OMB Reports Budget Details for the First Time Via Congressionally Mandated Portal
Congress and the general public have access to critical federal funding decisions for the first time through the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) new public apportionment database.
Congress Increases Oversight of Capitol Police; Provides Chief Emergency Authority
With the first anniversary of the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, approaching, various insurrection related actions have occurred over the past week.
Infrastructure Week Materializes as $1.2 trillion Bill Narrowly Passes the House
The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was narrowly passed by the House on November 5, 2021, after months of negotiation. In the end, thirteen Republicans voted for the bill and six Democrats voted against it.
Federal Judiciary Requests $1.54 Billion from Congress to Bolster Security and Infrastructure
The Judicial Conference of the United States is requesting $1.54 billion from Congress to be put towards information technology and cybersecurity updates, stronger security measures, and courthouse construction. This funding could be part of either an infrastructure package to be released by lawmakers or a budget plan that is still being negotiated.
OPM Confirms Most Federal Employees Will Receive Friday, June 18 Off in Observance of New Juneteenth Federal Holiday
Congress passed legislation this week making June 19 a federal holiday in observance of Juneteenth. The date celebrates the arrival of Union troops in Galveston, Texas following the end of the Civil War. While two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the date is viewed as the effective end of slavery in the United States.
Lawmakers Advance, Introduce Law Enforcement Focused Legislation During Police Week
During National Police Week, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed several law enforcement related bills. The full Senate also passed a resolution recognizing law enforcement and fallen officers introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and cosponsored by all 99 other U.S. Senators. In both the House of Representatives and the Senate, law enforcement legislation was also introduced.
Congress Questions Bureau of Prisons on Vaccine Distribution
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has offered the COVID-19 vaccine to its entire workforce, but just 49 percent have accepted a vaccine as of last week. Meanwhile, other agencies are seeing their employees accept vaccines in larger numbers, causing members of Congress to question the Bureau of Prisons’ vaccine rollout plan. For example, as of last month, 72 percent of the Veterans Health Administration workforce had accepted the vaccine.
American Rescue Plan Expands Benefits for Federal Workforce
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that expands benefits for the federal workforce and Americans.
Legislation Introduced to Punish Individuals for Targeting Law Enforcement Officers
Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and 16 other lawmakers reintroduced the Protect and Serve Act, which would create federal penalties for individuals who target law enforcement officers at the federal, state, and local levels.
2021 US Citizenship Act Would Expand Federal Hiring and Workforce Reforms for Homeland Security Agencies
The Biden administration recently proposed the 2021 U.S. Citizenship Act to Congress. The bill has been introduced in both chambers by Congressional Democrats. The act would revamp the United States immigration system and reverse many immigration initiatives that were introduced by the Trump administration. The plan also includes several reforms aimed at improving the homeland security workforce.
Rioters Breach U.S. Capitol in Protest of Election Certification
On Wednesday, several thousand supporters of President Trump’s reelection campaign marched from the White House to the Capitol building, where the group breached security. The group climbed onto the Capitol by scaling vertical walls and overwhelming U.S. Capitol Police.
Congress Passes FY 2021 Government Funding, Coronavirus Relief Legislation
After several continuing resolutions to buy lawmakers additional negotiating time, Congress has passed a $2.3 trillion government funding and coronavirus relief package. As long as President Trump signs the measure by December 28, the federal government will not a shut down this year. The package allows for a 1 percent pay raise for civilian federal employees and includes $900 million in coronavirus relief, but the bill has been criticized for failing to take action on controversial federal workforce policies implemented by the Trump administration.
Congress Takes Action on Cybersecurity
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2021, which passed through Congress this month, includes several provisions that would strengthen the cybersecurity infrastructure of the U.S. The NDAA reestablishes the position of National Cyber Director within the Executive Office of the President and allows the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA) to conduct online threat hunting for federal agencies.
Appropriations Update: Congress Considers Another Stopgap Measure as Negotiations Continue
With a government shutdown looming at the end of this week, lawmakers are scrambling to fund the government and approve emergency COVID-19 aid. The omnibus government funding bill is expected to also serve as the vehicle for two COVID-19 relief packages. The $1.4 trillion spending and COVID-19 relief bill must be finalized or all non-emergency government services will be shut down and thousands of federal employees will be furloughed beginning at midnight on Friday, December 18.
Senate Releases Spending Bills for Fiscal Year 2021
Senate appropriators released all 12 of their fiscal year 2021 spending bills on the morning of November 10, 2020. Lawmakers have until December 11, 2020 to secure government spending and avoid a federal shutdown. Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have called for a new omnibus spending bill, which would fund all government agencies in a single large package, rather than another continuing resolution that only funds the government temporarily at previous levels.
Former DHS Secretaries Write Congress Advocating for Oversight Reforms
In an open letter to Congressional leaders, six former Secretaries of Homeland Security wrote that Congress needs a reorganization of the way it oversees the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The former secretaries and acting secretaries, stretching across Republican and Democratic administrations, are Tom Ridge, Michael Chertoff, Janet Napolitano, Jeh Johnson, Rand Beers, and Kevin McAleenan.
AIM Act Could Strengthen Public Safety by Improving ATF
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) introduced the Improvement and Modernization Act (AIM) that would modernize the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to improve gun safety. The bill itself would remove statutory restrictions that prevent ATF from protecting the public from violent criminals and combating black market weapons smuggling, according to its authors.
House Modernization Committee Issues Final Round of Recommendations
The House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress passed its final round of recommendations before the end of its term. The committee has passed 97 bipartisan recommendations in its 20-month lifespan. The latest set of recommendations includes several provisions strengthening the legislative branch, namely those that strive to reform the budget and appropriations process.
House Passes Stopgap Funding Measure; Senate Vote Expected Tuesday
On the night of September 22, 2020, nine days before the government was due to shut down, the House passed a stopgap funding measure through December 11, 2020. Members of the House passed the funding measure in a 359 to 57 vote. The bill includes an important measure prioritized by Republicans: $30 billion in farm aid.
New Law Provides Assistance to Families of First Responders Impacted by COVID-19
Recently passed legislation, the Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act of 2020, would improve financial assistance to families of first responders and public safety officers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A press release announcing the passage of this new law reported that the International Association of Fire Chiefs estimated that more than 13,000 firefighters and other first responders have been exposed to COVID-19 while on the job and, according to the Fraternal Order of Police, 164 police officers have died in the line of duty due to COVID-19 as of July 27, 2020.