Priorities Piling Up in Washington

Congress returns to Washington with a growing list of priorities awaiting them. The DHS shutdown is entering its fifth week as the Senate prepares for an intense debate over the SAVE America Act. Capitol Hill Republicans and the White House are also considering pathways for a supplemental funding bill for the Iran War, setting up another significant political flashpoint.

This week, the House of Representatives will take up a pair of GOP-led deportation bills. Under the two measures, noncitizens who defraud the government or harm a federal law enforcement animal would be automatically subject to deportation. The House will also consider another measure to block the Agriculture and Interior departments from barring the use of leaded ammunition or tackle on federal land and water, reversing a Biden-era rulemaking.

The SAVE America Act showdown is set to kick off in the Senate this week, with the first procedural vote coming as soon as Tuesday. President Trump’s top legislative priority faces an uphill climb in the Senate, which would likely require dismantling the longstanding silent filibuster.

Lawmakers in both chambers will convene committee hearings this week, including the following:

  • The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection will assess the national security risks of Chinese AI, robotics, and autonomous technologies
  • The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will examine the critical mineral commodity supply chain
  • The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will discuss the role of CMS in combating fraud in Medicare and Medicaid
  • The House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party will discuss how China is cornering the market on medicines
  • The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media will examine the strategy and challenges ahead of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference