[author: Lai Lam]

The Senate convenes today at 4 p.m. to resume consideration of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155). The House returns Tuesday at noon.

Lawmakers are still trying to wrap up their work on the FY 2018 omnibus spending bill – the deadline is March 23. Progress has stalled due to the GOP’s attempt to insert a few family planning policy riders, such as defunding Planned Parenthood. Democrats are vehemently opposed to these poison-pill additions.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) told lawmakers that they would need to introduce the omnibus legislation by March 14 to avoid the possibility of having to do another CR.

Here’s what else is in store for the week:

House

Votes. The chamber will take up consideration of the following tax and financial services bills:

• H.R. 3996 – the Protecting Access to the Courts for Taxpayers Act would permit other courts to transfer certain cases to the U.S. Tax Court.
• H.R. 1116 – the TAILOR Act would require federal financial regulatory agencies to take risk profiles and business models of institutions into account when taking regulatory actions.
• H.R. 4545 – the Financial Institutions Examination Fairness and Reform Act would allow financial institutions to challenge findings by bank examiners.
• H.R. 4263 – the Regulation A+ Improvement Act would expand the Regulation A+ exemption and require the SEC to adjust the threshold for inflation every two years. The bill would also limit the registration and disclosure requirements for certain companies. 

Financial Services Hearings. The House Financial Services Committee has scheduled a series of subcommittee hearings to examine issues related to cryptocurrency, SEC enforcement, and data security. See details in the activities section below.

Extenders Hearing. The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax Policy will hold a Wednesday hearing on tax extenders.

Senate

Banking Bill. The chamber will resume consideration of Sen. Crapo’s regulatory relief bill for community banks (S. 2155). A cloture vote on the substitute amendment has been scheduled for 5:30 p.m. today At this writing, Republicans and Democrats have not reached an agreement on amendments (i.e., which amendments will actually get a vote.). By Friday’s count, 146 amendments have been filed.

Nomination Vote. The chamber will consider the nomination of Kevin K. McAleenan to be the commissioner of U.S. Protection at the Department of Homeland Security.

Key Hearings

Monday, 3/12

• House Small Business Committee. A field hearing on “Disparities in Access to Capital: What the Federal Government Is Doing to Increase Support For Minority Owned Firms.”

Wednesday, 3/14

• Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans. The new joint select committee will hold an open session to organize the panel.
• House Financial Services Committee. Subcommittee to hold a hearing on “Examining the Cryptocurrencies and ICO Markets.”
• House Budget Committee. Hearing on “CBO Oversight: Perspectives from Outside Experts.”
• House Ways and Means Committee. Subcommittee hearing on “Post Tax Reform Evaluation of Recently Expired Tax Provisions.”
• House Oversight Committee. Committee hearing on the federal regulatory process.
• House Budget Committee. Hearing on “CBO Oversight: Perspectives from Outside Experts.”

Thursday, 3/15

• House Financial Services Committee. Subcommittee hearing on “Evaluating CFIUS: Administration Perspectives.”
• House Financial Services Committee. Subcommittee hearing on “After the Breach: the Monetization and Illicit Use of Stolen Data.”
• House Appropriations Committee. Subcommittee hearing on the FY 2019 budget request from the Department of Transportation.
• House Appropriations Committee. Subcommittee hearing on the FY 2019 budget request from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Friday, 3/16

• House Financial Services Committee. Subcommittee hearing on “Oversight of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement.”