This is the second of a four week stretch of Congress being in town that will end with Memorial Day weekend. 

Looking at the House’s floor schedule, four measures are set for consideration pursuant to a rule (passes with a simple majority) and thirteen are on suspension (needs a 2/3rds majority, so at least some Democrats will need to support). Legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration may also be considered, but that is tentative and the final text does not appear to be publicly available.

What is not on the Majority Leader’s Floor Schedule, however, is the expected vote this week on whether to remove Rep. Johnson as Speaker of the House. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA14) indicated she would force a vote by offering a privileged resolution, which the House must consider within two days. At least two other Republican members have indicated their support,  but House Democratic leaders say they will scuttle her efforts by preventing such a measure from coming up for a vote on the substance. It remains to be seen how many Republicans will join Rep. Greene on what may become a messaging vote about the future of the party.

The House is expected to consider a joint resolution of disapproval against a bulletin issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission that declares, according to MSN, that “companies holding their customer’s cryptocurrency assets must reflect these on the company’s balance sheet.” What’s notable about this kind of resolution is that it can receive expedited consideration in the Senate and in certain circumstances cannot be filibustered. 

The House of Representatives will hold 45 committee hearings and markups, thirteen of which concern appropriations and five concern intelligence — with three of those hearings closed to the public. Happening in the background is the submission of requests from Members of Congress and of written testimony from members of the public to the various appropriations committees as they consider what measures to move forward.

Don’t miss that Rep. Cuellar (D-TX28), who was indicted by the Justice Department on Friday for “bribery and acting as a foreign agent,” will step down temporarily as Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee as is required by Democratic Party Caucus Rules. He will continue to serve on that committee and elsewhere in the House of Representatives while the matter is prosecuted. 

The Senate has not tipped its hand on its floor schedule, but it appears the Senate will resume on Tuesday and, after dispensing with an ambassadorial appointment, move to consider legislation concerning reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Senate has a more leisurely committee schedule, with seventeen meetings and mark-ups scheduled on Wednesday and Thursday. Five of those meetings concern appropriations and three concern armed services.

If you look for me on Wednesday, you’ll likely find me in the background of the video from the Committee on House Administration’s hearing with the Clerk of the House of Representatives. You can also catch me on the Senate side that afternoon, at a hearing held by the Senate Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee. Don’t get too comfortable watching me on TV, however: the Senate has a long tradition of only broadcasting audio of its appropriations mark-ups, which means you have to be there to see it.

Please keep the feedback coming on these congressional previews. I’m happy to provide more information, more context, and more humor — or get out of the way. Let me know, and thanks for reading.