Lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday following the Presidents Day recess to find their agenda flipped on its head as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fight to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court take center stage. Ahead of President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address tonight, lawmakers found themselves working through swiftly passing billions of dollars in emergency spending for Ukraine. Specifically, President Biden seeks $6.4 billion, which could get attached to the must-pass U.S. government funding bill that has a March 11th deadline. The administration’s request would provide roughly $3.5 billion in new military spending, and an additional $2.9 billion for the State Department, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, to provide help for refugees fleeing Ukraine.
President Biden delivers his first State of the Union address amid struggles on a number of fronts, headlined by continued troubles in dealing with inflation and rising prices across the U.S and his ability to advance his agenda through Congress. In a preview of the address, the White House laid out a four-point economic plan that Biden plans to discuss, including making more goods in the U.S. and strengthening supply chains, reducing the cost of everyday expenses and reducing the deficit, promoting fair competition to lower prices, and eliminating barriers to well-paying jobs. The White House said President Biden also plans to outline goals for the implementation of the infrastructure law. He will also press lawmakers to approve legislation to boost U.S. competitiveness with China and take steps to address consolidation in ocean shipping, which could help bring down prices for consumers. The president also plans to seek an increase in inspections at nursing homes to protect seniors. The president will juggle reframing his stalled legislative agenda with reminding Americans of what he sees as key accomplishments—such as the passage of his Covid-19 relief bill and bipartisan infrastructure legislation last year—and rallying them behind his strategy to counter Russia, which includes uniting with allies on a massive sanctions package. Democrats, who narrowly control the House and Senate, are hoping President Biden can use the speech to begin uniting Americans behind his leadership. The president’s job approval rating stood at 40.7% Monday, according to FiveThirtyEight’s aggregation of public polls, down from 53% in January 2021.
For today, the House meets at 10 a.m. and will consider the Rule Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3967 – Honoring our PACT Act of 2021. The House will then reconvene at 8:30 P.M. for the State of the Union. The entire congressional body has been invited to attend, although guest attendance will remain prohibited as a coronavirus safety protocol.
The Senate convenes at 10:15 a.m. and will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to Calendar #273, H.R.3076, Postal Service Reform Act, post-cloture.
Adam S. Olsen, Washington, D.C.
