The Weekly Hill Update

Below is this week’s congressional update by BakerHostetler’s Federal Policy team. We’ll continue to post in weeks when both chambers of Congress are in session.

HEADLINES

• President Joe Biden on Wednesday will meet with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, their first face-to-face meeting in an already-contentious showdown over raising the debt limit.
• The 118th Congress continues its slow start, with committees in both chambers finally holding organizational meetings as the calendar turns to February.
• Biden is traveling the East Coast this week to tout progress on his domestic agenda.

HOUSE

• The House is in session tonight through Thursday, voting on legislation focused on ending the COVID public health emergency.
• The House Oversight and Reform Committee tomorrow will hold its organizational meeting, followed Wednesday by a hearing on fraud in federal pandemic relief programs.
• The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday will hold its organizational meeting, immediately followed by a hearing on supply chain challenges.
• Additional committee meetings are listed here.

SENATE

• The Senate this week will vote on its organizing resolution, formalizing committee assignments and the operations of the chamber.
• The Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday will hold a hearing on the reauthorization of federal farm programs, focused on trade and horticulture.
• The Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday will hold a hearing on implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• Several Senate committees will hold organizational meetings this week.

WHITE HOUSE

• Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are heading to Baltimore today to discuss the rehabilitation of the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel.
• Tomorrow, the president will travel to New York City to promote infrastructure funding, including for the Gateway Tunnel project.
• The president will then be back in Washington to meet with McCarthy Wednesday, and to attend the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday along with Vice President Kamala Harris.
• Friday, Biden and Harris will visit Philadelphia to highlight their domestic accomplishments and attend Democratic National Committee meetings.