Senate Tries to Take Up Police Reform & Fills Last Circuit Court Vacancy, House Passes Police Reform & D.C. Statehood

What’s happening in Congress?

• It’s set to be a busy week in the Capitol, with both chambers set to consider police reform legislation. The House’s return from its four week recess on Thursday, June 25th, will mark the first day since March 11th that both chambers of Congress will be in session at the same time for floor work.
• The Senate starts its fourth consecutive work week on Monday, June 22nd, with a procedural vote on the last remaining vacancy to a federal appellate court. Once it completes its consideration of Judge Cory Wilson’s nomination, it will attempt to begin considering a police reform bill known as the JUSTICE Act.
• When the House returns on Thursday for its first floor vote in a month, it’s expected to take up Democrats’ police reform bill ― the Justice in Policing Act ― on Thursday, followed by a bill to make the District of Columbia the 51st state on Friday, among several other bills.

SENATE SCHEDULE

• The Senate begins its work week Monday with a procedural vote on the nomination of Judge Cory Wilson to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. If Wilson is confirmed, he would be the 200th judge nominated by President Donald Trump on the federal bench and would fill the last current vacancy on the federal appellate courts. A confirmation vote will likely occur Tuesday or Wednesday, at which point the focus will shift to the JUSTICE Act.
• The first procedural vote on the JUSTICE Act will be to invoke cloture motion on the motion to proceed, which basically limits debate before a motion to start debate on the bill to 30 hours. The timing of the procedural vote will depend on when cloture is filed, because the motion has to “ripen” for an intervening day, so unless the Senate reaches a unanimous consent agreement to vote on the bill sooner it’s likely that Wednesday will be the earliest it can be considered if the motion is filed Monday. 
• If the initial procedural vote gets the 60 votes it needs, the Senate will be officially debating the JUSTICE Act, and there will likely be more procedural votes ― including on a motion to proceed (which requires a simple majority) and another cloture motion, plus any amendments, before a passage vote.
• Because of the time involved with post-cloture debate, the likelihood of a second cloture motion being required, and the complexity of arranging amendment votes, it’s quite possible that the Senate’s debate on the JUSTICE Act could continue into the weekend or next week before a passage vote.
• Committees will hold several hearings, including on the role of the Strategic National Stockpile in pandemic response, China’s culpability and liability for the COVID-19 pandemic, and lessons learned for the next pandemic.

HOUSE SCHEDULE 

• The House convenes on Thursday for a vote on its police reform bill, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, in addition to a bill to improve a patent acceleration program.
• Friday will feature votes on a bill to make the District of Columbia the 51st state and an attempt to override the president’s veto of a bill to reverse the administration’s changes to the borrower defense rule. The House will also consider a bill to create a national memorial at the site of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, and to begin its consideration of bills to protect consumers’ credit scores & reverse regulatory changes to the Community Reinvestment Act.
• Committees will hold several hearings, including on health & wealth inequality in the COVID-19 pandemic, racial inequities in health, education, and the workforce during the pandemic, and on political interference at the Justice Dept.

Check below 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 Judge Cory Wilson to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Invoked 51-43.

Wednesday after 11:30am

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Judge Cory Wilson to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Confirmed 52-48.
• Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to S. 3985: JUSTICE Act Not invoked 55-45. (60 votes required)

Thursday after 1:30pm

• Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to S. 4049: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 Invoked 90-7.

HOUSE

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

• No votes are expected.

Thursday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 7120: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 Passed 236-181.
• H.R. 7259: Patents for Humanity Program Improvement Act Passed by voice vote.

Friday after 12pm

• H.R. 51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act Passed 232-180.
• Attempt to Override the Veto of H.J.Res. 76: Reversing Borrower Defense Rule Changes (2/3 vote required) Veto override failed 238-173.
• H.R. 3094: To designate the National Pulse Memorial at 1912 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, and for other purposes Passed by voice vote.
• Begin consideration of H.J.Res. 90: Reversing Community Reinvestment Act Regulatory Changes
• Begin consideration of H.R. 5332: Protecting Your Credit Score Act of 2019

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

— Eric Revell