This week in Congress

The Senate continues to work on approving President Trump’s cabinet nominations. Yesterday, the Senate conformed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuucin by a vote of 53-47.

The House in session Monday through Friday. As in past weeks, the focus is  disapproval of Obam’;s regulations using the Congressional Review Act:

1. HJRes 42– Overturns a Department of Labor regulation creates a list of occupations that “regularly” conduct drug testing for use by states when implementing drug testing for unemployment benefits. The argument for this is that the rule infringes on the individual State’s ability to make their own unemployment policies, the argument against it is that drug testing is an invasion of privacy that goverment should use sparingly (if at all).

While I oppose mandatory drug testing, even for government benefits, I do think these questions are best left to the states.

2. HJRes 66– Overturns a Department of Labor rule that brings certain state employee pension programs under federal regulations.

3. HJRes 67– Similar to HJRes 66, this bill overturns a regulation subjecting certain pension plans offered by local governments to federal regulations.

4. HJRes 69– Overturns a US Fish and Wildlife regulation limiting “predator control” on public land.

5. HJRes 43– Overturns a Department of Health and Human Services regulation limiting the ability of state’s to deny Tittle X funds to organizations that preform abortions.

The House will also consider some bills under suspension of the rules including:

1. HR 512– Permits veterans to allow certain Congressional employee access to their records. This should enhance congressional offices ability to provide assistance to veterans.