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House Republicans are advancing a third reconciliation effort after narrowly passing an FY 2027 budget resolution by a 216-214 vote before the August recess. If the House and Senate approve identical versions, the resolution would allow Republicans to pursue another partisan spending package through the reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority vote in…

The House also passed the FY 2027 NDAA last week.  Republicans amended the bill to add several conservative priorities, including provisions to rename the Department of Defense the Department of War, to prohibit TRICARE from covering gender-affirming care for service members, military retirees, and dependents, and to make it easier for troops to carry their…

Before recessing, the House passed a Democratic-led concurrent resolution directing the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in Iran.  This is the second such resolution that has passed the chamber, this time with the help of Republican Reps. Barrett (R-MI), Davidson (R-OH), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Massie (R-KY).  The Senate could take it up…

The 119th Congress in its second half faces historic challenges, including narrow majorities, deep partisan divisions, and a limited legislative calendar.  The session began with the smallest congressional majority for either party in at least a century, and lawmakers have increasingly turned to discharge petitions to force action on legislation. Members have filed 24 discharge…

House Focuses on Defense, Government Funding, and Budget Priorities The House returned to Washington this week with votes scheduled through Thursday before they depart for the August recess. Republican leadership plans to consider six major measures under a rule requiring a simple majority for passage. Among the highest-profile items on the agenda are the Fiscal…

As Congress prepared to consider a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded beyond September 30, ASA, along with the Construction Transportation Coalition, urged lawmakers to maintain full federal investment in surface transportation programs and avoid disruptions to critical infrastructure projects. In a letter sent July 21 to House Speaker Johnson (R-LA),…

House Republicans are moving forward with the first procedural steps toward advancing a third budget reconciliation package, signaling another attempt to enact major spending priorities through the budget resolution process.  Last week, the House Budget Committee approved and reported a Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget resolution that would direct four committees—Agriculture, Armed Services, Intelligence, and…

Congress continued work on Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 government funding last week as the House approved its third appropriations measure of the year, providing funding for national security and Department of State programs. With the current fiscal year set to end on September 30, House Republican leaders are now shifting their focus to avoiding a…

The House is expected to take up its version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this week, marking the next major step in Congress’s annual defense policy process. House Republican leadership has structured the rule governing floor debate to allow votes on several socially conservative amendments, a move intended to…

President Trump announced a series of executive actions aimed at strengthening U.S. defense supply chains, modifying aluminum import policies, and imposing additional duties in response to what the Administration describes as discriminatory Canadian trade practices. The White House released an Executive Order titled “Securing America’s Defense Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials.…