Both the House and Senate will be in session this week.
Last week, Congress passed a one-week stopgap funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. Negotiators have reached a deal with respect to the topline numbers and must now continue their work to draft the details and text of the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that would fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year ahead of the current December 23 deadline. Appropriators said they’re confident they can meet Friday’s deadline, but acknowledged it’ll be a difficult process. The package is expected to contain up to $37 billion in additional aid for Ukraine and a provision to overhaul the Electoral Count Act to update how Congress certifies election results. There is also a last-minute effort by agricultural groups to include language from the Affordable and Secure Food Act that would reform the H-2A visa program.
Additionally, the bipartisan House committee that has been investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol plans to finish its 17-month probe and issue recommendations this week in an extensive report that includes supporting documents backing criminal referrals against Donald Trump and several associates, and proposed civil actions against others.
Administration
On Monday, President Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso.
House Side
The House is scheduled to return on Wednesday to consider the omnibus spending bill the Senate is working to pass. If senators advance the bill sooner, members will get 24 hours’ notice before they are called back to the Capitol for a vote on the funding package, according to a schedule update from Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD). The notice indicated that votes on suspension bills are planned, although details have yet to be released.
Senate Side
On Monday, the Senate will resume consideration of Martin Gruenberg’s nomination to be a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) board. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has indicated the chamber may also consider the nominations of Travis Hill and Jonathan McKernan to be the two additional members of the FDIC board. The upper chamber may also consider the nomination of Kimberly Ann McClain to be an assistant secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
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