Today on the Hill: House to Clear FSGG Spending Bill

House lawmakers are set to pick up amendment debate on the fiscal year (FY) 2020 spending bill for Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) this afternoon. Thus far, the House has debated 10 out of the 46 amendments that have been made in order, approving a measure that would prevent the relocation of two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies to the Kansas City metropolitan area. Additional amendments up for consideration today includes a host of measures from House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) that would: (1) block the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from implementing its Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI); (2) block registration of companies that force shareholders to accept mandatory arbitration clauses; and (3) prevent the SEC from changing rules around shareholder proposals.

In the upper chamber, Senators will resume amendment debate on its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 1790). The timeline for final passage of the Senate’s NDAA bill is unclear at this moment, as Democrats have threatened to block cloture on the measure unless Senate Republicans allow a vote on an amendment that would prevent President Donald Trump from using military force against Iran without Congressional approval. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has made similar threats to slow down the process, pressuring Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to bring his amendments — including one that repeals the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) — to the floor for debate.