The Senate’s Big Week

The Senate is the only Chamber in town this week and will take key votes to either advance or outright finalize the nominations of Kash Patel to be FBI Director, Howard Lutnick to be Commerce Secretary, and Kelly Loeffler to be SBA Administrator.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans may send the first of their two-pronged budget resolution to the floor this week after advancing it out of the Budget Committee last week. Once floor consideration begins, it would launch a “vote-a-rama” where any Member can attempt to attach a series of amendments to the underlying bill.

Under the Senate reconciliation strategy, this first bill would tackle defense and immigration spending, while a second bill would extend the 2017 tax cuts. On the contrary, House Republicans aim to pass all items in a single bill.

Senate committee hearings set for this week include the following:

• The Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions Committee will consider the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be Labor Secretary
• The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will discuss reforming the federal environmental permitting process
• The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will examine federal spectrum auction authority
• The Senate Judiciary Committee will examine children’s online safety