April 5, 2024
## Federal Government Relations Updates
**Congressional Agenda**In late March, Congress finally agreed on and President Biden immediately signed the final six spending bills required to keep the government open until the end of September. While the agreement takes the pressure off funding the government for the rest of this fiscal year, it’s déjà vu all over again with Congress having to come up with appropriations for FY ’25 by October 1. Don’t expect it to be any easier this time around, particularly with election year politics as a significant back drop.
When Congress returns next week from its Easter recess, it faces a diverse and significant list of controversial issues including whether the House will bring up Ukraine funding for a vote and what the Senate will do on the Mayorkas impeachment.
House Speaker Mike Johnson recently promised a House vote on Ukraine soon after the Easter recess. But he does so at his own peril, with far-right Republicans, unhappy over passage of the funding measures, opposing Ukraine funding and continually threatening to oust Johnson as Speaker.
In the Senate, Democrats must decide how they want to handle Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ impeachment. Choices range from simply dismissing the charges to a full-blown Senate trial. Since there is no chance the Senate will vote to impeach Mayorkas, many Democrats, and even some Republicans, are anxious to dispose of the issue as quickly as possible and reserve scarce floor time for more meaningful actions.
With regard to substantive legislation, issues like rail safety, a farm bill, Federal Aviation Authorization, a possible tax bill, and a measure to legalize cannabis banking are just a few of the measures where supporters will be seeking floor time. At the same time, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is under heavy pressure to reserve Senate floor time for a long list of judicial nominations. A complicating factor is there is widespread doubt whether Republicans are even interested in seeing anything pass, preferring instead to avoid giving the Biden Administration a victory in a Presidential election year.
It is also likely that Congress will consider emergency funding to assist with rebuilding Baltimore’s Key Bridge. Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su is leading the Administration’s effort to mitigate the adverse impact on over 15,000 workers potentially affected by the Port of Baltimore’s closing and consequent disruption of supply chains that otherwise would have gone through the port. Meanwhile, her nomination to be Secretary of Labor (removing the Acting designation) remains stalled, awaiting a Senate vote on her nomination.