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March 30, 2020 Update
[New information bolded and italicized]
Late the night of March 25, after many starts and stops, the Senate unanimously approved the $2 trillion emergency package intended to deal with the tumult in the economy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The final vote was 96-0. $10.5 billion of the measure is slated for the Pentagon.
Afterwards, the Senate adjourned until April 20 for an extended recess.
The House approved the measure by voice vote on March 27, and also recessed until April 20.
Because of concerns about large gatherings of individuals, including many elderly Members of Congress, when Congress actually reconvenes is unclear.
However, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has talked about another another major piece of legislation to deal with the crisis, although Republicans appear reluctant.
As part of widely recommended social distancing, the Senate Armed Services Committee will modify its hearings to question defense officials using a written format, labeled ‘paper hearings.’
Unknown: will the House and Senate permit voting from home locations rather than require Senators and Representatives to return to Washington, D.C. to vote in person?
Already, several members of both bodies have either self-isolated because of exposure to the disease or have already come down with the virus, and all health recommendations are to avoid large gatherings. But both Senate and House leadership are reluctant to permit out-of-town voting.
Chairman Adam Smith has announced that due to the pandemic, the annual House Armed Services Committee markup of the annual defense authorization bill will be delayed indefinitely.
House Democrats hope to approve all 12 spending bills by the end of June, while the Senate wants to finish markups for most such bills by the 4th of July.
House Majority Leader Hoyer wrote his colleagues at the end of March that the House will likely extend work weeks and cancel upcoming recesses when the House gets back to work.
Key Fiscal Year 2020 National Security Bills
Emergency action on coronavirus and economic crisis
In early March, Congress passed the $8.3 billion Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act.
On March 18, the Senate approved the second major piece of legislation cost about $100 billion to deal with the preeminent national security and health threat to the country and the world: the coronavirus disease pandemic.
The overwhelming vote for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act was 90-8. On March 14, the House had approved the bill by a strong bipartisan majority 363-40, with the 40 no votes cast by Republicans.
War Powers Resolution and War With Iran
On January 9, the House voted to force President Trump to seek congressional approval for further military action against Iran. The war powers measure offered by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) was approved by an almost party-line vote of 224-194, with three Republicans voting yes (Gaetz, Massie and Rooney) and eight Democrats voting no (Brindisi, Cunningham, Gottheimer, Horn, Luria, McAdams, Murphy and Rose).
On January 30, an amendment by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) to repeal the 2002 Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), which has been used by administrations of both parties to cover combat in many places, was approved 236-166, with 11 Republicans and 1 independent voting “yea,” while 2 Democrats voted “nay.”
A second measure offered the same day by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) to prohibit U.S. military action against Iran without prior congressional approval was adopted 228-175, with four Republicans and an independent voting “yea” and three Democrats voting “nay.”
On February 13, the Senate approved the Kaine (D-VA), Durbin (D-IL), Lee (R-UT) and Paul (R-KY) war powers measure, S.J.Res 68, a measure to limit the President’s actions against Iran. The vote was 55-45, with an unusually large number of eight Republican Senators voting aye: Lamar Alexander (TN), Todd Young (IN), Mike Lee (UT), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Susan Collins (ME), Rand Paul (KY, Bill Cassidy (LA) and Jerry Moran (KS).
On March 11, the House joined the Senate in approving the Kaine (D-VA), Durbin (D-IL), Lee (R-UT) and Paul (R-KY) war powers measure, S.J.Res 68, a bill adopted in the Senate to limit the President’s actions against Iran. The House vote was 227-186.
Six Republicans voted for the measure: Buck (CO), Griffith (VA), Massie (KY), Reed (NY), Schweikert (AZ) and Upton (MI). Six Democrats voted against: Brindisi (NY), Horn (OK), Luria (VA), McAdams (UT), Murphy (FL) and Rose (NY).
Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Bill
Reminder: the two-year budget deal between Congress and the White House caps the 2021 budget at $740 billion, compared to $738 billion appropriated for 2020.
On February 10, the Trump administration submitted its Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget request to Congress of $740.5 billion, only a modest change from FY 2020 because of last year’s budget deal between Congress and the White House. Some highlights include a big increase in the request for nuclear weapons refurbishment, the beginning of a phase out of the Overseas Contingency Operations budget and a reduction of almost $12 billion in the international affairs budget that pays for diplomacy.
Click here to see analysis of the defense budget by the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the Council’s sister organization.
Chairman Adam Smith has announced that due to the pandemic, the annual House Armed Services Committee markup of the annual defense authorization bill will be delayed indefinitely.
Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Resolution
The Trump administration is expected to submit its Fiscal Year 2021 budget request to Congress on February 10. In January 2020, House Budget Chair John Yarmuth (D-KY) and Senate Budget Committee Chair Mike Enzi (R-WY) suggested it is unlikely that the House will pass a Budget Resolution this year.
Fiscal Year 2021 Defense Appropriations Bill
Reminder: the two-year budget deal between Congress and the White House caps the 2021 budget at $740 billion, compared to $738 billion appropriated for 2020.
Fiscal Year 2021 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill
Fiscal Year 2021 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill
Fiscal Year 2021 Military Construction-Veterans’ Administration (VA) Bill
Congressional recess schedule in 2020
Thursday, March 12 – Monday, March 23: House and Senate recess
Wednesday, April 1 – Monday, April 20: House recess
Friday, April 3 – Monday, April 20: Senate recess
Thursday, April 30 – Tuesday, May 12: House recess
Thursday, May 21 – Monday, June 1: House and Senate recess
Friday June 26 – Tuesday, July 7: House recess
Thursday, July 2 – Monday, July 20: Senate recess
Friday, July 10 – Tuesday, July 21: House recess
Friday, July 31 – Tuesday, September 8: House recess
Friday, August 7 – Tuesday, September 8: Senate recess
Friday, October 2 – Monday, November 16: House schedule
Friday October 9 -Monday, November 9: Senate schedule
Friday, November 20 – Tuesday, December 1: House & Senate recess
