Below is the Federal Policy team's weekly preview, published each Monday when Congress is in session.
HEADLINES
- President Donald Trump has two Midwest trips scheduled this week, while he continues to face bipartisan criticism on his performance last week in Europe.
- The House plans a health policy theme week, including votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act's medical device tax.
- The Senate will continue to focus on advancing Trump administration nominations and spending bills.
HOUSE
- In its final week of session before the August recess, the House plans to vote today through Thursday. The legislative agenda is highlighted by a permanent repeal of the medical device tax, a two-year delay of the ACA insurance tax and legislation to expand health savings accounts.
- The House Energy and Commerce Committee continues its busy hearing schedule, with subcommittee hearings on implementation of the 21st Century Cures Act, the Medicare payment system for physicians, substance abuse treatment, Energy Department modernization, the Renewable Fuel Standard and oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.
- The House also aims to vote on the final annual Defense Department policy bill, if the conference committee reconciling House-Senate differences finishes in time.
- A full listing of House committee activity can be found here.
SENATE
- The Senate plans to be in session throughout the week. Tonight, the Senate is scheduled to vote to confirm Robert Wilkie as secretary of Veterans Affairs. Senators will then turn to a package of spending bills, including those covering Interior, Financial Services, Agriculture, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development.
- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday will hold a hearing on factors affecting global oil prices.
- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday will appear before the Foreign Relations Committee; he is likely to face questions regarding Trump's Helsinki summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, as well as ongoing U.S. discussions with North Korea.
- The current listing of Senate committee activity can be found here.
WHITE HOUSE
- Trump on Tuesday will travel to Kansas City, Missouri, to speak at the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention.
- Trump on Wednesday plans to meet in Washington with the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who is expected to propose a new European Union position to ease the ongoing tariff disputes with the Trump administration.
- Trump on Thursday plans to travel to Dubuque, Iowa, and Granite City, Illinois.
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