This Week in Congress: The Top Secret Intelligence Budget & Unfunded Federal Mandates

Congress returns from its Fourth of July recess this week to kickoff what’s expected to be a busy month in the Capitol before the House breaks for its summer break.

The House convenes Tuesday when it’ll consider 16 relatively uncontroversial bills under the fast-track “suspension of the rules” process, That slate includes a bill to reauthorize the SCORE program, which links entrepreneurs with retired executive advisors and another to give Peace Corps volunteers a raise. It’ll vote Wednesday on a bill that’d give regional fishery management councils more flexibility for rebuilding depleted fisheries and setting annual catch limits. Thursday’s highlight will be a vote on a two-year budget for intelligence activities, much of which is classified. Finally, the House will wrap up its week Friday when it votes on a bill to increase public reporting about the cost of federal mandates contained in bills and regulations.

The Senate returns Monday, but its agenda is yet to be announced.

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

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

House

Tuesday after 6:30pm (all suspensions)

• H.R. 1700: SCORE for Small Business Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2259: Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Enhancement Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2655: Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017 Vote postponed.
• H.Res. 644: Strongly condemning the slave auctions of migrants and refugees in Libya, and for other purposes, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5626: Intercountry Adoption Information Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5970: Modernizing Disclosures for Investors Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5953: BUILD Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5877: Main Street Growth Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5749: Options Markets Stability Act, as amended Passed 385-0.
• H.R. 5793: Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act of 2018 Passed 368-19.
• H.R. 4537: International Insurance Standards Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 1861: The Larry Doby Congressional Gold Medal Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6139: Improving Investment Research for Small and Emerging Issuers Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5729: Transportation Worker Identification Credential Accountability Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.Res. 983: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Nation now faces a more complex and grave set of threats than at any time since the end of World War II and that the continued use of continuing resolutions to fund defense-related activities puts servicemen and servicewomen at risk, harms national security, and aids the adversaries of the United States Vote postponed.
• H.Res. 984: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the use of continuing resolutions to fund defense-related activities erodes military readiness and poses an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States Vote postponed.

Wednesday after 12pm

• H.R. 200: Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Passed 222-193.
• H.R. 2075: Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act Passed by voice vote.

Thursday after 12pm

• H.R. 6237: Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019 Passed 363-54.
• H.R. 3281: Reclamation Title Transfer and Non-Federal Infrastructure Incentivization Act Passed 233-184.

Friday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 50: Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2017 Passed 230-168.

Senate

Monday after 5:30pm

• Cloture vote on the nomination of Mark Bennett to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Invoked 72-25.

Tuesday after 2:15pm

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Mark Bennett to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Confirmed 72-27.
• Cloture vote on the nomination of Brian Benczkowski to be an Assistant Attorney General Invoked 51-48.
• Compound motion to go to conference on H.R. 5515: NDAA for FY19 Adopted 91-8.

Wednesday after 12pm

• Compound motion to go to conference on H.R. 5895: Minibus Appropriations Adopted by voice vote.
• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Brian Benczkowski to be an Assistant Attorney General Confirmed 51-48.
• Cloture motion on the nomination of Paul Ney, Jr. to be General Counsel of the Dept. of Defense Invoked 74-25.

Thursday

• Confirmation vote on the nomination of Paul Ney, Jr. to be General Counsel of the Dept. of Defense Confirmed 70-23.

Friday

• No votes are expected.

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

— Eric Revell