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

• Congressional Democrats hope that by the end of this week they will reach a framework agreement on a budget reconciliation bill with their trillion-dollar plan to expand safety net spending and raise taxes, and that they can then finally deliver bipartisan infrastructure legislation to President Joe Biden for his signature.
• Biden at the end of this week will begin the second foreign trip of his presidency, visiting Pope Francis and other foreign leaders in Rome, and attending the United Nations summit on climate change in Glasgow, Scotland.
• One week from Election Day, tightening gubernatorial races in New Jersey and especially Virginia are being viewed as bellwethers for the national political atmosphere.

HOUSE

• The House will hold votes today through Thursday. The schedule is fluid as Democratic leaders hope to reach a deal on their reconciliation bill and then pass the infrastructure bill by the end of the week.
• The House Financial Services Committee will hold a legislative hearing Tuesday titled “Taking Stock of China, Inc.: Examining Risks to Investors and the U.S. Posed by Foreign Issuers in U.S. Markets.”
• The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on vaccine mandates for employers.
• The full list of this week’s House committee activity can be found here.

SENATE

• The Senate will continue votes on Biden’s judicial nominees, with negotiations in their final phase among key senators on the social spending package.
• The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold separate oversight hearings on the Justice Department with Attorney General Merrick Garland and on the Homeland Security Department with Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
• The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on improving critical energy infrastructure.
• The current list of Senate committee activity can be found here.

WHITE HOUSE

• Today, Biden is heading to New Jersey to build support for both his infrastructure deal and his “Build Back Better” plan.
• Tomorrow, he will cross the Potomac to Arlington, Virginia, to support Terry McAuliffe’s campaign for a second term as governor.
• Friday, the Bidens will travel to Rome for an audience with Pope Francis at the start of his second foreign trip as president, which will then culminate with Biden’s participation in the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow.