Look Ahead to the Week of February 2, 2026: Partial Shutdown Begins as the House Weighs Appropriations Bills

Administration

• A partial government shutdown began on January 31 after appropriations lapsed for the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security (DHS), Housing and Urban Development, Labor, State, Transportation, and Treasury.

House

• The House will work to pass the five full FY 2026 appropriations bills approved by the Senate last week, which cover all lapsed departments except DHS. DHS would be funded by a two‑week continuing resolution (CR).
• Democrats remain divided over whether to support the funding package.
• The Rules Committee will meet at 4:00 p.m. today to consider the appropriations package. A floor vote is expected on Tuesday at the earliest.
• Christian Menefee is expected to be sworn in today after winning a special runoff election in Texas, narrowing Republicans’ majority to one vote.
• The House may also take up resolutions holding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress.

Senate

• The Senate is in session this week after passing the funding package last Friday.

Hearings

February 2, 2026:

• House Committee on Rules will hold a meeting on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 and on four additional measures.

February 3, 2026:

• Senate Committee on Armed Services: To Receive Testimony on Strategic Competition in an Unconstrained, Post-New Start Treaty Environment.
• House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security: Frontline Defenders: How the Coast Guard’s Deployable Specialized Forces Combat Narcoterrorists and Other Maritime Threats on the High Seas.
• House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa: U.S. Policy Toward Lebanon: Obstacles to Dismantling Hezbollah’s Grip on Power.
• House Committee on the Judiciary will hold a markup to consider H.R. 1028 and H.J. Res. 139.
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold an executive session to consider five nominations and S. 71, Baby Changing on Board Act; S. 1898, ORBITS Act; S. 2585, MAP for Broadband Funding Act; S. 3199, 988 Lifeline Location Improvement Act of 2025; S. 3266, USMMA Athletics Act of 2025; S. 3468, National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act; S. 3639, SAT Streamlining Act; and S. 3700, FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026.
• House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs will hold a legislative hearing to consider H.R. 1004, Love Lives on Act of 2025; H.R. 1685, Justice for ALS Veterans of 2025; H.R. 2164, Dayton National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2025; H.R. 6698, Board of Veterans Appeals Annual Report Transparency Act of 2025; H.R. 6943, Veterans Burial Allowance and Reimbursement Act of 2026; Discussion Draft, National Cemetery Administration Annual Report Act of 2026; H.R. 4469, PRESUME Act; H.R. 5723, FRAUD in VA Disability Exam Act; and H.R. 5339, Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act.
• House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions: Building an AI-Ready America: Adopting AI at Work.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands: Fix Our Forests: The Need for Urgent Action One Year After the L.A. Wildfires.
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy: Oversight of FERC: Advancing Affordable and Reliable Energy for All Americans.
• Senate Committee on the Judiciary: The Truth Revealed: Hidden Facts Regarding Nazis and Swiss Banks.
• House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations: Common Schemes, Real Harm: Examining Fraud in Medicare and Medicaid.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs: Making Federal Economic Development Programs Work in Indian Country.
• Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights: Examining the Competitive Impact of the Proposed Netflix–Warner Brothers Transaction.
• Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission): Securing Syria’s Transformation by Diminishing Russia’s Influence.
• Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism: Countering Terrorism in North Africa: Opportunities and Challenges.

February 4, 2026:

• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a legislative hearing to consider H.R. 3276, Local Communities & Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025; H.R. 6021, Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment Act; H.R. 6568, Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act; and H.R. 7159, Protecting Local Zoos Act of 2026.
• House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee Markup of the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026.
• House Committee on the Judiciary: Europe’s Threat to American Speech and Innovation: Part II.
• House Committee on Financial Services: The Annual Report of the Financial Stability Oversight Council.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a full committee markup to consider multiple measures, including the Federal Acquisition Security Council Improvement Act of 2026 and the Modernizing Government Technology Reform Act.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will hold a business meeting to consider S.J. Res. 102, a Joint Resolution Disapproving the Action of the District of Columbia Council in Approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025.
• Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works: Identifying and Addressing Cybersecurity Challenges to Protect America’s Water Infrastructure.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Hit the Road, Mac: The Future of Self-Driving Cars.
• House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development: Runaway College Spending Meets the Working Families Tax Cuts.
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology: Evaluating FirstNet: Performance, Accountability, and Reauthorization.
• Senate Committee on the Judiciary will hold a hearing to examine pending nominations.
• House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa: Defending Religious Freedom Around the World.
• House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization: Digital G.I. Bill Undelivered: Contracting Challenges and the Need for Acquisition Reform.
• House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets: A New Day at the SEC: Restoring Accountability, Due Process, and Public Confidence.
• Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will hold a legislative hearing to consider S. 2098, Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025; S. 1055, Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act; and S. 699, Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act of 2025.
• Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights: Somali Scammers: Fighting Fraud in Minnesota and Beyond.
• Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation: A Pathway To European Energy Security.
• Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Independent Spirits: Veteran Health & Healing through Adaptive Sports.

February 5, 2026:

• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: On Track for Secure Retirement: Examining the Success of the Railroad Retirement Board.
• Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: The Financial Stability Oversight Council’s Annual Report to Congress.
• Senate Committee on the Judiciary will hold a business meeting to consider three nominations and S. 2544, GUARD Act; S. 1809, Drone Espionage Act; and S. 3023, Safe Cloud Storage Act.

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