Summary
The House and Senate are both in session this week and the President’s fiscal year 2024 will be released on Thursday. The Senate is expected to vote on a GOP-led resolution to block D.C. from implementing its revised criminal code. The House passed the measure last month and President Biden has agreed to sign it, much to the consternation of progressive Democrats. The House will vote on a slate of bills including several Veterans related bill; a resolution to require the President to remove Armed Forces from Syria; a bill to expand the Hatch Act to prohibit federal employees from censoring lawful speech; and, a bill to require the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information relating to the origin of COVID-19.
FY 2024 President’s Budget Request
The President’s fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget request will be formally sent to Congress on Thursday, though some supplemental tables and agency justifications may not be released until next Monday, March 13. The budget request is expected to highlight the administration’s legislative accomplishments last Congress, including the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act. It will also be the first official move in what is expected to be a months-long negotiation between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and the Administration on how to deal with the need to raise the debt ceiling. The budget release will come a day after House lawmakers from both parties are scheduled to hear from Congressional Budget Office Director Phillip Swagel on CBO’s budget and economic projections.
Hearings
In addition to kicking off the FY 2024 budget hearings, this week, both chambers will convene hearings on an array of health-related policy priorities, including COVID-19 and health care for older adults. As noted in the calendar below, committees will also hold hearings on housing, artificial intelligence, and environmental health.
- COVID-19: The House Oversight and Accountability Committee will convene two hearings on COVID-19. On Wednesday, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic will discuss the origins of COVID-19. The panel includes Dr. Robert Redfield, who served as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the Trump Administration. On Thursday, the full committee will question inspector generals from the Department of Treasury, Small Business Administration and Department of Labor on ways the federal government can limit improper payments of pandemic relief funds.
- Health Care for Older Adults: On Thursday, the Senate Special Committee on Aging will hold a hearing on ways to support families, workers, and older adults. Last month, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aging, and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee encouraged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to establish minimum staffing residents in nursing homes.