This Week in Congress: Permanently Funding 9/11 Victim Compensation and Setting Hygiene & Shelter Standards for Border Detention Facilities

It will be a busy and contentious week on Capitol Hill with the House in for its last scheduled D.C. work week until September, while negotiations continue between the White House and congressional Democrats over budget caps and a debt limit increase.

The Senate kicks off this week’s floor action on Monday with a procedural vote on the nomination of Mark Esper to be Secretary of Defense. If it succeeds, a confirmation vote will follow on Wednesday along with consideration of a bill to permanently reauthorize the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The rest of the week will include debate on the nominations of Stephen Dickson to be FAA Administrator, and two district court judges.

The House convenes on Tuesday when it’ll consider 23 bills under the fast-track suspension of the rules process, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage. Among those are bills to provide additional aid to Israel, sanction financial supporters of Palestinian terror groups, and express that the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement is counterproductive to achieving a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

If a budget caps & debt limit deal is reached between House Democrats and the White House, the chamber will likely take up the bill before the end of the week. The Senate could then follow suit this week or next week, when it’s scheduled to hold its final D.C. work week before September. If no agreement is reached, both chambers may work during their respective August recesses to strike a deal and pass a bill to avoid a first-ever U.S. default.

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

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

SENATE

Monday after 5:30pm

• Cloture motion on the nomination of Mark Esper to be Secretary of Defense Invoked 85-6.

Tuesday after 12pm

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Mark Esper to be Secretary of Defense Confirmed 90-8.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Stephen Dickson to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for a term of five years Invoked 52-45.
• Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) amendment to H.R. 1327: Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Not agreed to 32-66.
• Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) amendment to H.R. 1327: Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Not agreed to 22-77.
• H.R. 1327: Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Passed 97-2.

Wednesday after 11am

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Stephen Dickson to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for a term of five years Confirmed 52-40.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Brian Buescher to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Nebraska Invoked 52-39.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Wendy Williams to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida Invoked 55-37.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Brian Buescher to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Nebraska Confirmed 51-40.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Wendy Williams to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida Confirmed 54-37.

Thursday after 10am

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Mark Milley to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Confirmed 89-1.

HOUSE

Tuesday after 2pm (under suspension of the rules)

• H.Res. 246: Opposing efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel and the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting Israel, as amended Agreed to 398-17, 5 present.
• H.R. 1837: United States-Israel Cooperation Enhancement and Regional Security Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1850: Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevent Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 549: Venezuela TPS Act of 2019, as amended Failed 268-154 (two-thirds required).
• S. 504: LEGION Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2397: American Manufacturing Leadership Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2938: HAVEN Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 36: Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3196: Vera C. Rubin Observation Designation Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 34: Energy and Water Research Integration Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1665: Building Blocks of STEM Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3153: EFFORT Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 617: Department of Energy and Veterans’ Health Initiative Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.Res. 358: Calling on the Government of Cameroon and armed groups to respect the human rights of all Cameroonian citizens, to end all the violence, and to pursue a broad-based dialogue without preconditions to resolve the conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2943: Providing Benefits Information in Spanish and Tagalog for Veterans and Families Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2942: HEALTH Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3504: Ryan Kules Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3304: National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act of 2019 Passed 417-1.
• H.R. 3311: Small Business Reorganizing Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1984: DISASTER Act Vote postponed.
• H.R. 3409: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 3245: Restore Harmony Way Bridge Act Vote postponed.
• H.R. 1307: Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act Vote postponed.

Wednesday after 12pm

• H.R. 3239: Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act Passed 233-195.
• H.R. 397: Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act Passed 264-169.
• H.R. 3375: Stopping Bad Robocalls Act Passed 429-3.
• H.R. 3299: PRIDE Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1984: DISASTER Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3352: Department of State Authorization Act of 2019, as amended Vote postponed.
• H.R. 2507: Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 693: PAST Act Vote postponed.
• H.R. 3409: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3245: Restore Harmony Way Bridge Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1307: Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2035: Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1058: Autism CARES Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1365: To make technical corrections to the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 434: Emancipation National Historic Trail Study Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 776: Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 759: Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas Equal and Fair Opportunity Settlement Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.

Thursday after 12pm

• H.R. 3877: Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 Passed 284-149.
• H.R. 549: Venezuela TPS Act of 2019, as amended Passed 272-158.
• H.R. 693: PAST Act Passed 333-96.
• H.R. 3670: Short-Term Detention Standards Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3352: Department of State Authorization Act of 2019, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2336: Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019 Passed by voice vote.
• Additional legislative items are possible.

Friday between 9am & 3pm

• H.R. 2203: Homeland Security Improvement Act
• H.R. 3525: U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act, as amended
• H.R. 3868: HOMESTEAD Act of 2019
• H.Res. 507: Affirming the validity of subpoenas duly issued and investigations undertaken by any standing or permanent select committee of the House of Representatives pursuant to authorities delegated by the Constitution and the Rules of the House of Representatives
• Additional legislative items are expected.

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

— Eric Revell