This Week on the Hill: Disaster Relief Bill Set to Clear the House

Lawmakers will return to Washington this afternoon for a busy June legislative session. In the House, Democratic leadership plans to bring fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations bills to the floor starting on the week of June 12. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) stated that the lower chamber will look to clear each one of the spending bills prior to the Independence Day district work period.

For today, the House will begin its week with consideration of four measures under suspension of the rules. This includes consideration of the $19.1 billion disaster relief bill, which is expected to pass the House and be signed by President Donald Trump after a monthslong delay over issues pertaining to Puerto Rico and border security. The lower chamber will also consider a bill, H.R. 2940, that would extend funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program through September 30, 2019.

While the House has mapped out its plan for FY 2020 appropriations, the Senate’s timeline to address these spending measures remains unclear. In the meantime, Senators are expected to continue clearing their presidential nominations queue while Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) tees up consideration of several key presidential nominees, including Andrew Saul to be Commissioner of Social Security, Heath Tarbert to be Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and Susan Combs to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior.