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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