Pascrell undecided on Rangel’s fate; Adler urges ouster of Ways and Means chairman
Author: editorU.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), the only New Jerseyan on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, is not ready to say if U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) should resign his chairmanship after the House Ethics Committee admonished him.
House Cloakroom:
Major Floor Action
- Cybersecurity Bill – Next week, the House will consider H.R. 4061, a cybersecurity enhancement bill which was approved by the Science Committee by voice vote in November 2009. The bill would reauthorize several National Science Foundation programs that aim to enhance cybersecurity. CBO estimates (PDF) that H.R. 4061 would cost $639 million over five years and $320 million after 2014.
- Debt Limit Increase – The House could consider a $1.9 trillion increase of the statutory debt limit as early as next week. The bill would increase the debt limit by 15.3 percent, from $12.394 trillion to $14.294 trillion. The $1.9 trillion increase is expected to ensure that Democrats will not have to bring another increase before Congress prior to the November elections.
Major Committee Action
- House Budget Committee will hold a hearing on the Fiscal 2011 budget with Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, on Wednesday.
- House Ways and Means Committee will also hold a hearing on the 2011 budget with Peter R. Orszag, director, Office of Management and Budget, on Wednesday
Senate Cloakroom:
Analysis
The President will release his budget next week, kicking off weeks of hearings and discussions about funding our nation’s priorities. However, the real news will once again be what is happening behind closed doors. Private discussions will continue on yet another stimulus and liberals must try to find a way to move Obamacare, perhaps through the politically poisonous reconciliation process. Even after the President’s State of the Union address, many questions remain in the Senate.
Major Floor Action
The Senate will try to dispense with two nominees early next week: M. Patricia Smith to be solicitor of the Department of Labor and Martha Johnson to be administrator of the General Services Administration. Senator-elect Scott Brown (R-MA) could be sworn in next week as well.
Major Committee Action
- The Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2011 defense budget and on the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
- The Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing on efforts to control high-risk activities by banks.
- The Finance Committee will hold a hearing on various health care proposals.