congressman Bill Carney Post Office” Passed by voice vote.

Wednesday after 12pm

• H.R. 9: Climate Action Now Act Amendment votes only.

Thursday between 9am-3pm

• H.R. 9: Climate Action Now Act Passed 231-190.

SENATE

Monday after 5:30pm

• Cloture motion on the nomination of William Cooper to be General Counsel of the Dept. of Energy Invoked 63-32.

Tuesday after 11:45am

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of William Cooper to be General Counsel of the Dept. of Energy Confirmed 68-31.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of R. Clarke Cooper to be an Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs Invoked 91-8.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of R. Clarke Cooper to be an Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs Confirmed 90-8.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Gordon Hartogensis to be Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for a term of 5 years Invoked 72-27.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Gordon Hartogensis to be Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for a term of 5 years Confirmed 72-27.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of J. Campbell Barker to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas Invoked 52-46.

Wednesday after 11:45am

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of J. Campbell Barker to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas Confirmed 51-47.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Andrew Brasher to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Alabama Invoked 52-47.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Andrew Brasher to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Alabama Confirmed 52-47.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Rodolfo Ruiz II to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico Invoked 89-10.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Raul Arias-Marxuach to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico Invoked 94-5.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Joshua Wolson to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Invoked 64-35.

Thursday after 10:30am

• S.J.Res. 7: Yemen War Powers Resolution Veto sustained 53-45 (2/3 required for override).
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Rodolfo Ruiz II to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico Confirmed 90-8.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Raul Arias-Marxuach to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico Confirmed 95-3.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Joshua Wolson to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Confirmed 65-33.

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

— Eric Revell