This Week on the Hill: Congress Returns for Busy Four-Week Legislative Blitz

House and Senate lawmakers will return from their two-week district work period this afternoon to begin four weeks of legislative business. For the month of May, House Democratic leadership plans to queue up votes on key policy priorities pertaining to drug pricing, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), climate change, and equal rights. Lawmakers are also expected to consider a host of financial services-related measures during this month, including: (1) legislation (H.R. 1994) intended to incentivize retirement savings; (2) a bill reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); and (3) a measure (H.R. 1500) that would reverse several actions taken by former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Mick Mulvaney.

Additionally, the lower chamber will take up another disaster relief bill (text; summary) in hopes of breaking a months-long impasse over the emergency funds. The latest $17.2 billion offer from House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) includes additional funding for the Army Corps of Engineers projects, Community Block Development Grants, and the Department of Agriculture's Emergency Conservation program. While members on both sides of the aisle have expressed urgency in passing a supplemental appropriations bill for states impacted by recent natural disasters, it remains to be seen whether President Donald Trump, Senate Republicans, and House Democrats can come to an agreement on funding for Puerto Rico — the primary sticking point in disaster relief negotiations. 

Meanwhile, lawmakers in both chambers will resume negotiations on a deal to raise budgetary spending caps. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have each stressed the bipartisan desire to skirt the $126 billion in automatic budget cuts set to go into effect on Oct. 1 if Congress fails to raise the mandatory and discretionary spending caps, as well as avoiding another stopgap spending measure. Despite this early camaraderie, it remains to be seen whether the two sides can navigate contentious political landmines — such as border security, “Medicare for All,” and the Green New Deal — to reach a compromise.

On the floor, Senators will resume consideration of pending presidential nominees, starting with the nomination of William Cooper to be General Counsel of the Department of Energy. A full list of nominations up for consideration can be accessed here. In the House, lawmakers will begin the week with consideration of three suspension bills out of the Natural Resources Committee