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<img class="alignright wp-image-5748" src="https://ohioclockblog.bakerhostetlerblogs.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/01/Capitol-Hill-iStock_000001716887.jpg" alt="Washington D.C. The capitol, the seat of the government of the United States." width="346" height="230">Below is this week’s congressional update by BakerHostetler’s <a href="https://www.bakerlaw.com/FederalPolicy">Federal Policy</a> team. We’ll continue to post in weeks when both chambers of Congress are in session.

HEADLINES
•  President Joe Biden’s cabinet is fanning out across Asia in a broad diplomatic effort, headlined by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman meeting with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the first high-level meeting since March between the two countries amid deepening tensions over a wide range of issues.
•  Worries among policymakers are growing over the COVID-19 delta variant as vaccine hesitancy has stalled recovery and enabled a surge of illness and hospitalization in certain parts of the country.
•  Lawmakers are continuing intense negotiations toward finalizing infrastructure legislation as well as police reform as their August recess looms.
HOUSE
<ul>
 	<li>In the final week of floor <a href="https://www.majorityleader.gov/content/weekly-leader-friday-july-23-2021">votes</a> before departing until late September, according to the current schedule, House Democrats seek to complete as many appropriations bills as they can, including a seven-bill “<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20210726/BILLS-117-RCP117-12.pdf">minibus</a>.”</li>
 	<li>A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will hold a legislative <a href="https://energycommerce.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/hearing-on-transforming-the-ftc-legislation-to-modernize-consumer">hearing</a> Wednesday on modernizing consumer protection.</li>
 	<li>The House Agriculture Committee will hold a <a href="https://agriculture.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=2260">hearing</a> Thursday titled “21st Century Food Systems: Controlled Environment Agriculture’s Role in Protecting Domestic Food Supply Chains and Infrastructure.”</li>
 	<li>The full list of this week’s House committee activity can be found <a href="https://www.house.gov/legislative-activity">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
SENATE
<ul>
 	<li>Senators begin their week continuing <a href="https://www.senate.gov/floor/index.htm">votes</a> on Biden’s nominees, awaiting a potential vote on infrastructure legislation if a bipartisan agreement is finalized.</li>
 	<li>The Senate Finance Committee will hold a <a href="https://www.finance.senate.gov/hearings/implementation-and-enforcement-of-the-united-states_mexico--canada-agreement-one-year-after-entry-into-force">hearing</a> on implementation and enforcement of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.</li>
 	<li>The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2021/7/pipeline-cybersecurity-protecting-critical-infrastructure">hearing</a> on pipeline cybersecurity with Transportation Security Administration Administrator David Pekoske and Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg.</li>
 	<li>The current list of Senate committee activity can be found <a href="https://www.senate.gov/committees/hearings_meetings.htm">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
WHITE HOUSE
<ul>
 	<li>Biden today will hold a Rose Garden <a href="https://joebiden.com/disabilities/">event</a> commemorating the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and will <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/biden-will-host-iraqi-prime-minister-white-house-july-26-2021-07-17/">host</a> Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House.</li>
 	<li>Biden on Wednesday will <a href="https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh-county/2021/07/biden-to-visit-lehigh-valley-to-promote-american-products.html">visit</a> the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania to promote American-made products.</li>
 	<li>In addition to Sherman’s <a href="https://www.state.gov/deputy-secretary-shermans-travel-to-the-peoples-republic-of-china-and-oman/">visit</a> to China, Secretary of State Tony Blinken will <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/564607-blinken-to-travel-to-india-kuwait-next-week">travel</a> to India and Kuwait, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-defense-secretary-visit-vietnam-philippines-2021-07-19/">visit</a> Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam.</li>
</ul>