Blogs

The House and Senate are in session 

• The Senate returns today to consider the President’s nominees, including Kevin Warsh’s nomination to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. The Senate is also set to advance their portions of the reconciliation bill funding immigration enforcement, with $38.2 billion for ICE; $26 billion for offices under CBP; $5 billion for DHS; $1.5 billion for DOJ; and $1 billion for the Secret Service 

• The House returns tomorrow, May 12^th to consider several law enforcement measures during National Police Week, including Cashless Bail Reporting Act (H.R.5625); Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act of 2025 (H.R.6260); Monitor Accountability Act (H.R. 8365); and the Expressing support for law enforcement officers (H.Con.Res.96).

• FY27 Appropriations: The House Appropriations Committee plans to markup the Commerce-Justice Science appropriations bill Wednesday and conduct a Subcommittee markup on the Energy and Water appropriations bill Friday. The House will also vote this week on the Military Construction and Veteran Affairs Appropriations bill.

• Housing Package: The Senate-passed 21^st Century ROAD to Housing Act faces opposition from President Trump and House members regarding provisions on large institutional investors. House Republicans plan to release revised housing legislation that rolls back key Senate-passed provisions in Act aimed at limiting large investors’ role in the housing market. The House draft reportedly narrows the definition of “single-family home,” potentially allowing institutional investors to purchase more properties, and eliminates a requirement that build-to-rent homes be sold to individual buyers after seven years. The changes respond to bipartisan House concerns and industry pushback. The House could vote on the legislation as soon as the week the updated text is released. 

• TOD Planning Grants Open: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the opportunity to apply for over $28.5 million in competitive grants for FY 26 Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning. The TOD Planning grant provides funding for local communities to integrate land use and transportation planning around a new fixed guideway or core capacity improvement project. Applications are due by July 10, 2026.

• Fraud in Federal Programs (H.R.8464): House Republicans are advancing a bill to expand the administration’s authority to withhold payments in federal programs due to suspected fraud. Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), a co-sponsor of the bill, suggested that the bill could be incorporated into a partisan Reconciliation 3.0 package. 
• Surface Transportation Reauthorization Update: Sources indicate that the surface transportation markup is tentatively planned for May 20.

Trump Administration:

• USDA Issues SNAP Rule: USDA issued a final rule on Friday, May 8, requiring retailers that accept SNAP benefits to carry seven varieties of items across the four staple food categories, more than doubling the available foods in grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. The rule excludes certain snack foods from qualifying. Noncompliant retailers risk losing SNAP authorization.
• EPA Guidance on Lead Pipes: EPA released guidance outlining requirements and flexibilities for complying with the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, which requires the replacement of virtually all lead water lines by 2037 and set an initial deadline of November 1, 2027, for utilities to identify pipes made of lead.
• EPA Launches Permitting Map: On May 8, 2026, EPA launched its Permitting Authority Map. The Map identifies which regulatory agencies have the authority to issue permits covering all of EPA’s permitting programs and environmental statutes, assisting public entities in determining whether they are authorized to conduct the environmental review on behalf of the federal government.
• DHS Closes Detention Investigations Office: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly closing the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, an office responsible for investigating misconduct and abuse in the immigration detention system. An internal email to DHS employees attributes the closure to a lack of funding in the DHS appropriations bill that ended the recent partial shutdown.
• Retirement Savings Executive Order: President Trump issued an executive order, directing the Treasury Department to create a website by January 1, 2027 that offers workers without access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan access to information about low-cost individual retirement accounts.

Hearings and Markups: 

• HUD: Secretary Scott Turner will provide testimony on HUD’s FY 27 budget request before the House Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Tuesday. Turner on Thursday will also provide testimony on his agency’s FY 27 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. 
• Reconciliation 2.0: Senate Republicans on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees released legislative text covering their portions of the $72 billion budget reconciliation package funding ICE and CBP for the next three years. The bills include $38.2 billion for ICE; $26 billion for offices under CBP; $5 billion for DHS; $1.5 billion for DOJ; and $1 billion for the Secret Service. Senate Republicans are aiming to put the reconciliation measure on the floor by the week of May 18, with mark-ups in Judiciary and Homeland Security planned for next week. On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will discuss the panel’s portion of the immigration enforcement reconciliation bill.
• EPA: Administrator Lee Zeldin will provide testimony on his agency’s FY 27 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Wednesday. 
• Forest Service: Chief Tom Schultz will provide testimony on the Forest Service’s FY 27 budget request before the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday. 
• Interior: Secretary Doug Burgum will provide testimony on his agency’s FY 27 budget request before the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday. 
• FDA: Commissioner Marin Makary will provide testimony on FDA’s FY 27 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Wednesday. Reporting last week indicated that President Trump is considering firing Makary due to policy differences over drug approvals and nicotine products.
• Commerce-Justice Science: The House Appropriations Committee will hold a markup of the FY 27 Commerce-Justice Science appropriations bill on Wednesday. 
• Education: The House Education & Workforce Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday to discuss the policies and priorities of the Department of Education. 
• Sanctuary Cities: The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement will hold a hearing on Thursday to discuss the consequences of sanctuary city policies. 
• Energy and Water: The House Appropriations Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a markup of the FY 27 Energy and Water appropriations bill on Friday.