03.02.2026 - DC Download

Mar 2

It’s a short week in Washington, but a packed one as lawmakers confront the President’s illegal attack on Iran. At the same time, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem will finally appear before Congress, more than two weeks into the department’s shutdown and long after DHS agents killed Renée Good and Alex Pretti in January. We’ll dive into all this below.

House

House Floor

The House will vote on 15 suspension bills from the Committees on Natural Resources, Education and Workforce, and Judiciary. Suspension bills require a ⅔ majority to pass. For a list of all suspension bills being considered, click here.

This week the House will also consider the following bills, subject to a rule:

H.R. 1958 – Deporting Fraudsters Act (Sponsored by Rep. Taylor (OH) / Judiciary Committee) This bill would clarify that immigrants who have been convicted of defrauding the U.S. government or have unlawfully received public benefits—even if they have not been convicted of doing so—are deportable. Such a conviction is already a deportable offense.

H.R. 4638 – BOWOW Act (Sponsored by Rep. Calvert (CA) / Judiciary Committee) This bill states that conviction for or admitting to harming animals used in law enforcement is a deportable offense. Such a conviction is already a deportable offense. The bill, however, infringes on due process rights by allowing an immigrant to be deported even if the crime has not been prosecuted.

Possible Consideration of H.Con.Res. 38 – Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran (Sponsored by Rep. Massie (KY) – Foreign Affairs Committee)

House Committee Highlights

A full list of this week’s hearings and markups can be found here. Notable hearings and markups include:

Tuesday Hearings

Markup of H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (Committee on Agriculture)

Wednesday Hearings

Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (Committee on the Judiciary)

Secretary Kristi Noem testifying

Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II (Committee on Oversight and Government Reform)

Thursday Hearings

Member Day: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Committee on Appropriations)

Senate

Senate Floor

The Senate will vote on the following legislation:

Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Cal. #343, H.R.6644 Housing for the 21st Century Act (Sponsored by Rep. French Hill (AR) / Financial Services) The Senate reportedly plans to use the House-passed H.R. 6644 as a vehicle for its ROAD to Housing Act, which would reduce barriers to affordable housing construction. The version Senate leaders intend to advance is not public at the time of writing.

Senate Committee Highlights

A full list of this week’s hearings and markups can be found here. Notable hearings and markups include:

Tuesday Hearings

Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (Committee on the Judiciary)

Secretary Kristi Noem testifying

Less Hype, More Help: AI That Improves Safety, Productivity, and Care (Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation)

Lost and Exploited: Confronting Child Trafficking and the Failure to Protect America’s Most Vulnerable (Committee on the Judiciary)

ISSUES TO WATCH

All Eyes on Iran

The U.S. and Israel launched a massive attack on Iran this weekend, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and unleashing chaos across the region. The war has already killed four American troops and an untold number of civilians, including more than 100 at an Iranian primary school. Iran has retaliated against at least six U.S. military facilities, in addition to strikes in Israel, Syria, and Kuwait.

The attack followed the Iranian regime’s brutal massacre of protestors in January and came amidst U.S.-Iran negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program—despite the Trump administration’s claims that U.S. airstrikes last year “obliterated” it completely. Some of the terms the U.S. has reportedly proposed echo those in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, or “Iran nuclear deal”) that President Trump withdrew from in his first term. President Trump called for regime change in Iran immediately after the attack.

The Trump administration has said Iran did not pose an imminent military threat to the U.S. and did not seek authorization for the attack from Congress—the sole entity with the power to declare war under the Constitution. Lawmakers have introduced bipartisan, bicameral war powers resolutions (H.Con.Res.38 and S.J.Res.104) demanding that the President cease military action. Such resolutions have special privileges and, accordingly, Democrats in the House and Senate plan to force votes on the matter this week.

More on this:

Kaine, Schumer, & Schiff Push for Vote on Iran War Powers Resolution (Senator Tim Kaine)

DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP, RANKING MEMBERS ANNOUNCE IRAN WAR POWERS RESOLUTION VOTE NEXT WEEK (Congressman Hakeem Jeffries)

Pass the Iran War Powers Resolution (FCNL)

Trump’s Chaotic and Reckless Iran Nuclear Policy (Arms Control Association)

Pentagon offers no evidence to support claim it attacked Iran in defense (Politico)