Weekly Washington Outlook — October 26, 2015

What to Watch This Week:

Congress:

House:

On Monday, the House will consider H.R. 3033 – Research Excellence and Advancements for Dyslexia (READ) Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith / Science, Space, and Technology Committee) under suspension of the rules.  While not on the Majority Leader’s schedule, the House is also expected to bring up a discharge petition to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the House will vote on the following:

• Concur in the Senate Amendment to R. 623 – DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Susan Brooks / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
• R. 3819 – Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
• R. 455 – Northern Border Security Review Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. John Katko / Homeland Security Committee)
• R. 1317 – To amend the Commodity Exchange Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to specify how clearing requirements apply to certain affiliate transactions, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Gwen Moore / Financial Services Committee)
• R. 3032 – Securities and Exchange Commission Reporting Modernization Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Kyrsten Sinema / Financial Services Committee)
• 2036 – Equity in Government Compensation Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Sen. David Vitter / Financial Services Committee)
• R. 2643– State Licensing Efficiency Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Roger Williams / Financial Services Committee)

This week, the House will also consider H.R. 1090 – Retail Investor Protection Act, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule (Sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner / Financial Services Committee).  Legislation related to the debt limit is also possible.

Finally, on Thursday, the House will elect a new Speaker.

Senate:

This week, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 754, a cybersecurity bill.

White House:

On Monday, the President will attend Senator Daschle and Senator Mitchell’s Luncheon at the Metropolitan Club in Washington, DC. In the afternoon, the President will welcome President Joko Widodo of Indonesia to the White House. As leaders of two of the largest democracies in the world, the President and President Widodo will discuss plans to expand existing areas of bilateral cooperation, including in defense, trade and investment, climate and energy, as well ways to pursue new growth areas for the partnership, such as maritime cooperation.

On Tuesday, the President will welcome the United States Women’s National Soccer Team to the White House to honor the team and their victory in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In the afternoon, the President will travel to Chicago, Illinois to address the International Association of Chiefs of Police at the 122^nd Annual IACP Conference and Exposition. The event is the largest gathering of law enforcement leaders in the world with more than 14,000 public safety professionals and 700 exhibiting companies. Later in the day, the President will attend a DSCC event and a DNC event. The President will remain in Chicago overnight and return to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the President will participate in a DCCC roundtable.

On Friday, the President and the First Lady will welcome local children and children of military families to trick-or-treat at the South Portico of the White House.

Also This Week:

Immigration – This week, the House will vote on H.R. 455, legislation requiring the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a threat analysis of the U.S.-Canada border.

Debt Limit – The Department of the Treasury estimates the United States will reach the debt limit on November 3^rd.  It is possible the House may act to raise this as soon as this week, although details are not clear.

Financial Services – The House will vote on legislation this week (S. 2036) that would suspend pay increases for the CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  The bill requires the Federal Housing Finance Agency to limit compensation to the CEOs to $600,000.  Elsewhere, the House will also vote on legislation (H.R. 1090) that would block the Department of Labor’s proposed “conflict of interest” rule for brokers handling retirement accounts.

Judiciary – Attorney General Loretta Lynch will testify Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee at an oversight hearing.

Education – While conferees have not yet been formally appointed to the ESEA conference committee, staff-level work continues to reconcile the Senate’s Every Child Achieves Act with the House’s Student Success Act.  There are significant differences between the two bills; notably, neither has strong accountability language ensuring intervention if students are not meeting academic goals.  Conferees are likely to be named at some point in the coming weeks.

Healthcare – Last week, the House passed reconciliation legislation that would repeal the ACA’s employer and individual mandates and defund Planned Parenthood, among other provisions.  This week, the legislation is facing some opposition from conservative members of the Senate arguing that it does not go far enough.  Timing of Senate consideration, as a result, is not clear.

Republican Leadership Election – On Wednesday, the House Republican Conference will meet to elect Congressman Paul Ryan as Speaker of the House.  A full House vote will occur on Thursday.  Congressman Ryan’s election to Speaker will create a vacancy at the top of the Ways and Means Committee, likely to be filled by either Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) or Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH).