The House met at 12:00 p.m. with first votes around 2:30 p.m. The House will take up H.Res. 503 – Establishing the Select Committee to investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. The bill would create a 13-member committee made up of eight members appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California), and five chosen by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California). Speaker Pelosi is considering naming one Republican, which would give the committee a partisan balance of seven Democrats to six Republicans. But Pelosi will also essentially have veto power over McCarthy’s choices, as the minority leader will make appointments in consultation with the speaker. So if McCarthy wanted to appoint one of his many members who had downplayed January 6th, or voted to overturn the Electoral College results, the speaker could reject his choice. The bill is not expected to garner much support from Republicans as House GOP leadership is recommending that conference members vote “no” on the bill, with Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) saying in a statement that “this select committee is likely to pursue a partisan agenda” in investigating the assault by a violent mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters. 21 House Republicans voted last week against a bill to award Congressional Gold Medals to the officers who defended the Capitol and Michael Fanone, a Washington police officer who was seriously injured during the riot, met privately with Minority Leader McCarthy to discuss the assault and ask him to publicly denounce the lies Republican lawmakers have been telling about the deadly attack which McCarthy refused to do.
Speaker Pelosi Dear Colleague on Establishing a Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
The House will also begin consideration of H.R. 3684 – The INVEST in America Act and will work its way through 149 amendments and will allow for amendments to be offered en bloc. A full list of amendments can be found HERE. House Democrats, including Speaker Pelosi, held a briefing Wednesday on the INVEST in America Act focusing on transportation infrastructure. The INVEST in America Act proposes $547 billion in funding for roads, bridges, and safety; transit; and passenger and freight rail. President Joe Biden declared America urgently needs a “generational investment” in its infrastructure, as he looked to sell voters Tuesday on the economic benefits of the $973 billion bipartisan package that still faces an uncertain future in Congress.
The President and The Vice President delivered remarks and convened Cabinet officials, Governors, and private sector partners today to discuss the devastating intersection of drought, heat, and wildfires in the Western United States, and strengthening prevention, preparedness and response efforts for this wildfire season. President Biden announced a series of steps in response to intensifying wildfires in the western U.S. calling the fires “a problem for all of us” and saying the U.S. must act “fast” during the meeting with western governors. “We know this is becoming a regular cycle and we know it’s getting worse,” Biden said in a briefing. “The truth is, we’re playing catch-up. This is an area that’s been under-resourced, but that’s going to change if we have anything to do with it.” Biden said his administration would hold annual briefings to coincide with the start of the wildfire season. The administration also announced increased air capacity for wildfire response, and pointed to wildfire protection provisions in the White House’s budget request for fiscal year 2022. The request includes more than $30 billion for wildfire management and relief and a 62 percent increase in hazardous fuels treatment funding. Biden said the federal government would increase the minimum wage for federal firefighters to $15 an hour, calling the current $13 wage “unacceptable.”
FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration Acts to Address the Growing Wildfire Threat.
Adam S. Olsen, Washington, D.C.
