The week ahead for the U.S. House and Senate – Dec. 5-9, 2016

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United States Capitol_ U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate

As President-elect Donald Trump continues to fill top positions in his cabinet this week, lawmakers look to begin wrapping up their legislative year by passing a stopgap spending bill in order keep the government running into 2017.

Here’s what both chambers are working on this week:

U.S. House of Representatives

On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives is in session and will consider several bills under Suspension of the Rules. A full list of bills can be found here.

On Tuesday, the House is expected to continue with the consideration of several suspension bills.

For the balance of the week, the House is expected to consider the following:

H.R. 5143: Transparent Insurance Standards Act. The bill prohibits the United States from agreeing to any international insurance standards unless the government first publicly publishes the proposal, seeks public comment and reports to Congress on the impact of those standards on U.S. markets and consumers. It also prohibits the adoption of any international insurance capital standards until after the Federal Reserve issues domestic capital standards for insurance companies.

  • Alabama co-sponsor(s): None

WRDA: Negotiators from the House and Senate are expected to reach an agreement on a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA; “wurd-uh”).  Generally speaking, a WRDA is legislation that authorizes new water projects for construction by the Army Corps of Engineers.  This final WRDA may also be the vehicle to help provide aid to Flint, Mich., whose drinking water system has been contaminated by lead.  The bill would likely contain an authorization for that aid and actual funding may be packaged as part of the continuing resolution (CR) that the House will also consider this week.

  • Alabama co-sponsor(s): N/A

FY2017 CR: The House is expected to consider a continuing resolution (CR) that will extend current federal funding until sometime after March 2017.  The final timeline of the CR is still being determined.

  • Alabama co-sponsor(s): N/A

The Senate is in session this week and expected to consider both the 21st Century Cures package and the NDAA that passed the House last week.  The Senate will also likely consider both WRDA and the FY2017 CR after House consideration.

U.S. Senate

The Senate is in session this week and expected to consider both the 21st Century Cures package and the NDAA that passed the House last week.

The Senate will also likely consider both WRDA and the FY2017 CR following House consideration.