DC Legislative Update: April 4th – 8th, 2022

Check here for the 2022 Senate Calendar
Check
here for the 2022 House Calendar

What’s Happening this Week

  • Both chambers of Congress are in session this week. Friday, April 8th, should be the last day of this work period for both chambers, with a two-week recess scheduled for the work weeks of April 11th and 18th.
  • The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is expected to hold a markup that will include S. 2372, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act this Thursday, April 7th at 10 AM EST. Watch the livestream here.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee voted this afternoon along party lines (11-11) to discharge the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has moved to discharge her nomination from committee and a final vote is expected be held this evening.
    • Members of the Senate could also vote on a potential COVID-19 supplemental funding measure – a slimmer version of the one that was removed from the FY22 Omnibus Spending Bill that passed in March. It’s also possible the Senate will vote on the compromise Russia trade relations bill this week.
  • The House is expected to consider two pieces of legislation: a bill with contempt charges for two individuals who have refused to testify before the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol and a piece of legislation with COVID-19 relief specific to restaurants.
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a new report today; Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change.
  • NWF continues to work to advance our priorities on Capitol Hill, so please feel free to share NWF’s 117th Congress National Policy Agenda.

Upcoming Congressional Hearings

  • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
    • Monday, April 4, 2022 at 10 AM EST: Business meeting to consider the nomination of several judges to the federal bench and for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
  • Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
    • Tuesday, April 5th, 2022 at 10 AM EST: Implementation of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act: Stakeholders’ needs and experiences
    • Wednesday, April 6th, 2022 at 10 AM EST: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Proposed 2023 Budget. EPA Administrator Michael Regan will testify.
    • Thursday, April 7th, 2022 at 10 AM EST: Committee Business Meeting to consider pending legislation, including S. 2372, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.
  • Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  • Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
    • Wednesday, April 6th, 2022 at 2:30 PM: Hearing on treaties, including amendments to the Treaty on Fisheries between the US and Certain Pacific Island States and an Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
  • Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • House Committee on Natural Resources
    • Wednesday, April 6th, 2022 at 10 AM EST: Markup on a number of bills pertaining to public lands management and transfer and H.R. 6651, the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act.
    • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
    • Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
      • Tuesday, April 5th at 10 AM EST: Investing in Wildfire Management, Ecosystem Restoration, and Resilient Communities: Examining the Biden Administration’s Priorities for Implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
    • Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife
  • House Agriculture Committee
  • House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
  • House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

Congressional News

  • Last week, the House and Senate passed its version of the H.R. 4521, America COMPETES Act. The House and Senate will need to appoint a conference committee to reconcile their different versions of the legislation, a process that could take weeks.
  • NWF President & CEO Collin O’Mara testified before the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis on the value of natural infrastructure last Friday. A full recording of the hearing can be found here.

Administrative News

  • Last Thursday, March 31st, President Biden announced he will order the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic reserves in an effort to combat rising gasoline prices. He has also called on Congress to add pressure to the oil industry to increase drilling on public lands.
  • See here for additional White House resources, including a comprehensive list of Executive orders to address COVID, the climate crisis, and environmental justice, among other topics. 

Spotlight: Bill of the Week

Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines (STREAM) Act

  • Introduced by: Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) & Mike Braun (R-IN) in the Senate and Representatives David B. McKinley (R – WV 01) and Matt Cartwright (D – PA 08) in the House.
  • Overview: This bill allows states to set aside up to thirty percent of the funding for Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) restoration from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to address long-term acid mine drainage costs. The IIJA set aside $11.3 billion for the AML trust fund for state AML programs.
  • A fact sheet about the STREAM Act can be found here.

DC Legislative Update: March 28th – April 1st, 2022

Check here for the 2022 Senate Calendar
Check
here for the 2022 House Calendar

Upcoming Congressional Hearings

  • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
    • Monday, March 28, 2022 at 3 PM EST: Business meeting to consider the nomination of several judges to the federal bench and for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
  • Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • Senate Committee on the Budget
  • House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • House Agriculture Committee
  • House Committee on the Budget
  • House Committee on Financial Services
  • House Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • House Committee on Natural Resources
    • Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife
      • Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 2 PM EST: Hearing to consider the following bills; Red River National Wildlife Refuge Boundary Modification Act, Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022 and the Advancing Human Rights-Centered International Conservation Act of 2022.
    • Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
    • Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples
      • Thursday, March 31, 2022 at 1 PM EST: Legislative hearing to examine; Quapaw Tribal Landowner Settlement Act of 2021, Advancing Equality for Wabanaki Nations Act and legislation to reauthorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund.
  • House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

    • Friday, April 1, 2022 at 9:30 AM EST: Hearing on America’s natural solutions: the climate benefits of investing in healthy ecosystems. Collin O’Mara, NWF President and CEO, will testify.

Congressional News

  • Representative Don Young of Alaska, who passed away at age 88 last Friday, will lie in state on Tuesday.
  • Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb) will resign on Thursday after being found guilty of lying to federal elections officers about illicit campaign contributions.
  • Last week, the Senate confirmed more judges to the federal bench and moved forward with a procedural vote on the America COMPETES Act. It will now move to cloture vote this week.

Administrative News

  • Today, President Biden released a summary of his Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget request. This “skinny” budget provides an outline for Congress to begin negotiations on FY 2023 funding and more details are expected to come. The Office of Management and Budget Director, Shalanda Young will be on the Hill to testify about the President’s budget this week before both the House and Senate. Highlights are below;
    • Increased funding for the Department of Energy, including $48.2 billion in discretionary funding.
    • Calls for funding for ecosystem restoration, including $407 million for the Florida Everglades restoration project.
    • A 25% increase in funding for the Department of Interior.
    • More funding to increase domestic renewable energy resources and to return to Obama-era levels of funding to help finance clean energy investments internationally.
  • After his trip to Germany last week, President Biden in conjunction with the European Commission announced plans to find 15 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas for imports to Europe.
  • Jessica Ennis will join the White House Council on Environmental Quality as its new public engagement director. Ennis previously worked for Earthjustice as the legislative director for climate and energy. She will help carry out the White House’s Environmental Justice priorities through work alongside activists and stakeholders.
  • The White House released a final rule on CAFE standards, increasing the penalties for automakers who do not meet fuel economy standards going back to model year 2019.
  • See here for additional White House resources, including a comprehensive list of Executive orders to address COVID, the climate crisis, and environmental justice, among other topics.

What’s Happening This Week

  • The Senate and House are in session this week.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a business meeting today to discuss a number of nominees to the federal bench as well as Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court. It is expected that the committee will postpone the vote on her nomination for about a week in order to leave the Congressional Record open for comments. Her nomination is still expected to come to the Senate floor before April 8th.
  • The Senate will hold a cloture vote this evening on the Senate substitute for the America COMPETES Act. This will bring the vote one step closer to a formal conference committee.
  • The Senate could take up the House-passed bill suspending normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus later this week. The bill had stalled following objections from Senator Paul.
  • The House is expected to vote this week on a bill to end federal prohibitions on marijuana. A full list of bills expected to be voted on by the House is here.
  • NWF continues to work to advance our priorities on Capitol Hill, so please feel free to share NWF’s 117th Congress National Policy Agenda.

Spotlight: Bill of the Week

Lead Safe Housing for Kids Act

  • Introduced by: Reps. Jesus “Chuy” García (IL-4), A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) & Ayanna Pressley (MA- 07)
  • Overview: This bill aims to reduce lead exposure to children living in federally-assisted housing. The bill will adopt measures such as comprehensive risk assessments, requiring the disclosure of lead paint usage by landlords, and providing a process and assistance for relocating families if lead hazards are found.
  • A full press release on the Lead Safe Housing for Kids Act can be found here.The logo of the National Wildlife Federation is circular and features a raccoon wearing a ranger hat.

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 April 19-23, 2021

 

NWF Legislative Update April 19-23, 2021

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

Congressional Hearings 

  • House Appropriations Committee
    • Tuesday, April 20 at 10am EST: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment hearing on the “Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior.”
  • Tuesday, April 20 at 10am EST: Subcommittee on Labor, Human Health, Education hearing on “Building Capacity, Building Community: Increasing Investments in Community Colleges.”
  • Wednesday, April 21 at 10am EST: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment hearing on the “Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request for the Environmental Protection Agency.”
  • Wednesday, April 21 at 2pm EST: Subcommittee on Transportation, House and Urban Development hearing on “Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request for the Department of Housing and Urban ”
  • House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
    • Tuesday, April 20 at 12pm EST: Hearing on “Making the Case for Climate Action: Creating New Jobs and Catalyzing Economic Growth.”
  • House Natural Resources Committee
    • Tuesday, April 20 at 2:30pm EST: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources hearing, “Building Back Better: Reducing Pollution and Creating Jobs Through Offshore Wind.”
  • Senate Appropriations Committee
    • Tuesday, April 20 at 10:30am EST: “Hearings to examine the American Jobs Plan, focusing on infrastructure, climate change, and investing in our nation’s ”
  • House Appropriations Committee
    • Tuesday, April 20 at 10:30am EST: Hearing on “The American Jobs Plan: Infrastructure, Climate Change, and Investing in Our Nation’s ”
      • Witnesses include Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation, Regan, Administrator of the EPA, Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, and Fudge, Secretary of HUD
    • Wednesday, April 21 at 2pm EST: Subcommittee hearing on “Fiscal Year 2022 Budget ”
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee
    • Tuesday, April 20 at 2pm EST: Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment and Cyber hearing on “Restoration of the Transatlantic Dialogue: The Global Fight Against Climate Change.”
  • Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
    • Wednesday, April 21 at 10am EST: Hearing to “consider the presidential nominations of Bill Nelson to be National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator and Lina Khan to be a Commissioner of the Federal Trade ”
  • House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
    • Wednesday, April 21 at 11am EST: Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hearing on “Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure: Measures to Promote Resiliency and Climate Adaptation and ”
  • Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
    • Wednesday, April 21: Meeting to consider the nominations of Julie Su for Deputy Secretary of Labor, Cynthia Marten for Deputy Secretary of Education and James Kvaal for Undersecretary of
  • Senate Agriculture Committee

Congressional News 

  • On April 14, the Senate, in a bipartisan vote of 53-45, confirmed Brenda Mallory to serve as Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. Mallory’s confirmation will ensure CEQ prioritizes environmental justice, climate, and policies that support people and wildlife. See NWF’s press release here.
  • Last week, Senators Luján (D-N.M.) and Cramer (R-N.D.) introduced the Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells (REGROW) Act of 2021. The bill focuses on clean-up of orphaned oil and gas wells and is a focus of NWF’s Public Land’s fly-in. See NWF’s press release here.

Administrative News  

  • On April 15, NWF and 15,000 members submitted public comments to the Department of Interior in response to their request for information on needs to reform the US oil and gas leasing system. See NWF’s press release here for more on the submission.
  • On April 16, Secretary Haaland issued secretarial orders to ensure widespread, improved management of public lands with a focus on climate Read NWF’s press release here.
  • 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 spring. See the White House’s notice here.
  • See here for President Biden’s comprehensive list of Executive orders to address COVID, the climate crisis, and environmental justice, among other topics.

What’s happening this week? 

  • On Monday, President Biden is expected to meet with a bipartisan and bicameral group of Senators and Representatives, all former Governors and Mayors, to discuss the American Jobs Plan. NWF is working with Members and their staff to conduct virtual meetings, emphasizing recommendations from our Restoration and Resilience report – located here and in our press release here,
  • This week, the Senate is expected to consider and vote on the nomination of Lisa Monaco for Deputy Attorney General and the nomination of Gary Gensler to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  • The Senate is expected to vote this week on The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted unanimously last week to report the bill out of committee, see here for their press release.
  • Last Monday, the National Wildlife Federation, Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, and Reimagine Appalachia hosted a successful congressional briefing to discuss the role of climate infrastructure investments in Appalachia. Watch the briefing here.
  • NWF’s Public Lands team is continuing their virtual fly-in, hosting staff and affiliates in meetings with Members and their staff to discuss legislative and restoration and resilience priorities as part of upcoming legislation and larger infrastructure packages.

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