The House and Senate returned to Washington this week to begin a three week session before recessing for the Memorial Day holiday. The most significant action came from the Senate finally passing the first appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2017. The Energy and Water appropriation sailed through committee a few weeks ago, but was dragged into the muck over an amendment to prohibit the U.S. from buying heavy water, used in nuclear plants, from Iran. But, after a third failed cloture vote to begin the week appeared to doom the bill, Senate leaders ironed out an agreement to allow a vote on the amendment with a 60 vote threshold, before moving to pass the whole appropriations bill. The heavy water amendment failed and the final package sailed through a floor vote. The Energy and Water appropriation was a critical first step for Republican leaders trying to reestablish regular order for the appropriations process since it is among the least controversial of the twelve appropriations packages. Next on the docket in the Senate will be floor action for the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations package. The House has yet to have an appropriations bill make it to the floor.
Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Jim Inhofe is expecting the WRDA package passed by his committee to see floor time in June. The Chairman and Ranking Member Barbara Boxer would like to have WRDA's reauthorization wrapped up before the extended summer recess begins in July. But on the House side, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster has not even released a bill to mark up, though it is expected soon. Senate and House versions of WRDA are also expected to have pretty significant variation and require an extensive conference. However, all sides are optimistic that a bill can get done before the end of the 114th Congress.
