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
- Monday, May 10 at 5:30pm EST: Business meeting to vote on Jewel Bronaugh’s nomination to be Deputy Secretary of USDA.
Senate Rules Committee
- Tuesday, May 11 at 10am EST: Business meeting for 1, the For the People Act.
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
- Wednesday, May 12 at 10am EST: Executive session for nominations and various climate, wildlife, and environment legislation.
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
- Wednesday, May 12 at 10am EST: Agriculture Subcommittee hearing on USDA research, education, and economics mission
- Thursday, May 13 at 1pm EST: Subcommittee on the Departments of Transportation, and House and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Member Day
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
- Thursday, May 13 at 10am EST: Hearing “To Examine Offshore Energy ”
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.
