Below is this week’s congressional update by BakerHostetler’s Federal Policy team. We’ll continue to post in weeks when both chambers of Congress are in session.

HEADLINES

• Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., enters his first full week as Speaker of the House.
• Congress is focused on government funding legislation as well as aid to Israel, which has begun its ground operation against Hamas in Gaza.
• President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on artificial intelligence, and host a summit with leaders from the Western Hemisphere at the White House.

HOUSE

• After struggling to pass appropriations legislation over the summer, House Republicans will begin trying again under the new speaker, with floor votes scheduled on three spending bills. The House also plans to vote on aid to Israel.
• The Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee will hold a hearing Thursday titled “Trust in Transparency: Holding VA Accountable and Protecting Whistleblowers.”
• Also Thursday, the Financial Services Committee will hold an oversight hearing on the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• The rest of the House committee schedule can be found here.

SENATE

• The Senate will be in session today through Thursday, voting on a package of appropriations bills, and potentially also Jack Lew’s nomination to be ambassador to Israel.
• The Appropriations Committee tomorrow will review the administration’s national security supplemental funding request, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III.
• Also tomorrow, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on threats to the homeland with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Chris Wray, and National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid.
• Additional Senate committee meetings can be found here.

WHITE HOUSE

• Today, the president will host a White House event to roll out an executive order for regulating artificial intelligence.
• Biden on Wednesday will travel to Minnesota to promote his economic agenda.
• Friday, he will host Western Hemisphere leaders at the White House for the inaugural Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Leaders’ Summit.

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