This week in Congress

The Senate will be considering nominations, starting with President Trump’s nomination of Seema Verma to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  The Senate will also consider some more Congressional Review Act regulations including one dealing with Department of Education regulations on teacher accountability.

The House was scheduled to vote today, but canceled because of the storms. They are expected in tomorrow.

One good piece of legislation the House will consider is HR 1181, which protects the due process and second amendment rights of veterans by prohibiting someone deemed “mentality incapacitated” by the Veteran’s Department from losing their right to keep and bear arms unless a court finds the veteran “poses a danger to himself or others.”

The House will also consider legislation (HR 1259) allowing the VA to remove employees for poor performance and misconduct…what a thought.

Finally, the House will consider HR 1367, which changes in how the VA hires physicians, including creating as new fellowship program.

The House will also consider the following bills under suspension of the Rules:

1. HR 1238– Americans can breath easier if this bill passes as it makes the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Health Affairs responsible for coordinating “…the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security related to food, agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism, and for other purposes.”

2. HR 1294– Requires Homeland Security to notify Congress of “major acquisition breaches.”

3. HR 1302– Requires the Department of Homeland Security to conduct an exercise to test’s the government’s effectiveness in stopping terrorists and “foreign fighters’ from traveling to the US.

4. HR 1365– Requires the Department of Homeland Security to use innovations in acquisitions. Yea it takes a law to make federal agencies use innovations.