Below is the Federal Policy team’s weekly preview, published each week when Congress is in session.
HEADLINES
• Furloughed federal employees are returning to work for at least three weeks after President Trump signed a short-term funding bill to allow lawmakers time to negotiate on an immigration and border security package.
• A Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He will visit Washington for talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, which officials believe will be critical to a potential opportunity to relieve trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
• Committees on both sides of the Capitol plan Tuesday hearings focused on prescription drug prices.
HOUSE
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The House has votes planned today through Thursday. The agenda includes legislation to provide a pay increase for civilian federal workers.
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The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday will hold a hearing on prescription drug pricing.
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A conference committee of House and Senate lawmakers is set to negotiate border security legislation seeking to avert another shutdown.
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Any additional committee activity will be listed here.
SENATE
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The Senate will reconvene today and resume consideration of a Middle East policy bill that stalled amid the shutdown.
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The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on prescription drug prices.
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The Senate Armed Services Committee has hearings scheduled Tuesday on cybersecurity and on China and Russia.
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The current list of Senate committee activity can be found here.
WHITE HOUSE
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Trump’s State of the Union Address was postponed from Tuesday because of the shutdown; a new date is not yet determined.
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Today, Trump will have lunch with Vice President Pence.
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Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will be in Washington Wednesday and Thursday for talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, seeking to resolve wide-ranging trade disputes between the two governments.