DC Legislative Update: May 24-28, 2021

 

DC Legislative Update: May 24-28, 2021

Check here for the 2021 Senate Calendar
Check here for the 2021 House Calendar

Upcoming Congressional Hearings

 House Natural Resources Committee

House Appropriations Committee

    • Monday, 24 at 2pm EST: Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development hearing on “FY 2022 Budget Request for the S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation.”
    • Wednesday, May 26 at 1pm EST: Subcommittee on Defense hearing on “Defense Environmental Restoration.”

Senate Finance Committee

    • Tuesday, May 25 at 9:30am EST: “Hearing to Consider the Pending Nominations of Lily Lawrence Batchelder to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Benjamin Harris to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury and Jonathan Davidson to be Deputy Under Secretary of the ”
    • Wednesday, May 26 at 2:30pm EST: “Open Executive Session to Consider an Original Bill Entitled The Clean Energy for America ”

House Energy and Commerce Committee

    • Tuesday, May 25 at 11:30am EST: Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change hearing on “The Clean Future Act and Drinking Water: Legislation to Ensure Drinking Water is Safe and Clean.”
  • House Financial Services Committee
    • Tuesday, May 25 at 12pm EST: Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion hearing on “The Legacy of George Floyd: An Examination of Financial Services Industry Commitments to Economic and Racial ”

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

    • Wednesday, May 26 at 9:45am EST: “Business Meeting to consider the following items: Shannon Aneal Estenoz to be Assistant Secretary of Fish and Wildlife and Parks of the Department of the Interior; Radhika Fox to be Assistant Administrator for Water of the Environmental Protection Agency; Michal Ilana Freedhoff to be Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention of the Environmental Protection Agency; 10 General Services Administration Resolutions; and the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021

Senate Appropriations Committee

  • Wednesday, May 26 at 10am EST: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment hearing on “Rethinking Resiliency: Budgeting for the Future of Forest Management.”
  • Wednesday, May 26 at 2pm EST: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science hearing on “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Funding Request for the U.S. Department of ”
  • Wednesday, May 26 at 2pm EST: Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing on “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Funding Request for the U.S. Department of Homeland ”

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

House Agriculture Committee

    • Wednesday, May 26 at 12pm EST: Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations hearing on “The Future of SNAP: Moving Past the ”

House Oversight and Reform Committee

Senate Agriculture Committee

    • Thursday, May 27 at 9:30am EST: To consider the following nomination: Janie Simms Hipp, of Arkansas, to be General Counsel of the Department of House Judiciary Committee
    • Thursday, May 17 at 10am EST: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties hearing on “Oversight of the Voting Rights Act: A Continuing Record of Discrimination”

House Science, Space, and Technology Committee

    • Thursday, May 27 at 1pm EST: Hearing on “Overview of the Science and Energy Research Enterprise of the S. Department of Energy” featuring witness Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of Energy.

Congressional News

  •  On Thursday, the Senate Commerce Committee approved, in a bipartisan voice vote. the nomination of Eric Lander to be the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. In the same hearing, the Committee approved and advanced the nomination of Rick Spinrad for Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  • Senator Heinrich [D-NM] introduced the “Schools and State Budgets Certainty Act, with the purpose of ensuring communities, schools, workers and other essential services are provided with needed resources and support during the transition to the clean energy economy. Read NWF’s press release here.
  • This weekend, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released a draft, bipartisan bill calling for $303.5 billion in investments into surface transportation infrastructure, including $350 million for wildlife crossings and billions in climate-targeted investments. See here for NWF’s press release and here for the Committee’s press release. The Committee will mark up the bill on Wednesday, when they will also vote on the nominations of Shannon Estenoz, Michal Freedhoff, and Radhika

Administrative News

  •  The Administration is expected to release a full fiscal year 2022 discretionary budget request later this week. The request is expected to contain specific provisions to enforce a whole-of-government approach to climate change and related issues.
  • Last week, President Biden signed an Executive Order directing federal agencies to consider climate financial risks in economic assessments. See here for President Biden’s comprehensive list of Executive orders to address COVID, the climate crisis, and environmental justice, among other

What’s Happening This Week

  •  This week, the House is in a committee work period, and the Senate is continuing floor consideration of various nominees, including Kristen Clarke to be Assistant Attorney General, as well as continued votes on the Endless Frontiers Act.
  • This week, NWF’s Environmental Justice Team is hosting partners and congressional staff to launch the Clean Economy Coalition of Color (CECC). This event will focus on providing discussion around ensuring federal commitments are realized through an equitable process aimed at building wealth among vulnerable Register here to attend the event on May 26 from 6-8pm EST.
  • The White House has been conducting meetings with bipartisan, bicameral Members of Congress to discuss deals around key infrastructure priorities. We expect movement on, and markup of, a bipartisan surface infrastructure package in the coming in the coming weeks.
  • Senator Heinrich has been circulating a letter calling for investments in natural infrastructure, resilience, and habitat conservation in any upcoming infrastructure package. NWF strongly supports the letter, and urges Senators to sign-on, as the recommendations align with our Restoration and Resilience report – located here and in our press release here.

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DC Legislative Update: May 17-21, 2021

DC Legislative Update: May 17-21, 2021

May 17-21, 2021 

Check here for the 2021 Senate Calendar
Check here for the 2021 House Calendar

Upcoming Congressional Hearings 

  • Senate Energy and Natural Resources
    • Tuesday, May 18 at 10am EST: Hearing to consider pending nominees, including Robert Anderson to be Solicitor of the Department of the Interior; Ms. Shannon A. Estenoz to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks; and Ms. Tanya M. Trujillo to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (Water and Science).
  • House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
    • Tuesday, May 18 at 11am EST: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics hearing on “NASA’S Earth Science and Climate Change Activities: Current Roles and Future Opportunities.”
    • Wednesday, May 19 at 11am EST: Subcommittee on Energy hearing on “Accelerating Discovery: The Future of Scientific Computing at the Department of Energy ”
  • Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  • Ways and Means Committee
  • House Energy and Commerce Committee
  • Senate Appropriations Committee
    • Wednesday, May 19 at 10am EST: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development “Hearings to examine rethinking disaster recovery and resiliency, focusing on protecting communities and accelerating assistance.”
    • Wednesday, May 19 at 3pm EST: Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs “Hearings to Examine Military Infrastructure and Climate ”
  • Senate Appropriations Committee
    • Wednesday, May 19 at 10am EST: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development hearing on “Rethinking Disaster Recovery and Resiliency, Part 2: Protecting Communities and Accelerating ”
    • Wednesday, May 19 at 3pm EST: Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs hearing on “Military Infrastructure and Climate Change.”
  • House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
  • House Natural Resources Committee
    • Wednesday, May 19 at 1pm EST: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on “Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars and Corporate Welfare in the Oil and Gas Industry.”
    • Thursday, May 20 at 12pm EST: Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States (SCIP) “Legislative: Hearing on Tribal-Related Legislation – Including RESPECT Act and Stop ”
  • Senate Agriculture Committee
  • Senate Commerce Committee
    • Thursday, May 20 at 10am EST: Executive Session to consider the nomination of Eric S. Lander to be the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). “
    • Thursday, May 20 at 10:15am EST: “Directly following the executive session, the committee will consider the presidential nominations of Pamela A. Melroy to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Carlos A. Monje, Jr. to be Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy; and Richard Spinrad to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.”

Congressional News

  •  On Thursday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, in a bipartisan vote of 18-1, advanced the nomination of Tommy Beaudreau to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Department of the NWF issued this press release calling for swift Senate confirmation.
  • On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 15-7 to advance Todd Kim’s nomination to be Assistant Attorney General. The role will lead the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Watch the hearing here.
  • Last week, Senator Gillibrand [D-NY] and Rep. Clarke [D-NY] introduced the Promoting Energy Alternatives is Key to Emission Reductions Act (PEAKER Act, H.R. 3184/S. 1553). The bill would require the Department of Energy to identify power plants that switch on for peak demand, establish a tax credit for clean energy sources or energy storage that replace these plants, and create a grant program to help communities best meet their energy

Administrative News

  •  The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released a Record of Decision last week, following years of regulatory processes, approving the construction and operation of the Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts. See NWF’s press release here, and see here for more on NWF’s offshore wind work.
  • The Administration is expected to release a full fiscal year 2022 discretionary budget request later this month, on May 27. The request is expected to contain specific provisions to enforce an all-of- government approach to climate change and related issues.
  • See here for President Biden’s comprehensive list of Executive orders to address COVID, the climate crisis, and environmental justice, among other

What’s Happening This Week

  •  This week, Senate committees are considering the nomination of various Administration
  • NWF expects continued work around appropriations and budget requests as Congress aims to conclude committee hearings in the coming
  • The White House has been conducting meetings with bipartisan, bicameral Members of Congress to discuss deals around key infrastructure priorities. We expect movement on, and markup of, a larger surface infrastructure package the coming weeks.
  • Senator Heinrich has been circulating a letter calling for investments in natural infrastructure, resilience, and habitat conservation in any upcoming infrastructure package. NWF strongly supports the letter as the recommendations align with our Restoration and Resilience report – located here and in our press release here.

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DC Legislative Update: May 10-14, 2021

DC Legislative Update

May 10-14, 2021

Check here for the 2021 Senate Calendar
Check here for the 2021 House Calendar

Upcoming Congressional Hearings

Senate Agriculture Committee

Senate Rules Committee

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

  • Tuesday, May 11 at 10am EST: Hearing on “Equity in Transportation Infrastructure: Connecting Communities, Removing Barriers, and Repairing Networks across America.”
  • Wednesday, May 12 at 10am EST: Hearing on Interior and EPA Nominees, including Shannon Estenoz to be Assistant Secretary of Fish and Wildlife and Parks of the Department of Interior, Radhika Fox to be Assistant Administrator for Water of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Michal Freedhoff to be Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention of the Environmental Protection

Senate Commerce Committee

House Agriculture Committee

  • Wednesday, May 12 at 10am EST: Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry hearing on “Title II Conservation Programs: Exploring Climate Smart Practices.”

House Appropriations Committee

House Energy and Commerce Committee

  • Wednesday, May 12 at 10:30am EST: Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on “The Fiscal Year 2022 HHS ”
  • Thursday, May 13 at 10am EST: Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee hearing on “The Clean Future Act: Superfund Proposals to Advance Cleanups, Equity, and Climate ”

House Natural Resources Committee

  • Wednesday, May 12 at 1pm EST: Office of Insular Affairs hearing on “Legislative Hearing – Insular Cases Resolution.”
  • Thursday, May 13 at 10am EST: Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States
    Subcommittee hearing on “Oversight: Environmental Justice in Indigenous Communities.”
  • Thursday, May 13 at 1pm EST: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources hearing on “Legislative: Protecting Coastal Communities and Ocean Resources from Offshore Drilling.”

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Congressional News

Last week, Susie Lee [D-NV] introduced the “End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 2021” with the purpose of preventing leasing on public lands that have little to no energy development potential. See NWF’s press release here.

On May 4, Rep. Williams [D-GA] introduced the Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Efficiency (WISE) Act to make permanent a requirement that states direct at least 20% of their Clean Water SRF for projects that incorporate the use of green See NWF’s tweet in support here.

On April 30, Rep. Blumenauer’s [D-OR] office announced their support of Rep. Simpson’s new framework on Northwest infrastructure with a focus on investment planning for salmon recovery, jobs, and clean See NWF’s press release here.

Administrative News

Last week, Biden released the administration’s “Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful” 2021 plan – here – laying out a comprehensive ten year plan to restore 30% of national lands and See NWF’s press releases for more:

Biden’s Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Plan Will Restore Wildlife Habitat, Enhance Sporting Opportunities Historic Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Plan Prioritizes Collaboration, Restoration, and Job Creation

On Thursday, the Interior Department released a proposal to review the previous administration’s rollbacks, and to restore protections for bird populations, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

The Administration released initial information about the President’s fiscal year 2022 discretionary budget request with specific provisions to highlight the all-of-government approach to climate change and related issues. The full budget request is expected later this month.

See here for President Biden’s comprehensive list of Executive orders to address COVID, the climate crisis, and environmental justice, among other

What’s Happening This Week

NWF expects continued work around appropriations and budget requests as Congress aims to conclude committee hearings in the coming weeks.

The White House is expected to meet this week, and in the coming weeks, with bipartisan, bicameral Members of Congress to discuss deals around key infrastructure priorities.

Senator Heinrich has been circulating a letter calling for investments in natural infrastructure, resilience, and habitat conservation in any upcoming infrastructure package. NWF strongly supports the letter as the recommendations align with our Restoration and Resilience report – located here and in our press release here.

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