Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
February 1, 2023

President Joe Biden will meet with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) at the White House this afternoon for a discussion that carries high stakes: the need to raise the nation’s borrowing limit in order to avoid a financial crisis.  The meeting will be the first between the two leaders since Republicans assumed control of the House… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
January 31, 2023

The House convened at 10:00 A.M. and will meet for legislative business at 12:00 P.M.  The House is expected to consider H.R. 497  – Freedom for Health Care Workers Act which would end the federal COVID-19 vaccination requirement for staff members working at health care facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid and also H.R…. Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
January 26, 2023

The House convened at 10:00 A.M. and is considering H.R. 21 – Strategic Production Response Act.  The measure would limit the Energy Department’s ability to draw down petroleum in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until it develops a plan to increase the percentage of federal lands leased for oil and gas production.  Republicans are aiming to… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
January 25, 2023

As the House and Senate continue to organize committees, organizing resolutions needed to constitute each party’s membership on Senate committees may still get votes this week, but Republicans first have to resolve an intraparty issue over two senators from the same state trying to serve on the same committee.  Senate Republican Conference precedent prohibits senators… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
January 24, 2023

With plans to bring a border security bill to the House floor as early as this week on hold amid a backlash from more moderate members, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) has also been unable to corral the votes for a promised pro-police bill.  The House will begin the week at noon for morning hour… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
January 23, 2023

The Senate returns today for the first vote of the 118th Congress, while the House returns at noon tomorrow for morning hour and at 2:00 P.M. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 P.M. Along with twelve suspension votes, the House is set to vote this week on the Strategic Production Response Act, legislation… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
January 12, 2023

The 118th Congress convened last week and Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-California) won election early Saturday as House speaker in a historic five-day, 15-ballot floor fight, after giving major concessions to right-wing holdouts and weathering a dramatic late-night setback that underscored the limits of his power over the new Republican majority.  McCarthy clawed his way to… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
December 22, 2022

After a night in which the Omnibus looked destined to fail, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) announced Thursday morning that he’s reached an agreement with colleagues on amendments to the 4,155-page Omnibus so the Senate can pass the bill later in the day and give the House a chance to act Friday before… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
December 20, 2022

Congress is set to vote on a 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion government funding bill this week after the Omnibus funding package, made up of the 12 annual appropriations bills, which will fund the government and its various agencies through the remainder of fiscal 2023 was released early this morning.  Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont)… Read More