[author: Lai Lam]

The Senate convenes today at 3 p.m., and the House meets Tuesday at noon.

All eyes will be on the House chamber this week as members prepare to take up two bills to reform the U.S. immigration system and address the fate of DACA recipients (so-called “Dreamers”).

First up will be Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s Securing America’s Future Act (H.R. 4760), a measure that would, among other things, give Dreamers legal status but no pathway towards citizenship. The bill is expected to fail.

The second vote will be on a compromise bill, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act, drafted by House Republicans, which adheres to the White House’s immigration framework. The legislation would offer Dreamers a pathway towards citizenship, eliminate the diversity visa lottery program, provide funding for the border wall, and limit family-based immigration. According to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), the compromise bill would also end the policy of family separation. However, some immigration experts have argued that the draft bill does nothing to address the widely excoriated practice of separating children from their parents at the border. At this writing, passage of the compromise bill is a toss-up.

President Trump is expected to meet with House Republicans on Tuesday evening to discuss the immigration votes and affirm his support for their efforts.

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

House

Opioid Bills. The chamber will take up another tranche of bills addressing the opioid crisis.

Budget Resolution. Introducing a budget blueprint for fiscal year 2019 is a moot exercise at this point, but House Budget Chairman Steve Womack (R-AR) may still release a budget plan for messaging purposes.

Tax Cut Hearing. The House Financial Services Committee will hold a Wednesday hearing to examine how tax cuts and deregulation can empower a pro-growth economy.

Senate

Defense Vote. Members are preparing to take a final vote today on the FY 2019 defense reauthorization bill (H.R. 5515). Votes are expected to begin around 5:30 p.m. Passage is expected. As a refresher, H.R. 5515 also contains the language of the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (S. 2098), a measure that would update operations at the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ (CFIUS). Of note, it would expand CFIUS’s ability to review certain inbound foreign investments.

FY 2019 Appropriations Minibus. The Senate will tackle its first appropriations package (H.R. 5895) this week. The “minibus” has already cleared the House and covers funding for Energy-Water, Legislative Branch, and Milcon-VA. The first procedural vote will take place after the defense vote.

Rescissions Package. The White House’s $15 billion spending cuts package may face a Senate vote this week. The deadline to pass the rescissions package is June 22. It remains unclear whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has the necessary votes.

Key Hearings

Tuesday, 6/19

• Senate Appropriations Committee. Subcommittee markup on the FY 2019 Financial Services spending bill.

Wednesday, 6/20

• Senate Finance Committee. Hearing on “Current and Proposed Tariff Actions Administered by the Department of Commerce.” Secretary Ross to testify.
• Senate Finance Committee. Subcommittee hearing on trade and commerce at U.S. ports of entry.
• House Ways and Means Committee. Subcommittee hearing on “IRS and U.S. Department of Justice Efforts to Return Taxpayers’ Seized Funds.”
• House Financial Services Committee. Hearing on “Empowering a Pro-Growth Economy by Cutting Taxes and Regulatory Red Tape.”
• House Financial Services Committee. Subcommittee hearing on the illicit use of virtual currency.

Thursday, 6/21

• House Financial Services Committee. Hearing on the oversight of the SEC. Chairman Clayton to testify.