This Week on the Hill: Spending Agreement Reached; Republicans Search for AHCA Votes

Last night, congressional negotiators reached an agreement on a spending bill that will provide government funding through the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The $1 trillion deal includes increased funds for border security and defense, two Republican priorities, as well as a permanent extension for a program that provides health benefits to coal miners. Despite the concessions, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called the deal “a good agreement for the American people” that avoids any threat of a government shutdown and excludes so-called “poison pill” policy riders. With the latest stopgap bill providing government funding through Friday, the compromise spending bill will likely be passed early in the week by both chambers before being signed by President Trump.

House Republicans are set to make another effort towards garnering the votes necessary to approve their sweeping health care package after previous attempts failed to unite the moderate and conservative branches of the party. An amendment to the legislation that would give states the ability to waive certain Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance requirements attracted the support of the House Freedom Caucus, but as of the end of last week, Republican leadership did not appear to have the votes to hold a successful vote on the chamber floor. Speaking to reporters, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) did not commit to a vote this week, saying only that leadership “doesn’t have anything scheduled” and that he is hoping the bill can be brought to the floor “as soon as possible.”

The current weekly floor schedule for the lower chamber is highlighted by a bill (H.R. 1180) that would allow employers to give employees compensatory time rather than additional pay for overtime hours. The bill was opposed by Democrats on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and will likely be opposed by most members of the minority party in a full chamber vote. Today, the House has a full slate of suspension bills to consider, most notably a measure that would authorize additional economic sanctions against North Korea. The bill’s consideration under suspension of the rules, which requires measures to be passed by a two-thirds majority, demonstrates partisan unity on the North Korean issue at a time of heightened tension between the Kim Jong Un regime and the United States. A full list of the bills to be considered today can be found here.

Meanwhile, the Senate will consider the nomination of Wall Street lawyer Jay Clayton to become Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) filed cloture on the nomination late last week. Clayton would replace Acting Chairman Michael Piwowar as the head of the Commission, who has served in that position since former Chair Mary Jo White resigned earlier this year. Clayton’s nomination has been opposed by some Democrats over his close ties to investment firms, but it is highly unlikely that his confirmation will be blocked in the upper chamber. A cloture vote is expected this evening, which should put Clayton on course to be confirmed by midweek.