Blogs

Congress is in session.

• The Senate returns today to consider the NDAA and nominations.
• The House returns today to consider the NDAA and appropriations bills.
  • The House Rules Committee will hold a business meeting on Monday to consider four bills, including the FY 2027 National Security-State Department appropriations bill and the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 (H.R.139).

FY27 Appropriations: The House returns to consider FY 2027 appropriations bills and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). However, President Trump has urged Republicans to send him a third reconciliation package, as well as pass the SAVE America Act, Republicans’ federal voter ID bill. The President’s demand for the SAVE America Act threatens to derail the House’s legislative agenda, as occurred before the July 4 recess. Meanwhile, Senators are looking to make progress on the chamber’s delayed appropriations process, but disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over topline defense and nondefense spending levels are stalling progress. Senate Republicans are hoping to move appropriations bills out of committee to keep pace with the House, but the death of Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) illness brings Senate Republicans’ narrow majority to 51-47.

Housing Package: The housing package automatically became law at midnight last Friday, July 10. After the Senate passed the bill on June 22 and the House passed it on June 23, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) transmitted the bill to President Trump’s desk on June 29, triggering a 10-day review period. Because the President neither signed nor vetoed the bill during that period, the measure became law automatically.

Permitting: Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) previously expressed interest in pursuing a federal permitting reform package in August. Negotiators have reportedly reached agreement on a broad framework but remain divided on details related to boosting transmission and restraining the president’s power to cancel approved energy permits.

WRDA: The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee will hold its markup of the 2026 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) on Tuesday, July 14. Congress has traditionally enacted WRDA every two years to authorize Army Corps of Engineers’ studies and projects. The House 2026 WRDA bill authorizes 131 new feasibility studies for water resources infrastructure projects and 10 projects ready for construction. The Senate WRDA bill authorizes Army Corps projects and includes reauthorizations for key water infrastructure and workforce development programs at EPA, such as the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs (CWSRF/DWSRF). The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee will hold its markup of their 2026 WRDA bill on Wednesday, July 15. The House’s summary of the 2026 WRDA bill is here, and the Senate’s 2026 WRDA bill section-by-section summary and bill text are attached to this email.

DHS Election Funding: On July 10, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published additional election security-related requirements for DHS grant recipients. FEMA will withhold 20% of the grant recipient’s total Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) award until they submit proof of compliance with these requirements and the Department verifies the submission. DHS requires states to: 1) Submit a plan to transition from electronic voting systems to hand-marked paper ballots; 2) Conduct a manual audit of at least 5 percent of ballots cast; 3) Reconcile the number of voters who participated in each federal election with the number of ballots cast; 4) Use the SAVE system to verify the citizenship status of everyone listed in the state voter registration database; and, 5) Use the SAVE system to verify the citizenship of anyone working at polling places or operating election systems.

NDAA: Senate Republicans are expected to bring its version of the $1.15 trillion NDAA to the floor this week. However, Senate Democrats are expected to block the defense bill over frustrations about the Iran war and Congress’ absence in authorizing it.

Hearings and Markups:

Supreme Court: Associate Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett will testify before the House and Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittees on the Supreme Court’s FY 2027 budget request on Tuesday.

Environment: The House Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee will hold a markup of several environment-related bills on Tuesday.

OMB: The Senate Budget Committee will hold a markup of Hal Duncan’s nomination to be deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Tuesday.

Higher Education: The House Oversight Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses Subcommittee will hold a hearing on DEI policies on Tuesday.

Water Infrastructure: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a markup of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) on Tuesday. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold its 2026 WRDA markup on Wednesday.

Aviation & Communications: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will hold a markup of several bills including the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act, the Accelerating Broadband Permits Act of 2026, and the Disaster Communications Coordination and Preparedness Act on Wednesday.

FISA: The Senate Intelligence Committee will consider the nomination of Jay Clayton III to be director of national intelligence on Wednesday.

FEMA: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing entitled, “Reforming FEMA: Ensuring the Nation’s Disaster Readiness Works for America,” on Wednesday.

Mining: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources, Public Lands, Forests and Mining Subcommittee will hold a hearing on fifteen mining and energy-related bills on Wednesday.

Dept. of Justice: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a nomination hearing for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to be Attorney General on Wednesday.

TSA: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will hold a nomination hearing for David Cummins to be Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Thursday.

Dept. of Labor: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee will hold a nomination hearing for Acting Secretary Keith Sonderling to be Secretary of Labor on Thursday.

Top stories:

• Maine Democrats seek to nominate alternative candidate (NYT)
• President Trump recommends South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to appoint Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve as interim Senator (POLITICO)
• Senators to introduce Iran war powers resolution (The Hill)