Today on the Hill: House Resumes Spending Bill Frenzy

House lawmakers return to action this afternoon as another marathon legislative work week is taking shape. The lower chamber will resume consideration of amendments to the first appropriations “minibus,” beginning with postponed roll call votes on the Defense portion of the four-bill spending package. Votes are expected past the midnight hour tonight, as GOP lawmakers will reportedly continue to request roll call votes on amendments to the State-Foreign Operations section of the bill that are slated for consideration later today.

Prior to resuming work on appropriations, the House is expected to pass a bipartisan suspension bill (H.R. 3253) out of the Energy and Commerce Committee that provides extensions for certain Medicaid programs. This includes extensions for: (1) the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration; (2) protections for Medicaid recipients of home and community based services against spousal impoverishment; and (3) the Community Mental Health Services Demonstration Program. The measure would also seek to prevent low rebates under the Medicaid drug rebate program, boost funding for the Medicaid Improvement Fund, and promote further investigation of Medicaid patient abuse and neglect in all settings.

Meanwhile, the upper chamber will return this afternoon to resume consideration of five pending presidential nominations, starting with the nomination of Sean Cairncross to be Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. The Senate will also look to clear four Judicial nominees, including: (1) Matthew J. Kacsmaryk to be a District Judge for the Northern District of Texas; (2) Allen Winsor to be a District Judge for the Northern District of Florida; (3) James Cain, Jr. to be a District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana; and (4) Greg Guidry to be a District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.