04.13.2026 - DC Download (Copy)
After a chaotic end to last week that ended with a short-term extension of government surveillance powers and mixed signals on Iran peace talks, lawmakers are facing another packed session. The current schedule includes multiple Cabinet-level hearings and possible next steps on reconciliation — and still no end in sight to the Homeland Security shutdown.
House
House Floor
The House will vote on 11 suspension bills from the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 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. 6387 – FIRE Act (Sponsored by Rep. Evans (CO) / Energy and Commerce Committee) This bill rolls back state reporting requirements regarding air pollution.
H.R. 2289– American Broadband Deployment Act of 2026 (Sponsored by Rep. Carter (GA) / Energy and Commerce Committee) This bill creates mandatory deadlines for the government to review certain wireless and telecommunications projects, allowing the projects to proceed if deadlines aren’t met. The bill also exempts certain projects from reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
H.R. 4690 – Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act (Sponsored by Rep. Langworthy – Energy and Commerce Committee) This bill abolishes energy efficiency standards for federal buildings.
H.R. 1897 – ESA Amendments Act of 2025 (Sponsored by Rep. Westerman – Natural Resources Committee) This bill guts the Endangered Species Act, including by making it easier to remove endangered species designations and harder to create new ones.
H.Res. 1182 – Expressing supportfor rural communities across the United States as stewards of the environment, major suppliers of United States energy resources, critical providers of food production and manufacturing capacity, and drivers of national economic stability, and recognizing the work of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress in support of those vital communities (Sponsored by Rep. Fuller – Energy and Commerce Committee) This resolution expresses the House’s support for policies that include easing permitting for natural gas pipelines, making home appliances less energy-efficient, and abolishing incentives for electric vehicle adoption.
H.R. 5587 – HEATS Act of 2026 (Sponsored by Rep. Kim – Natural Resources Committee) This bill would roll back government review of geothermal drilling and exploration projects, including by forgoing requirements to engage with Tribal governments and conduct environmental reviews. Skipping these steps could result in more seismic activity and unsafe groundwater.
House Committee Highlights
A full list of this week’s hearings and markups can be found here. Notable hearings and markups include:
Monday Hearings
Budget Hearing - Department of the Interior (Committee on Appropriations)
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum testifying
Tuesday Hearings
The Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Health and Human Services Budget (Committee on Energy and Commerce)
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. testifying
Independent Work, Real Opportunity: The Gig Economy and the Future of Entrepreneurship(Committee on Small Business)
Wednesday Hearings
Full Committee Hearing on the Trump Administration’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda (Committee on Ways and Means)
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifying
Budget Hearing - Department of Commerce(Committee on Appropriations)
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick testifying
Senate
Nominations
The Senate this week has teed up votes on the following nominee:
Senate Committee Highlights
A full list of this week’s hearings and markups can be found here. Notable hearings and markups include:
Tuesday Hearings
A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior (Committee on Appropriations)
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum testifying
A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Commerce (Committee on Appropriations)
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick testifying
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent testifying
A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Health and Human Services (Committee on Appropriations)
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. testifying
Wednesday Hearings
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins testifying
A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Energy (Committee on Appropriations)
Secretary of Energy Christopher Wright testifying
ISSUES TO WATCH
Congress’ Time Crunch
Congress is looking at an increasingly difficult to-do list for the coming months: ending a months-long shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security; sending President Trump another party-line reconciliation bill by June 1 (and maybe another after that!); reauthorizing (and maybe reforming) expiring government surveillance powers before the end of this month; passing a long-elusive farm bill; and annual tasks like the National Defense Authorization Act and government funding for Fiscal Year 2027. And most of that must get done before lawmakers head home for two long recesses in August and October.
On top of the condensed timeline, Republicans continue to have a narrow majority that will only get narrower (217 Republicans to 214 Democrats) when Rep.-Elect Analila Mejia (D-NJ) is sworn in tonight.
Speaker Johnson has tried to deal with this problem by holding tough votes on the brink of big deadlines, giving House Republicans the catch-22 of supporting leadership-backed bills they dislike, or bearing responsibility for a GOP priority’s failure. But this gambit failed last week: House Republicans sank an attempt to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s (FISA) Section 702 powers for five years, despite President Trump’s support. Lawmakers were, in turn, forced to pass a stopgap until the end of the month.
The FISA failure doesn’t just add dealing with FISA disagreements to the lengthy to-do list: it indicates that running out the clock isn’t a foolproof strategy for dealing with intra-GOP disagreements. This could make the extensive task list above all the more difficult to complete. That’s especially true for perpetually-tough issues like government funding and reconciliation — and even more so if Republicans aim for a broad reconciliation bill chock-full of issues to prompt GOP fights.
Briefing: FISA Section 702: Risks, Reforms, and the Road Ahead (We Build Progress)
House Republicans blame White House for Hill FISA mess (Politico)
Trump urges extending FISA program as some lawmakers push for privacy protections for Americans (PBS News)
It’s reconciliation week for Senate GOP (Punchbowl)
Senators want to force energy, enviro policies into reconciliation push (E&E News)
What We’re Reading
For Second Year in a Row, Trump Budget Seeks to Slash WIC Fruit and Vegetable Benefits for Millions (CBPP)
Live Nation and Ticketmaster Illegally Monopolized Ticketing Market, Jury Finds (New York Times)
The Pentagon Is Going “AI First” (The Nation)
Poll finds Virginia voters have turned against data centers (Washington Post)
Inside Trump’s Effort to “Take Over” the Midterm Elections (ProPublica)
The United States is destroying itself (The Guardian)
The Dam Breaks: Democratic Senators Overwhelmingly Reject Arms Sales to Israel (The Intercept)
Scoop: Democrats eye new strategy after Iran war powers fail (Axios)
KEY DATES
April 22: Earth Day
April 24: Arbor Day
May 1: May Day
May 4-8: House and Senate in recess