Federal Update – June 29,2020

 

Total U.S. coronavirus deaths reported: (last Friday, 126,798); Monday 128,438;

Happening on the Hill

White House

• 11:00 am – In-House Pool Call Time
• 1:00 pm – Trump has lunch with the Vice President

Senate

• 3:00 pm – Senate meets; resumes debate on S. 4049 the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2021

House

• 9:00 am – House meets; first votes expected as early as 2:30pm. The chamber is set to vote on a bill that would allow the govt to negotiate the price of some medicine. Also up for consideration: A resolution to overturn an OCC rule on how banks comply with an anti-redlining law; a measure that would allow consumers easier access to credit reports; legislation to help homeowners during the pandemic
  • ACA Expansion: The Affordable Care Act’s insurance subsidies would be expanded and states would be encouraged to increase Medicaid coverage under a modified version of H.R. 1425, which also would direct the government to negotiate prices for expensive drugs. The Energy and Commerce Committee approved a version of the legislation by a party-line 30-22 vote in April 2019 and leaders unveiled the expanded bill last week. For more, see the BGOV Bill Summary by Danielle Parnass.
  • Housing Assistance During Pandemic: H.R. 7301 would give additional assistance to renters, homeowners, and people experiencing homelessness during the Covid-19 pandemic. The measure would authorize about $194 billion in housing aid, expand moratoriums on foreclosures and evictions, authorize federal loans for rental property owners and mortgage servicers, and offer bankruptcy relief, among other provisions. For more, see the BGOV Bill Summary by Michael Smallberg.
  • The House will also vote on two measured debated last week:
    • Consumer Credit Reports:H.R. 5332 would give consumers additional tools to obtain their credit reports and challenge inaccurate information. The measure would require credit reporting companies to create a single online portal for consumers to access their credit reports and scores, dispute errors, and place or lift security freezes. The measure also would authorize courts to award injunctive relief to force credit reporting companies to remove inaccurate information, and would create an ombudsman at the Consumer Financial Prot ection Bureau to help resolve persistent errors. The House Financial Services Committee approved the bill Dec. 11 by a 31-24 party-line vote. For more, See the BGOV Bill Summary by Michael Smallberg.
    • Community Lending Rule:H. J. Res. 90 would overturn a final rule from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to reassess how banks comply with an anti-redlining law. The rule set new criteria for determining whether banks are meeting the credit needs of low- and moderate-income borrowers in their communities under the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act. The OCC issued the final rule May 20 without the support of other banking regulators, Evan Weinberger reported. The measure, which would use the Congressional Review Act to block the rule and similar proposals, was introduced June 11 by House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). For more, see the BGOV Bill Summary by Michael Smallberg.

Schedule for the Week:

Judiciary Markup: The Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled a markup Thursday of S. 3398, which would establish a commission to set up voluntary best practices for the tech industry to prevent child sexual exploitation or abuse on their platforms. Companies that don’t follow the best practices would lose their liability protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act when it comes to child exploitation and abuse. The best practices would include identifying child abuse content that is currently hidden on end-to-end encrypted services, leading critics of the bill to say it’s an attack on encryption.

Nomination: The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee holds a hearing tomorrow on the nomination of Derek Kan to be deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.

• The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday will vote on the nominations of Katherine Crytzer to be inspector general and Beth Harwell and Brian Noland to be board members, all of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Lafayette Protestors: The House Natural Resources Committee scheduled a hearing today on the June 1 protest in Lafayette Square Park outside the White House that U.S. Park Police broke up using pepper balls and smoke canisters.

Powell, Mnuchin Testify on Pandemic: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will testify before the House Financial Services Committee tomorrow as part of an oversight hearing of the their agencies’ Covid-19 response, Ben Livesey reports.

IRS Virus Recovery: The Senate Finance Committee scheduled a hearing tomorrow on the 2020 tax filing season and IRS Covid-19 recovery. IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig will testify.

Disaster Loan Update: The House Small Business Committee plans a hearing Wednesday to get an update from the Trump administration on the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and the effects of Covid-19. Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance Associate Administrator James Rivera will testify.

Money & Payments Digitization: The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee plans a hearing tomorrow on the digitization of money and payments. Former chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission J. Christopher Giancarlo will testify.

State Dept. IG Firing: The House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing Thursday on Trump’s firing of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick. The ousted former IG told lawmakers that he informed senior aides to Michael Pompeo that he was investigating the secretary of state and his wife for possible misuse of government funds, undercutting Pompeo’s claim that he knew nothing about the probe.

• Read more: Fired Watchdog Says He Told Pompeo Aides of Probe Into Spending.

Hong Kong National Security Law: The House Foreign Affairs Committee plans a hearing Wednesday on the implications of China’s new national security law in Hong Kong.

U.S.-China Relations: The House Intelligence Committee plans a hearing Wednesday on U.S.-China relations, national security, and intelligence in the aftermath of Covid-19.

China Maritime Ambitions: The House Foreign Affairs Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation Subcommittee plans a hearing tomorrow on China’s maritime ambitions.

Latin America, Caribbean Virus Response: The House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade Subcommittee holds a hearing Wednesday on the Trump administration’s Covid-19 response in Latin America and the Caribbean.

VA Health Care Workforce: The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Wednesday will examine Veterans Affairs Department health-care worker recruitment and retention.

Veterans’ Reproductive Healthcare: The House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee and Women Veterans Task Force hold a hearing on veterans’ access to reproductive health care on Wednesday.

Empowering Women & International Security: The House Oversight and Reform National Security Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow on empowering women and girls and promoting international security.

Covid-19 Vaccine: The Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee scheduled a hearing Thursday on Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s program for accelerating development of a Covid-19 vaccine. NIH Director Francis Collins and CDC Director Robert Redfield will testify, along with Gary Disbrow, acting director for Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority at HHS.

Mental Health During Virus: The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will discuss anxiety, stress, and legislation to improve mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic tomorrow.

International Pandemic Response: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will examine Covid-19 and U.S. international pandemic response and prevention tomorrow.

Virus Response Supplies: The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis plans a hearing Thursday on the Trump administration’s efforts to produce, stockpile, and distribute critical supplies.

Returning to Work & School: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee plans a hearing tomorrow to get an update on progress toward returning Americans to school and work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Virus in U.S. Territories: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing tomorrow on the effects of Covid-19 on U.S. territories.

Native Communities’ Virus Response: The Senate Indian Affairs Committee holds an oversight hearing Wednesday on native communities’ Covid-19 response and to discuss S. 3650, to deem employees of urban Indian organizations as part of the Public Health Service.

Supply Chain: The House Small Business Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access Subcommittee holds a hearing Thursday on supply chain resiliency and the effects of Covid-19.

Road Safety: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety plans a hearing tomorrow on safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grant programs.

Infrastructure Development: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday will examine infrastructure development as a means of driving economic recovery and resiliency.

Censorship & Trade: The Senate Finance International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness Subcommittee holds a hearing on censorship as a non-tariff barrier to trade tomorrow.

Judge Recommendations: The Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow will discuss the Judicial Conference’s recommendation for more judgeships.

College Athlete Compensation: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Wednesday will discuss a compensation framework for intercollegiate athletes.

 

Tracking SBA Care Act Loans

If you’re looking for a real-time list of public companies who have received SBA Cares Act loans, AI Margaret rom Factsquared has been reading SEC 8-Ks as they’re filed.

https://factba.se/sba-loans

 

Russia and Trump

Trump Dismisses Russia Bounty Report President Donald Trump said in a tweet that U.S. intelligence officials told him a report that the Russian government paid bounties for American and allied troops to be killed in Afghanistan wasn’t credible, and therefore didn’t brief him about it.

The White House earlier had denied reports that Trump was briefed by intelligence officials about — but had done nothing to respond to — the Russian bounties.

Trump tweeted last night over a key ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who said it was “imperative Congress get to the bottom of” the allegations about Russia.

“I expect the Trump administration to take such allegations seriously and inform Congress immediately as to the reliability of these news reports,” the South Carolina Republican said. Graham accompanied Trump yesterday to the president’s northern Virginia golf club.

The alleged Russian bounties have swiftly emerged as yet another political crisis for a president already struggling to defend his response to the coronavirus outbreak that’s resurgent across the South, as well as continuing nationwide protests against police brutality. News reports on the bounties, and whether Trump knew about them, have drawn fresh attention to the president’s efforts to build warmer relations with the Kremlin.

Trump said earlier this month in a Fox News Radio interview that he’d like Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the Group of Seven meeting the U.S. will host later this year. Russia was thrown out of what was then the G-8 after annexing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The Washington Post reported earlier yesterday that the bounties are believed to have resulted in the deaths of several U.S. service members in Afghanistan, citing intelligence gleaned from interrogations of captured militants. Read more from Jennifer Epstein and Ben Brody.

Lawmakers Press for Answers: Leaders of both parties pressed yesterday for answers from the White House about the reports. Democrats called for hearings to be held. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the third-ranking Republican in the House, in a tweet earlier Sunday called for an explanation of “who did know and when,” and asked if the topic had been raised in the PDB, or the president’s daily brief. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) retweeted Cheney, adding, “we need answers.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said yesterday she wasn’t aware of the intelligence about the Russian bounty on U.S. forces in Afghanistan, but “we have called for a report to the Congress on this.”

“This is as bad as it gets, and yet the president will not confront the Russians on this score, denies being briefed. Whether he is or not, his administration knows,” Pelosi said on ABC’s “This Week.” Read more from Ros Krasny and Ben Brody.

Russia Rejects Report: Russia dismissed U.S. intelligence findings as “fake news.” The intelligence assessments are part of the domestic political battle in the U.S. ahead of November presidential elections, said Zamir Kabulov, Putin’s envoy to Afghanistan. “It’s hard to explain otherwise the appearance of such stupidities,” Kabulov told Bloomberg by phone today. Kabulov said he is due to speak soon via video-conference with U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad. “We won’t discuss this ‘fake news,’” he said. Read more from Henry Meyer and Ilya Arkhipov.

 

Healthcare

House To Vote on Obamacare Subsidy Boost The House will vote today on legislation to boost Obamacare’s subsidies, push more states to expand their Medicaid programs and direct the government to demand lower prices on certain drugs. The bill (H.R. 1425) is largely meant to indicate to voters where Democrats stand on health-care issues, focusing the attention on supporting the Affordable Care Act, while the country combats the ongoing spread of the coronavirus and as the Obama administration’s signature health law is attacked in the courts by Republican attorneys general. “In the same way the Trump administration failed in its response to the coronavirus, Republicans continue to undermine the country’s health and well-being by seeking to strip lifesaving pre-existing condition protections from millions,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Friday.

With no significant public outcry against the legislation among Democrats, the bill is expected to pass largely along party lines. Two Republicans, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), however, both voted for passage of the two previous ACA-expanding-and-drug-pricing bills that came to the House floor (H.R. 987; H.R. 3) this Congress. Republican leaders in the Senate have largely ignored previous ACA-bolstering bills and aren’t expected to take up this legislation either. The legislation would expand the ACA’s tax credits, pressure states to expand Medicaid programs with the promise of more federal funds, and cap what any person may pay for coverage premiums at 8.5% of their income. It would also let immigrants living in the U.S. under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program get access to subsidized insurance plans, Alex Ruoff reports.

Trump Tweets at Odds With Anti-ACA Efforts: Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has again tied himself and congressional Republicans to getting rid of Obamacare just months before the election and as voters are receiving daily reminders about their own health care vulnerabilities to Covid-19. A legal brief his administration filed in support of voiding the Affordable Care Act last week—and its protections for patients with pre-existing conditions—underscores how big a vow his campaign is making on energizing his enthusiastic base instead of reaching out to wavering voters who may decide the presidential election.

Trump on Saturday took to Twitter with an diametrically opposite message, saying he would “ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS” protect people with pre-existing health conditions. Trump also argued the ACA could be replaced with a better alternative, though the White House and Republicans have no detailed plan. Read more from Mike Dorning and Steven T. Dennis.

The White House isn’t expecting to publish a detailed health-care plan until the Supreme Court issues a decision on the legality of Obamacare, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said. “We’ll work with Congress on a plan if the ACA is struck down,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Read more from Ros Krasny.

Cancellation of NIH Grant Gets Scrutiny: The termination of an NIH research grant that directed some of its dollars toward coronavirus research in Wuhan, China has raised questions from leaders on the House Energy and Commerce and Science, Space, and Technology panels. Given the research’s ability to inform the public about coronavirus transmission, “it is deeply concerning that it may have been canceled for political reasons in the midst of the current pandemic,” Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), and Bill Foster (D-Ill.) told Azar on Friday in a letter provided to Bloomberg Law.   The letter follows the confirmation by Anthony Fauci that the NIH canceled a grant to the EcoHealth Alliance because “the NIH was told to cancel it” during an Energy and Commerce hearing on Covid-19. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, later confirmed that direction came from the White House to Politico. Trump vowed in April that “we will end that grant very quickly,” two weeks before EcoHealth Alliance announced the termination.  The announcement raised flags from groups like the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Research!America, and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jeannie Baumann reports.

Lawmakers Offer Telehealth Expansion: Reps. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) introduced a bipartisan measure on Friday that would “build on telehealth’s proven success during the COVID-19 pandemic by codifying Medicare reimbursements for telehealth services,” according to a statement. The bill, titled the “Protect Telehealth Access Act,” would eliminate a requirement that someone receiving telehealth services must be located in a rural area or health professional shortage area, and that the person may only get telehealth services at home in limited circumstances.

NIH, CDC Leaders to Testify: The directors of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will testify before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee Thursday on the progress of a coronavirus vaccine, according to a committee announcement. NIH Director Francis Collins and CDC Director Robert Redfield will appear, along with Gary Disbrow, acting head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority at HHS, Teaganne Finn reports.

Mental Health During Pandemic: The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will discuss anxiety, stress, and legislation to improve mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic tomorrow.

International Pandemic Response: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will examine Covid-19 and the country’s international pandemic response and prevention tomorrow.

Virus Response Supplies: The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis plans a hearing on Thursday on White House efforts to produce, stockpile, and distribute critical supplies.

Virus in U.S. Territories: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing tomorrow on the effects of Covid-19 on U.S. territories.

Native Communities’ Virus Response: The Senate Indian Affairs Committee holds an oversight hearing on Wednesday on native communities’ Covid-19 response and to discuss S. 3650, to deem employees of urban Indian organizations as part of the Public Health Service.

Fatality Picture Obscured by Lagging Indicator: The Trump administration is highlighting an apparent disconnect between surging Covid-19 cases and falling mortality as proof that the pandemic is under control. “Fatalities are declining all across the country,” Vice President Mike Pence said at a Coronavirus Task Force briefing Friday. He called the rise in cases in people under 35 “very encouraging news,” saying they aren’t as likely to die from Covid-19. However, the mismatch seems to be more an anomaly caused by quirks in how deaths data is collected and reported than a sign that the virus is becoming less lethal or easier to treat.

Nationally, the death toll is rising by around 600 to 700 a day, even as record numbers of new cases were diagnosed this week. That’s far below the height of the crisis when more than 2,500 deaths were reported some days. Medical experts say it is too soon to know for sure that deaths are still declining.

That disparity has health experts and the public asking questions: Is it because those getting sick now are younger than those who got sick in March and April? Are we getting smarter about the use of ventilators? Are new drugs like Gilead’s remdesivir helping? Are cases milder due to warm weather? “The uncertainty right now is as high as it has ever been since the very scary early days in mid-March,” said James Scott, a professor of data science at the University of Texas in Austin who’s a part of a modeling team that predicts deaths will tick up in July. Read more from Robert Langreth, Emma Court and Michelle Cortez.

Source: University of Pennsylvania

• At the briefing, Fauci said some areas of the U.S. are doing well to mitigate the spread of the virus, but some are not. “As you can see, we are facing a serious problem in certain areas,” Fauci said. “We can be either part of the solution, or part of the problem.” Task force coordinator Deborah Birx said older people in areas where cases are up should remain at home, Teaganne Finn reports.
• Azar said at the task force briefing that there are two drugs that have offered promising results to treat Covid-19. Along with Gilead’s antiviral remdesivir, “we’ve added dexamethasone, a very low-cost steroid, to our treatment guidelines,” he said, Finn reports.

Virus Surge Said Likely to Continue for Weeks: A surge in cases in recent days is likely to continue for weeks after states moved too soon to reopen their economies, two of the leading U.S. public health experts said yesterday. The warnings by Tom Frieden, director of the CDC from 2009 to 2017, and Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the FDA, came as a poll showed confidence in how the U.S. is dealing with Covid-19 has fallen. Read more from Shawn Donnan.

Texas Governor Hobbled Houston Leaders, Losing Control of Virus: The second-most-populous state faces the prospect of mortality like that seen in New York three months ago. On Friday, the top official in Harris County, which includes Houston, declared an emergency, and thousands of cell phones buzzed with warnings to shelter in place. “Today, we find ourselves careening toward a catastrophic and unsustainable situation,” Lina Hidalgo said during a media briefing. “There is a severe and uncontrolled outbreak of Covid-19. Our hospitals are using 100% of their base capacity now, and are having to start relying on surge capacity.” Read more from Bloomberg News.
Related: Houston Official Leading Covid-19 Fight Is in Self-Quarantine

Americans Catching Up on Medical Appointments: Americans are beginning to catch up on missed medical and dental appointments as states ease up their social distancing restrictions, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Nearly 80% of those polled say they either already made up or will soon make a missed appointment canceled as a result of the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to the poll, Alex Ruoff reports.

Hospitals and doctors offices around the country are trying to reopen and make up the lost revenue for shutting their practices for months, even as coronavirus cases rise in about half of all states. Read the survey results here.

Transportation

TSA Straddles Virus, Security Worries Getting screened at the airport by the Transportation Security Administration is not a socially distant experience. Your electronics and shoes go right into a plastic bin that ferried someone else’s through the X-ray machine just minutes before. You hand your ID to an officer sitting much closer than 6 feet away. And if something doesn’t look right, there’s the ultimate close contact with a stranger: the pat-down.

With airlines slowly restoring flights and more people navigating checkpoints, the federal agency responsible for the safety of the traveling public says it’s going to great lengths to make its screening process safer during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s spacing flyers apart in queues, reducing the number of “touch points” at the start of screening, putting up plastic barriers at bag-drop points, wiping down bins, and requiring screeners to wear masks.

But TSA is at heart a security agency, and there’s no substitute in its screenings for some person-to-person contact—even though that’s how the novel coronavirus spreads. The TSA’s roughly 50,000 agents, working in more than 400 airports, now have to balance security concerns with infection risks in the absence of any federal standards on mask-wearing or social distancing. The agency is also under pressure to screen passengers for symptoms of Covid-19, something in which it lacks expertise. Read more from Courtney Rozen and Shaun Courtney.

Trusted Traveler Centers to Require Masks: When applicants and visitors return to the newly reopened U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler enrollment centers beginning July 6, they’ll have to wear a mask, the agency announced in a press release Friday. Applicants who applied online and were conditionally approved can schedule an appointment for their Global Entry, SENTRI and U.S.-Mexico FAST to complete in-person interviews at most Trusted Traveler Programs enrollment centers in the United States. NEXUS and U.S.-Canada FAST interviews at U.S. and Canadian enrollment centers will not restart until August 10 at the soonest, CBP said in a release, Shaun Courtney reports.

More Impact of Covid-19

Recap of VP Pence’s Meeting with Airlines: Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. airline executives last Friday discussed how the carriers can safely revive business as the country reopens, the White House said in a readout of the meeting.

“Airline executives discussed their overall business outlook,” the White House said without elaborating, adding that there was also discussion on “the best path forward for allowing Americans to safely travel internationally again.”

Pence also talked about the crucial role the industry plays in the U.S. economic recovery, and other participants talked about travel restrictions, contact tracing, temperature checks, and face coverings for travelers.

American Air Shelving Social Distancing: American Airlines said it would sell flights to capacity starting July 1, abandoning caps on passenger loads that were designed to promote social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, Mary Schlangenstein reports.

Customers still will be notified when they’re booked on crowded flights and can move their reservations at no cost, the airline said in a statement last Friday. Starting tomorrow, American also will ask customers to certify that they have been free of Covid-19 symptoms for the previous 14 days.

American is ditching its restrictions on filling aircraft cabins just as the pandemic worsens in parts of the U.S. that had largely been spared earlier this year. Those areas include states where the carrier has major operations, such as Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina. American isn’t alone in its position: United hasn’t guaranteed to block seats. But Delta has said it would keep middle seats open through Sept. 30, and Southwest has committed to block middle seats unless customers are traveli ng together.

U.S.-EU Discord Imperils Flights: A delay in opening up travel between the U.S. and the European Union would stunt a rebound in trans-Atlantic flights that are the industry’s biggest profit generators. Carriers like British Airways and Delta ply skies between North America and Europe that far and away comprise the biggest market for premium long-haul travel.

The resumption of these lucrative routes is at risk as officials in Europe weigh concerns about Covid-19 infection levels in the U.S. The outbreak is retreating within the 27-nation bloc, which is developing criteria for lifting a curb on non-essential travel from July 1. The U.S. could be excluded because of the high level of new cases, and ongoing measures are likely to be reciprocated. Read more from Christopher Jasper and Richard Weiss.

House Democrats’ Clean Cars Plan: House Democrats tomorrow will issue an ambitious plan to combat climate change, which seeks to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and calls for achieving 100% clean vehicles by 2035, according to people familiar with the details.

The more than 500-page plan is from the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, which was convened by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and led by Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.). With Republicans in control of the Senate the plan serves as little more than a climate wish-list for Democrats. But it’s a marker of what the party may pursue if it wins full control of Congress and the White House in November. Ari Natter previews more details.
Related: House Climate Panel to Issue Long-Awaited Report Next Week

Trump Pick for EPA No. 2 Derailed By Biofuel Fight: Senate Republicans are scrapping plans to confirm Trump’s choice to be the EPA’s second-in-command official, Doug Benevento, amid bipartisan objections. The decision comes after Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said she would block Benevento until the EPA spells out its plan for addressing dozens of retroactive refinery requests to be exempted from federal biofuel-blending requirements, Jennifer Dlouhy reports.

This Week’s Hearings:

• Highway, Infrastructure Bill: The House will vote later this week on H.R. 2, a more than $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan that would include spending on roads, bridges, transit systems, schools, housing, clean energy efforts, rural broadband and the postal service. The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet today to set the terms for floor consideration of the bill. Read more: BGOV Bill Summary: Surface Transportation & Aviation in H.R. 2
• Road Safety: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety plans a hearing tomorrow on safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grant programs.
• Infrastructure Development: Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works panel Wednesday hope to highlight a trio of bipartisan infrastructure bills they’ve already moved out of committee as the Democratic-controlled House begins moving its own massive infrastructure, clean energy, and housing package this week. The EPW committee hearing will focus on two mammoth water bills (S. 3591; S. 3590) to boost funding for local water projects and other clean water efforts, and the surface transportation and highway bill (S. 2302) it approved last summer. None have yet made it to the Senate floor.

Boeing Max Gets Green Light on Key Test: A critical set of test flights on the Boeing 737 Max may begin as soon as today, the FAA confirmed in an email yesterday to Congressional staffers. Two people briefed on the planning said that the goal is to begin the tests today, but the start is still subject to last-minute delays. The certification flights are scheduled to occur over three separate days. Such tests are one of the final stages by the government before it certifies an aircraft.

It will take months for the agency to complete new pilot-training standards and issue regulations governing multiple software and hardware changes to the plane. Airline customers have been told that it could come in September if all goes well, though they still have to retrain pilots and perform maintenance on the fleets of planes that have been in storage before they enter service.

Regulators and Boeing are also hoping to convene an international panel of airline pilots to test a proposed new training course for Max flight crews, possibly in late July and early August, according to three people familiar with the plans who weren’t permitted to discuss the still-tentative situation publicly. Read more from Alan Levin and Julie Johnsson.

Related: Asia Regulators Likely to Accept FAA Findings on Boeing 737 Max

Automakers Split Over Fuel Economy Rules: Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW will file a joint motion today at a Washington, D.C. appeals court to get involved in litigation challenging the Trump administration’s March rule that weakened future U.S. fuel efficiency and emissions standards for vehicles, according to Ford. The action separates the companies from the auto industry’s primary trade association, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, that is supporting the administration. Read more from Ryan Beene and Malathi Nayak.

U.S.-China Feud Quietly Gets Nasty With Red Tape as Weapon: The U.S. and China are moving beyond bellicose trade threats to exchanging regulatory punches that threaten a wide range of industries including technology, energy and air travel. The two countries have blacklisted each other’s companies, barred flights and expelled journalists. The quietly unfolding skirmish is starting to make companies nervous the trading landscape could shift out from under them. Read more from Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Todd Shields.

Amazon Buys Driverless Startup Zoox: When news broke last month that Amazon was interested in buying Zoox, observers assumed the e-commerce giant was looking to automate its delivery fleet. After all, Amazon already invested in an electric truck maker and is a major buyer of everything from planes to diesel vehicles. But in a statement last Friday confirming its acquisition of the autonomous vehicle startup, Amazon touted Zoox for its ride-hailing ambitions. Matt Day has more on the deal.

 

Coronavirus

Trump Dismisses Virus, Polls, Recession: The America that Trump describes is a place where the coronavirus outbreak is only surging due to increased testing, the economy is on the verge of roaring back to life and polls showing him losing re-election in a landslide are all fiction. In his telling, many Americans protesting police brutality are terrorists, anarchists, and looters, and concerns of systemic racism are overblown. He claims that his is the most accomplished presidency in history, outshining all his predecessors except perhaps Abraham Lincoln on achievements for Black people. Read more from Josh Wingrove.

• Americans are downbeat as coronavirus cases spike in many states and the economy is mired in recession, a new CBS poll shows. Only 5% said things in America are going “very well,” against 40% who said they’re going “very badly,” according to the survey, taken June 23-26. Another 19% said things were “somewhat well” and 36% said “somewhat badly.” Most Americans said that, as they look back a few months, the Trump administration wasn’t ready to deal with the coronavirus outbreak when it started in early 2020, according to a CBS News poll. Some 72% judged the administration “unprepared” against 28% who said it was “prepared.” Read more from Ros Krasny.

Pence’s Arizona, Florida Events Scrapped: Vice President Mike Pence delayed campaign events scheduled for Arizona and Florida as coronavirus cases jump in those states, said a senior Trump campaign official. Pence, the leader of the White House coronavirus task force, still plans to travel to both states to meet with governors and health care officials, a White House official said. Read more from Jordan Fabian.

 

Virus Surge Said Likely to Continue for Weeks: A surge in cases that has seen record numbers of new U.S. cases in recent days is likely to continue for weeks after states moved too soon to reopen their economies, two of the leading U.S. public health experts said yesterday. The warnings by Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control from 2009 to 2017, and Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the FDA, came as a poll showed confidence in how the U.S. is dealing with Covid-19 has fallen. Read more from Shawn Donnan.

 

Protests and Black Lives Matter

Trump Signs Order Promising to Protect Statues: Trump signed an executive order that he says is meant to protect monuments and statues from “anarchists and left-wing extremists.” “My administration will not allow violent mobs incited by a radical fringe to become the arbiters of the aspects of our history that can be celebrated in public spaces,” Trump said in the order, which was released by the White House on Friday night.

The order calls on the Justice Department to make a priority of those cases and instructs federal agencies to possibly withhold funds from cities and states that didn’t protect memorials from “destruction of vandalism,” John Harney reports.

• Trump Saturday called for the arrest of demonstrators allegedly involved in an attempt to tear down a statue of Andrew Jackson by tweeting images of their wanted posters. Trump posted photos of 15 people the U.S. Park Police said it is attempting to identify “who are responsible for vandalizing property” in a park in front of the White House. Read more from Jordan Fabian.
• Trump told Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker (D) and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) that he is “horrified” by ongoing violence in the U.S.’s third-largest city. Trump in a letter released by the White House offers to have members of his Cabinet meet with Pritzker and Lightfoot, both outspoken critics of Trump, to “help devise a plan to make Chicago safe, since a successful formula has escaped” both leaders and their predecessors, Ben Livesey reports.

Thompson Wants FBI Briefing on Protests: House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) is asking FBI Director Christopher Wray for a briefing on extremist involvement and infiltration into recent protests, Elizabeth Elkin reports. Thompson also said he is dismayed that Wray has not agreed to testify before the panel on worldwide threats.

“The FBI’s repeated failure to produce requested documents and provide briefings to the Committee and your apparent refusal to testify in a reasonable timeframe raise questions about whether the FBI is withholding information from Congress and the public regarding extremist threats against the nation,” Thompson said in a letter.

Candace Owens Sows Division Among Black Trump Supporters: The White House’s embrace of a prominent Black advocate for Trump who’s made inflammatory remarks about George Floyd has caused turmoil among other Black Americans close to the president, threatening their support for his re-election. The dispute began this month, shortly after Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. Candace Owens, a Black author and pundit known for her aggressive support for Trump and provocative views on race, called Floyd a “violent criminal” and a “horrible human being” in a video she posted to Twitter. Mario Parker has more.

Trump Tweets Video of Fan Yelling ‘White Power’: Trump deleted a post that he shared yesterday of a confrontation between anti-Trump protesters and his supporters, including a man who yelled “white power” at demonstrators. “Thank you to the great people of The Villages,” Trump said yesterday in retweeting the video, referring to the retirement community in Florida where the original tweet said the clash had taken place. The video shows demonstrators yelling “where’s your white hood” at a man and woman in a golf cart with Trump decals. “You got it,” the man replies, pumping his fist. “White power.” Jordan Fabian has more.

Mississippi Voters Will Choose New State Flag: Mississippi voters will choose a new state flag in November, now that state lawmakers have agreed to stop flying a vestige of the Jim Crow era. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) said he’ll sign the measure creating a commission to redesign the state flag, the only one in the country to still include a Confederate symbol. The Mississippi House passed the new-flag mandate 91-23 yesterday, and the Senate followed with a 37-14 vote. Read more from Jennifer Kay.

Anti-Redlining Revamp Put Off: The FDIC won’t join a fellow banking regulator in overhauling anti-redlining rules as long as the Covid-19 pandemic continues, the agency’s chairman Jelena McWilliams said on Friday. Any potential revisions to Community Reinvestment Act rules are better suited for “peacetime,” when “things are calm, the economy’s doing well,” McWilliams said. Read more from Lydia Beyoud.

 

Campaign Trail

Primaries Tomorrow: Colorado, Oklahoma and Utah hold primaries tomorrow, Greg Giroux reports. Colorado Democrats will choose either former Gov. John Hickenlooper or former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff to oppose Sen. Cory Gardner (R) in a state President Donald Trump lost in the 2016 election. In Oklahoma City, where Rep. Kendra Horn (D) is defending her seat after an upset win in 2018, a nine-candidate Republican primary probably will go to an August runoff. In Utah’s 4th District, another Republican-leaning area, Republicans will nominate a candidate to oppose first-term Democrat Ben McAdams.

Environmentalists Spend Big to Oust McSally: Arizona’s economy, culture and history are inextricably linked to natural resources, from an abundance of public and tribal lands to a constant dearth of water. Environmental groups like the League of Conservation Voters are counting on Grand Canyon State voters to recognize those factors in one of this year’s marquee Senate races between GOP Sen. Martha McSally and Democrat Mark Kelly—even though there’s been relative silence from both sides on environment issues.

LCV’s super PAC has spent $1.5 million on ads in Arizona, the most it’s invested in any Senate race. It rolled out its first spot “600,000” on June 23. Its super PAC and affiliated entities invested nearly $3.8 million to defeat McSally in 2018, when she narrowly lost an open-seat Senate race to then-fellow Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D). Soon after, Gov. Doug Ducey (R) chose McSally to replace Jon Kyl, who served temporarily as a replacement for John McCain after his August 2018 death. “We defeated her once and we’ll do it again,” said Emily Samsel, national press secretary at LCV. Read more from Kellie Lunney.

Harris’s Police Reform Push Becomes Running Mate Tryout: Sen. Kamala Harris’s push for police reform in the Senate is shaping up as an audition for the job of Joe Biden’s vice president, as she makes herself a highly public voice for change after years as a no-nonsense prosecutor. By promoting a bill to ban police chokeholds and make other changes — and by publicly clashing with a senior Senate Republican over the legislation — Harris (D-Calif.) has put herself front and center in the debate over congressional efforts to change police behavior.

The reform debate burnishes the former San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general as a social-justice activist. It also protects the Biden campaign from potential criticism of her efforts while in those jobs to slow innocence bids and punish parents whose children were truants, among other contentious actions. Read more from Jeffrey Taylor.

Trump, Biden Say Staffs Are Mostly Women: A majority of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s campaign staffs are women, and people of color make up over one-third of the Democratic presidential nominee’s team, according to new data released by both candidates’ teams on Saturday. The Biden campaign had been pressed for information on the diversity of its staff by journalists and allies on the left, especially as concerns about racial justice have overtaken much of the national conversation in the past month. Read more from Jennifer Epstein.

DNC Taps Digital Services Firm: The Democratic National Committee signed a small data contract with the digital firm Hawkfish LLC, a person familiar with the agreement said on Friday. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (D) is an investor in Hawkfish and used it in his Democratic presidential campaign. When Bloomberg ended his campaign in March, he donated the $18 million left in his campaign account to the DNC. Read more from Jennifer Epstein and Mark Niquette. Bloomberg is the majority owner of Bloomberg Government’s parent company.

Stone Gets Less Reprieve to Report to Prison: Trump’s longtime ally Roger Stone got a two-week delay to the start of his 40-month prison sentence, far shorter than the two-month extension he requested. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Friday ordered Stone to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by July 14 and said he must stay confined at home until then. He was previously scheduled to report to prison next week. Read more from David Yaffe-Bellany.

 

Other Stories

 

House Democrats Will Call for 100% Clean Cars: House Democrats tomorrow will issue an ambitious plan to combat climate change, a move intended to reassure their base of supporters but that’s sure to inflame opponents on the right. The proposal will be released at an event at the Capitol with Pelosi and several other Democratic lawmakers. In a statement announcing Tuesday’s unveiling, the committee offered no details on the plan but called it “a comprehensive congressional action plan to solve the climate crisis.” A spokesman for committee Democrats didn’t respond to a request for comment on specifics.

The more than 500-page plan, from the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis convened by Pelosi and led by Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), seeks to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and calls for achieving 100% clean vehicles by 2035, according to people familiar with the details. It also demands an extension of a lucrative tax credit that’s successfully boosted the use of solar power, the people said. Read more from Ari Natter.

Senate Scuttles EPA’s No. 2 Pick: Senate Republicans’ move Friday to scuttle the confirmation of Trump’s pick to be the EPA’s second-highest ranking official, Doug Benevento, isn’t likely to have a significant impact on the agency’s day-to-day operations, legal scholars argue. Benevento is currently the Environmental Protection Agency’s associate deputy administrator. He was tapped to become the deputy administrator in February, Stephen Lee and Jennifer Dlouhy report.

Azar Suggests Voters Go on Faith on Obamacare Replacement: The Trump administration doesn’t expect to release a detailed health care plan until the Supreme Court rules on the legality of the Affordable Care Act, said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. That would leave voters in November’s election in the dark about how their health care, typically ranked as among the most important issues, might be upended in 2021 and beyond. “We’ll work with Congress on a plan if the ACA is struck down,” Azar said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “We’ll see what the Supreme Court rules.” Read more form Ros Krasny.

Apple’s App Store Rules Scrutinized: About a year into a federal investigation into Apple, Justice Department lawyers are scrutinizing rules that require many app makers to use the company’s payment system, according to people familiar with the matter. Read more from Mark Gurman and David McLaughlin.

Red Tape as Weapon in U.S.-China Feud: The U.S. and China are moving beyond bellicose trade threats to exchanging regulatory punches that threaten a wide range of industries including technology, energy and air travel. The two countries have blacklisted each other’s companies, barred flights and expelled journalists. The unfolding skirmish is starting to make companies nervous the trading landscape could shift out from under them. Read more from Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Todd Shields.

• China will impose a visa ban on U.S. citizens who interfere with sweeping national security legislation planned for Hong Kong, a move that comes shortly after the Trump administration imposed them on some officials in Beijing. Read more.

State Money to Religious Schools Hinges on Supreme Court Ruling: The Supreme Court could shape the future of state school choice initiatives, potentially opening public funding to religious institutions in states offering school vouchers, in a decision as soon as this week. At stake: a 2018 state supreme court decision that struck down a tax credit scholarship program, finding it violated a provision of the state constitution because the program allowed for the indirect use of public money at religious schools. Three Montana families sued in the case, Kendra Espinoza, et al. vs. Montana Department of Revenue, et al., U.S., 18 1195, and want the Supreme Court to restore the program. Read more from Andrew Kreighbaum.

 

Yesterday in Congress

 

1. H.R.2— 116th Congress (2019-2020)INVEST in America ActSponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (Introduced 06/11/2020) Cosponsors: (129)Committees: House – Transportation and InfrastructureLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 350. (All Actions)Tracker: 
2. H.R.51— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Washington, D.C. Admission ActSponsor: Rep. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (Introduced 01/03/2019) Cosponsors: (228)Committees: House – Oversight and Reform; RulesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. (All Actions)Tracker: 
3. H.R.3094— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To designate the National Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9] (Introduced 06/04/2019) Cosponsors: (46)Committees: House – Natural ResourcesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. (All Actions)Tracker: 
4. H.R.5332— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Protecting Your Credit Score Act of 2019Sponsor: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (Introduced 12/06/2019) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Financial ServicesCommittee Reports: H. Rept. 116-416Latest Action: House – 06/26/2020 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – Pursuant to clause 1(c) of Rule XIX, further proceedings on H.R. 5332 were postponed. (All Actions)Tracker: 
5. H.R.7365— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to grants for buses and bus facilities, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Transportation and InfrastructureLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. (All Actions)Tracker: 
6. H.R.7380— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To cancel the obligation of historically black colleges and universities to repay certain capital financing loans, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (10)Committees: House – Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (All Actions)Tracker: 
7. H.R.7381— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend title 18, United States Code, to include a penalty for the destruction of a memorial of a constitutional leader, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Banks, Jim [R-IN-3] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: House – JudiciaryLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)Tracker: 
8. H.R.7382— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To authorize the Secretary of Defense to prescribe regulations that grant constructive credit towards retirement for a member of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who cannot complete minimum annual training requirements due to cancellation or other extenuating circumstance arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.Sponsor: Rep. Brown, Anthony G. [D-MD-4] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: House – Armed ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
9. H.R.7383— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study regarding women involuntarily separated or discharged from the Armed Forces due to pregnancy or parenthood, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs; Armed ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee… (All Actions)Tracker: 
10. H.R.7384— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To reform policing, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – JudiciaryLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)Tracker: 
11. H.R.7385— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Edwin Cole “Ed” Bearss, in recognition of his contributions to preservation of American Civil War history and continued efforts to bring our Nation’s history alive for new generations through his interpretive storytelling.Sponsor: Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
12. H.R.7386— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To ensure that federally-backed financing for the construction, rehabilitation, or purchase of manufactured home communities is available only for communities whose owner has implemented minimum consumer protections in the lease agreements with residents of all manufactured home communities owned by such owner, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Finkenauer, Abby [D-IA-1] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
13. H.R.7387— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to benefit coastal habitats, resiliency, and the economy, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Mucarsel-Powell, Debbie [D-FL-26] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (6)Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure; Natural ResourcesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of… (All Actions)Tracker: 
14. H.R.7388— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to provide for the release of certain Federal interests in connection with certain grants under that Act, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure; Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of… (All Actions)Tracker: 
15. H.R.7389— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a grant program to support efforts to provide fare-free transit service, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Transportation and InfrastructureLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (All Actions)Tracker: 
16. H.R.7390— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend title 10, United States Code, to add to matters covered by counseling in the Transition Assistance Program.Sponsor: Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Armed ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
17. H.R.7391— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove certain geographic and originating site restrictions on the furnishing of telehealth services under the Medicare program.Sponsor: Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
18. H.R.7392— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To direct the Secretary of Defense to publicly disclose the results of Department of Defense testing for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI-8] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: House – Armed ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
19. H.R.7393— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a program to reduce barriers to entry for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners in certain private markets, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Spanberger, Abigail Davis [D-VA-7] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (9)Committees: House – AgricultureLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. (All Actions)Tracker: 
20. H.R.7394— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To establish a temporary voluntary program for support of insurers providing business interruption insurance coverage during the COVED-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
21. H.R.7395— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To require flags of the United States of America to be domestically made, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Judiciary; Oversight and ReformLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee… (All Actions)Tracker: 
22. H.R.7396— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To increase access to agency guidance documents.Sponsor: Rep. Walker, Mark [R-NC-6] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Oversight and ReformLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. (All Actions)Tracker: 
23. H.J.Res.76— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to “Borrower Defense Institutional Accountability”.Sponsor: Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3] (Introduced 09/26/2019) Cosponsors: (162)Committees: House – Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 The Chair announced that the bill and accompanying veto message were referred to the Committee on Education and Labor. The Chair directed the Clerk to notify the Senate of the action of the House. (All Actions)Tracker: 
24. H.J.Res.90— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency relating to “Community Reinvestment Act Regulations”.Sponsor: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] (Introduced 06/11/2020) Cosponsors: (82)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on H.J. Res. 90, the Chair put the question on passage of the joint resolution and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Waters demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further… (All Actions)Tracker: 
25. H.Res.1025— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Expressing support for the designation of June as “National Homeownership Month”, honoring the critical importance of increased homeownership to overall affordable housing goals, and acknowledging the necessity of using comprehensive resources within the legislative and policy toolbox, together with vital public-private partnerships, to allow communities across the United States to provide access to safe and secure housing for all Americans, regardless of income level, while promoting diversity consistent with the ideal of the American Dream during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.Sponsor: Rep. Clay, Wm. Lacy [D-MO-1] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
26. H.Res.1026— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Expressing the sense of Congress that responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by the education system must be narrowly tailored to protect the well-being of children in different parts of the country.Sponsor: Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (11)Committees: House – Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (All Actions)Tracker: 
27. H.Res.1027— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the wrongs and hardships of Black women are often equal to those experienced by Black men yet receive less attention and justice, and that any legislation passed in the House of Representatives to remedy racial inequities in the United States, especially those present in the criminal justice system, must include reforms to address concerns for Black women.Sponsor: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (20)Committees: House – JudiciaryLatest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)Tracker: 
28. H.Amdt.817 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)Amends Bill: H.R.51Sponsor: House Committee on Rules (Offered 06/26/2020)Committees: House – House Committee on Rules
29. H.Amdt.818 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)Amends Bill: H.R.5332Sponsor: House Committee on Rules (Offered 06/26/2020)Committees: House – House Committee on Rules
30. S.Con.Res.38— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A concurrent resolution to establish the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies for the inauguration of the President-elect and Vice President-elect of the United States on January 20, 2021Sponsor: Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO] (Introduced 05/06/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Latest Action: House – 06/26/2020 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. (All Actions)Tracker: 
    1. Agreed to in House