Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | February 5, 2024
Dear Friends,
The biggest news on Capitol Hill this week will be the bipartisan immigration deal reached by Senate negotiators. Surprising no one, it has already produced turmoil in both chambers. Many Senate Republicans, as well as a few Democrats, have signaled their opposition, and House Republicans have promised the bill will never see the Floor on their side of the Capitol. A key procedural vote has been teed up for Wednesday in the Senate. Meanwhile, the fate of aid for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and billions in other national security spending will be tied up with the immigration drama.
Of course, we don’t need to remind you there are plenty more issues fighting for Congress’s attention this month, not least of which is the need to (finally) put together FY24 spending bills before the latest extensions run out in early March. Last week, appropriators cleared an important hurdle by agreeing to subcommittee spending allocations, which will (in theory at least) allow them to complete their work on individual bills. We also may see Senate action on the tax bill recently passed by the House, and a March deadline looms on FAA reauthorization as well.
In this month’s newsletter, Senior Fellow Matt Glassman takes stock of the political dynamics on the Hill as we pass the halfway point of the 118th Congress. Read on for Matt’s insights on the procedural and policy machinations currently playing out in Congress – some of them highly predictable and others highly unusual. And if your organization could use a longer version of this type of recap of 2023 and look ahead at what’s in store for 2024, we’re always happy to bring a tailored Congressional Update right to you.
Best,
Kristin
Categories: Director's Desk, Media Center, Updates