The House and Senate are in recess this week, returning on Monday, June 3. When the House returns, it will consider the Senate-passed $19.1 billion disaster relief package (H.R. 2157) which was blocked by two individual House Republicans on May 24 and May 28, Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), respectively, who want the House to take a recorded vote on the bill instead of having the chamber pass it by Unanimous Consent without members of Congress present, and also oppose the package for not including the Trump Administration's $4.5 billion request in emergency funding to "respond to the humanitarian and security crisis at the southern border of the United States." The bill provides aid for states affected by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, as well as ongoing relief for disasters that occurred in 2017, and also includes a four-month extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through September 30, 2019. Additionally, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) wants to hold a House floor vote on a contempt package next week, including a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress and possibly former White House Counsel Don McGahn.
When the Senate returns, it will consider the motion to proceed to the concurrent budget resolution for FY 2020 (S. 1332), which also sets forth budgetary levels for FYs 2021-2029. Additionally, the Senate will vote on seven executive and judicial nominations, including: Andrew Saul to be Commissioner of Social Security for the term expiring January 19, 2025; David Schenker to be Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs; Heath Tarbert to be Chairman and Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for a term expiring April 13, 2024; Susan Combs to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management and Budget; Ryan Holte to be a Judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years; Rossie Alston, Jr. to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; Richard Hertling to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years.
On Wednesday, President Trump will have lunch with Vice President Mike Pence and will also meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. On Thursday, Trump will speak at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony. On Friday, Trump and the First Lady will host a reception to honor Gold Star families. President Trump is also expected to sign an executive order as early as this week to mandate greater disclosure of prices in the health-care industry,
directing federal agencies to pursue actions to force a host of players in the industry to divulge cost data and looking at using agencies such as the Justice Department to tackle regional monopolies of hospitals and health-insurance plans over concerns they are driving up the cost of care.
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