Congressional Feed

This week in Congress: 9 votes, 16 hearings scheduled.

On Friday, August 7, 2026, the Senate took action on several legislative items and nominations despite Congress not being in session for floor activity. Senators passed H.R. 5334, the Supporting Early-childhood Educators’ Deductions Act, by a vote of 86-11 after rejecting an amendment to the bill. Additionally, the Senate agreed to a cloture motion on H.R. 6500, the AGOA Extension Act, with a 91-6 vote and approved a group of en bloc nominations in a 51-47 vote. Several high-level nominations were also sent to committees for consideration. These include John Breslow and Michael Kavoukjian for ambassadorships to Cyprus and Norway, respectively, and Edward Eppler to serve as Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Transportation. Other notable nominees include Charlton Allen for General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, Sriprakash Kothari for Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and Michael Vance for Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research.

On the schedule today: 4 hearings scheduled, 59 nominations in motion.

Today in Congress: 4 votes.

Today in Congress: 9 hearings scheduled, 59 nominations in motion.

On Tuesday, August 4, both the House and Senate were in session with a heavy focus on committee activity and executive branch nominations. The Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a business meeting to consider the nomination of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General. Other scheduled hearings covered a broad range of policy areas, including the impact of biotechnology on health care, the reality of Medicaid, and methods for lowering prescription drug costs through competition and transparency. Additional sessions were set to examine the consumer costs of AI surveillance pricing, tribal implications of prediction markets, and various classified intelligence matters. In addition to the judicial business, the Senate received or processed numerous nominations for key administration roles. These included John Breslow and Michael Kavoukjian for ambassadorships to Cyprus and Norway, respectively, and Edward Eppler to serve as Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Transportation. Other notable nominations involved Sriprakash Kothari for the Treasury Department, Glen Smith for the Department of Agriculture, and Michael Vance for a leadership role within the State Department's intelligence wing. No floor votes or legislative advancements were reported for this date.

On Monday, August 3, 2026, both chambers of Congress were in session. The Senate took procedural action on H.R. 6500, the AGOA Extension Act, which is serving as the legislative vehicle for a Continuing Resolution. Senators agreed to a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill by a vote of 89-4. Several high-level executive nominations were received or advanced in committee. These include Keith Sonderling to be Secretary of Labor, Erica Schwartz to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Jennifer Johnson-Carroll to be Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, the Senate received the nominations of Rebekah Jurata for the International Monetary Fund and Sarah B. Rogers to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, while reporting favorably on military promotions for a Major General and two Lieutenant Colonels.

The Senate was active with personnel and legislative business during the week of July 27, 2026. Walter Clayton was confirmed as Director of National Intelligence in a 51-47 vote. Lawmakers also advanced H.R. 5334, the Supporting Early-childhood Educators’ Deductions Act, through two procedural votes with broad bipartisan support. However, the chamber rejected S.J.Res. 199, a disapproval resolution regarding child care flexibility rules, and failed to pass S.J.Res. 181, which sought to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran. Committees held several high-profile hearings, including testimony from Anthony Fauci before the Homeland Security Committee and discussions on the impact of artificial intelligence on senior fraud and the workplace.

Looking ahead, the Senate is scheduled to consider H.R. 6500, the AGOA Extension Act. Committees will focus heavily on artificial intelligence and healthcare, with hearings planned on AI surveillance pricing, AI-enabled toys, and the use of biotechnology in healthcare. The Senate Judiciary Committee will examine competition and transparency in prescription drug costs, while the Finance Committee explores approaches to Social Security solvency. Additionally, the Indian Affairs and Foreign Relations committees have scheduled business meetings and briefings to address tribal land trusts and the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

On the schedule today: 9 nominations in motion.

Today in Congress: 3 votes.

Today in Congress: 3 bills on the floor, 5 hearings scheduled, 13 nominations in motion.

Congress today: 2 votes.

Congress today: 3 bills on the floor, 5 hearings scheduled, 59 nominations in motion.

On the schedule today: 2 votes.

On the schedule today: 1 bills on the floor, 60 nominations in motion.

Today in Congress: 1 votes.

Today in Congress: 61 nominations in motion.