One of the most prominent stories this week in Washington was the ongoing revelations of Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with people linked to Russian intelligence during June of last year. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Chuck Grassley, wants Trump Jr. to testify in an open session under oath, and threatened to subpoena him if necessary.
The other story dominating headlines in DC this week is the Senate's efforts to pass the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). On Thursday, Senate Republicans unveiled a modified bill, although many experts predict that the changes would have little effect on the number of Americans that would lose insurance if the bill became law. It is unclear if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will wait for a CBO score of the bill, or if he has enough votes to pass the bill in any event.
This week the House Appropriations Committee released report language for the Department of Agriculture and related agencies. The report addresses topics ranging from Secretary Perdue's reorganization of the USDA to encouraging public schools to avoid shaming children who fall behind on lunch payments. While technically non-binding, report language often strongly influences agency behavior.
The Senate Agriculture Committee met this week to discuss the 2018 Farm Bill. Senators from both parties discussed the challenges of drafting the bill at a time when budgets will be tight.
