Timing of major House legislation being dictated by party retreats
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The House plans to adjourn Wednesday come hell or high water so that Democrats can attend an issues retreat in Philadelphia — putting a personal clock on major public debates about aid to Ukraine and avoiding a government shutdown Friday.
What they're saying: “Short of SMOD [a sweet meteor of death] or the second coming of Christ, there’s nothing that’s going to stop House leaders from going on retreat,” one senior Republican House aide told Axios in a pox on both parties' house.
- Senate Democrats are also attending a retreat Wednesday, but it's being held in Washington and senators are expected to return for votes Thursday and, possibly, Friday.
- A similar issues retreat for House Republicans is being held in Florida in two weeks.
- A spokesperson for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declined comment.
Driving the news: The schedule for Tuesday is being driven by another point of personal privilege: the funeral for Rep. Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.), a colleague who died last month from cancer.
- Not all members are attending, but it's changing the schedule for everyone.
- Votes to slap additional sanctions on Russia and Belarus aren’t expected to be held until Tuesday night, at the earliest, a Democratic aide familiar with the plans told Axios.
- The sanctions votes could even slide to Wednesday, the source said — just before Democrats are leaving for Philadelphia.
What they're saying: Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, told Axios on Monday night he's yet to receive legislative text for a sanctions bill.
- Asked if it can pass by Wednesday, he said, “I certainly hope so.”
Go deeper: Appropriators also are haggling over the legislation to fund the government through the remainder of the fiscal year.
- One major issue is a White House request for supplemental funding for COVID-19 relief on top of Ukraine aid.
- While the latter is uncontroversial, many Republicans are hesitant to provide additional coronavirus aid — or link it to Ukraine funding.
- If Congress failed to reach a budget deal, it would lead to a shutdown or a fourth continuing resolution keeping the government open temporarily.
Reality check: Unlike their Senate counterparts, House Democrats fully control their chamber and don't have a filibuster to navigate.
- That allows them to act unilaterally and more expediently on major legislation.
- Still, whatever passes the House has to pass the Senate.
