What’s Next in Washington?

As Congress returns from its holiday recess, January is shaping up to be a busy month in Washington, and 2022 will prove to be just as eventful. See below on what awaits Congress, and the upcoming agenda the Foley Federal Public Affairs Team will be tracking. 

1. Senate Democrats will resume negotiations on President Biden’s social spending bill, the Build Back Better Act
   • After Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced late in December that he would be unable to support the bill in its current format, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated that he anticipates bringing a revised version of the bill to the Senate floor in the near future.
   • The House passed the Build Back Better Act in November, you can read Foley’s insights on the bill here.
2. A renewed push on voting rights legislation and Senate rules reform
   • Democrats are anticipated to utilize the anniversary of the January 6^th riot on the Capitol to renew their push on voting rights legislation and reformation of Senate rules, including the filibuster.
   • In 2021, the House passed the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Both have yet to be taken up in the Senate.
   • Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has stated that the Senate will take up a change to Senate Rules by January 17^th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
3. Talks on Government Funding Resume
   • On December 2^nd, 2021 Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through February 18^th, 2022.
   • Congress is anticipated to resume negotiations to fund the government through the rest of the fiscal year.
   • President Biden is scheduled to unveil his budget for fiscal year 2023 in February.
4.  U.S. Innovation and Competition Act
   • Originally known as the Endless Frontier Act, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) passed the Senate with bipartisan support in June 2021. It has since stalled in the House, as the House passed a much different version of the bill in the summer.
   • The bill aims at increasing funding for scientific research and key technological sectors to improve U.S. technological prowess against competitors such as China. The bill has been a major part of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) legislative agenda.
     • Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Schumer have pledged to set up a House and Senate conference to reconcile differences between the two bills.
5. President Biden is expected to announce the date for his first State of the Union address
   • Tentatively scheduled for early February, President Biden has yet to announce his first State of the Union address.
     • The President previously addressed a joint session of Congress in April 2021 to outline his legislative agenda after his first 100 days in office.
   • The speech could outline the Biden Administration's legislative agenda and what it hopes to achieve prior to the 2022 midterm elections.

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