This Week in Congress: A “Minibus” Spending Package and (Maybe) Immigration Reform Bills

Congress could be headed for another showdown over immigration policy this week, as it remains to be seen whether the House will bring two bills up for votes that would provide legal status for DACA recipients and funding for border security.

The Senate starts its week on Monday, when it votes on the passage of a bill authorizing $708 billion in defense spending for fiscal year 2019. It’ll then move onto the consideration of a “minibus” appropriations bill that’d provide $145 billion in FY19 funding for military construction & veterans affairs, energy & water programs, and the legislative branch. That bill will likely be debated over the course of several days before a passage vote later in the week.

The House begins its week Tuesday when it will consider 19 bills, the bulk of which are aimed at mitigating the opioid addiction epidemic. It’ll then turn its attention to bills to improve opioid abuse treatment programs under Medicaid & Medicare, include past drug abuse treatment in patient records, and give state Medicaid programs matching federal dollars for inpatient opioid abuse treatment.

There are also a few bills that might come up depending on the results of a meeting between President Donald Trump and House Republicans on Tuesday on immigration reform. It could open the door for the House to vote on two bills later in the week ― a conservative bill to secure the border, provide legal status for DACA recipients, and reform the legal immigration system and a compromise bill drafted by leadership that hasn’t been formally introduced yet. An agreement on immigration votes could also lead to the Farm Bill being brought back up for a vote at some point this week.

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

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

House

Monday

• No votes are expected.

Tuesday after 6:30pm (all suspensions)

• H.R. 5676: SENIOR Communities Protection Act of 2018, as amended Passed 356-3.
• H.R. 3192: CHIP Mental Health Parity Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4005: Medicaid Reentry Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5590: Opioid Addiction Action Plan Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5774: COACH Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5687: SOUND Disposal and Packaging Act, as amended Passed 342-13.
• H.R. 5605: Advancing High Quality Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in Medicare Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5796: REACH OUT Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5801: Medicaid PARTNERSHIP Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5811: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to post approval study requirements for certain controlled substances, and for other purposes Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6042: To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay the reduction in Federal medical assistance percentage for Medicaid personal care services furnished without an electronic visit verification system, and for other purposes, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5773: PASS Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5723: Expanding Oversight of Opioid Prescribing and Payment Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5775: Expanding Oversight of Opioid Prescribing and Payment Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6110: Dr. Todd Graham Pain Management, Treatment, and Recovery Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4991: Supporting Research and Development for First Responders Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5762: Joint Task Force to Combat Opioid Trafficking Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4627: Shielding Public Spaces from Vehicular Terrorism Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.

Wednesday after 10am

• H.R. 6082: Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act Passed 357-57.
• H.R. 5797: Individuals in Medicaid Deserve Care that is Appropriate and Responsible in its Delivery Act Passed 261-155.
• H.R. 5925: CRISIS Act Passed by voice vote.

Thursday after 10am

• H.R. 4760: Securing America's Future Act of 2018 Failed 193-231.
• H.R. 2: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 Passed 213-211.

Friday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 6: SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act Passed 396-14.
• H.R. 6136: Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018 Vote postponed.

Senate

Monday after 5:30pm

• H.R. 5515: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Passed 85-10.
• Cloture vote on the motion to proceed to H.R. 5895: Minibus Appropriations for Military Construction & Veterans Affairs, Energy & Water, and the Legislative Branch Invoked 92-3.
• Motion to proceed to H.R. 5895: Minibus Appropriations for Military Construction & Veterans Affairs, Energy & Water, and the Legislative Branch Agreed by voice vote.

Tuesday

• Debating amendments to H.R. 5895: Minibus Appropriations for Military Construction & Veterans Affairs, Energy & Water, and the Legislative Branch

Wednesday

• Debating amendments to H.R. 5895: Minibus Appropriations for Military Construction & Veterans Affairs, Energy & Water, and the Legislative Branch
• Motion to discharge H.R. 3: Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act Failed 48-50.

Thursday

• Debating amendments to H.R. 5895: Minibus Appropriations for Military Construction & Veterans Affairs, Energy & Water, and the Legislative Branch

You can tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills using the "Take Action" button!

— Eric Revell