Senate Legislative Activity

On Monday, March 16, following any Leaders remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for one hour, beginning at 3:00pm. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.178, a bill to provide justice for victims of human trafficking. Given that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) filed cloture on the substitute amendment to S.178 and on the underlying bill, the filing deadline for all first-degree amendments to the substitute amendment and the underlying bill is 5:00pm on Monday.

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session for up to 30 minutes – with the time equally divided – to consider the following:

1. Executive Calendar #17 -Carlos Monje, of Kouisiana, to be an Assistant Secretary of Transportation (Roll Call Vote)

2. Executive Calendar #18 – Manson K. Brown, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce (Voice Vote Expected)

At approximately 5:30pm, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the nominations.

On Tuesday, March 18, a cloture vote on the substitute amendment to S.178 is expected at approximately 11:00am.

House Legislative Activity

On Monday, March 16, the House will meet at 12:00pm for morning hour and at 2:00pm for legislative business, with votes postponed until 6:30pm.  The following will be considered under suspension of the rules:

1. R. 639 – Improving Regulatory Transparency for New Medical Therapies Act, as amended;

2. R. 647 – Access to Life-Saving Trauma Care for All Americans Act;

3. R. 648 – Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act;

4. R. 284 – Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Improvement Act of 2015, as amended;

5. R. 876 – Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility Act, as amended; and

6. R. 1191 – Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act, as amended.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, March 17 and 18, the House will meet at 10:00am for morning hour and at 12:00pm for legislative business.  On Thursday, March 19, the House will meet at 9:00am for legislative business, with last votes expected by 3:00pm.

The House will consider the following legislation:

1. R. 1029 – EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015, Rules Committee Print (Structured Rule)

The Rule provides for one hour of general debate and makes in order the following amendments:

• Alan Grayson (D-FL) Amendment (10 minutes of debate);

• David McKinley (R-WV) Amendment (10 minutes of debate);

• Jared Polis (D-CO) Amendment (10 minutes of debate); and

• Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) Amendment (20 minutes of debate)

2. R. 1030 – Secret Science Reform Act of 2015, Rules Committee Print (Structured Rule)

The Rule provides for one hour of general debate and makes in order the following amendments:

• Donna Edwards (D-MD) Amendment (10 minutes of debate); and

• Joe Kennedy (D-MA)/Jim McGovern (D-MA)/Katherine Clark (D-MA) Amendment (10 minutes of debate)

3. J. Res. 8 – Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Labor Relations Board relating to representation case procedures; and

4. Res. 132 – Providing for the expenses of certain committees of the House of Representatives in the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress.

On Friday, March 20, the House is not in session.