The House is on recess and will not return to action until September 9th. The Senate is in session this week but will adjourn for the summer at the conclusion of legislative business this week.

In the coming days, the Senate will consider a legislative package – the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act – aimed at safeguarding children online. Pursuant to the measure, social media platforms would be required to take steps to shield underage users from potentially harmful content. The bill would also bar those companies from passing along minors’ personal data that would have otherwise been used for targeted advertising. The Senate calendar can be accessed here.

Special District Grant Accessibility Act Set for Senate Committee Consideration

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will resume its Business Meeting on Wednesday morning. Among the bills slated for consideration is the Special District Grant Accessibility Act (SDGAA). As outlined in last week’s federal update, the legislation (H.R. 7525; S. 4673) would codify a first-ever, formal definition of “special district” and would require the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance to federal agencies requiring special districts to be recognized as local governments for the purpose of federal financial assistance determinations.

One of the leading factors driving the need for the SDGAA is the fact that special districts were omitted in COVID-19-era legislation that provided direct federal financial assistance to local governments for coronavirus relief and response activities (namely CARES Act funding and ARPA Fiscal Recovery Fund dollars). Unlike other forms of local government, special districts were excluded from receiving direct federal aid despite the fact that many special districts provided essential public services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including ambulance/EMS, hospital, and open space services. Moreover, while special districts are eligible for the vast majority of current federal funding opportunities, they are ineligible for – or face barriers to accessing – certain grant programs. The SDGAA seeks to level the playing field by ensuring that special districts have access to all appropriate and relevant federal funding streams.

Additional information on the committee markup can be accessed here.

Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Update

Last week, the House narrowly approved its fiscal year 2025 Interior and Environment spending measure (H.R. 8998). That brings the total number of bills passed in the House to five (of 12). While House GOP leaders had initially sought to advance several other funding measures last week – including those covering Energy-Water Development (H.R. 8997); Financial Services (H.R. 8773); and, Agriculture-Rural Development (H.R. 9027) – the bills were pulled from consideration when it became evident they did not have the necessary support to pass.

Across Capitol Hill, the Senate Appropriations Committee last week approved four fiscal year 2025 spending bills, with plans to consider an additional four measures this week. If the panel stays on schedule, committee leaders will have cleared 11 bills for floor consideration, with the contentious Homeland Security funding measure as the lone outstanding bill. However, it should be noted that the full chamber has yet to take up any of the bills. Despite the recent progress in both chambers, the House and Senate have yet to come to an agreement on topline spending levels. Looking ahead, and with so few legislative days remaining before the October 1 start of the new federal fiscal year, it’s a foregone conclusion that Congress will need to consider a Continuing Resolution later this year. While the length of a stopgap funding bill is unclear at this point, it’s likely that such a measure will extend government funding beyond the November elections.

Senate Panel to Consider Bipartisan Permitting Reform

This week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will consider bipartisan permitting reform legislation that aims to streamline the development of both renewable and fossil fuel projects. The measure, which the panel’s Chair and Ranking Member introduced last week, has elements that would appeal to both Democrats and Republicans. For starters, it would expand interstate transmission lines that are needed to connect new wind and solar farms to major power demand centers – a key priority for Democrats. Meanwhile, Republicans are supportive of provisions that would boost energy production on federal lands, as well as language that would limit and expedite review of legal challenges. In a nod to both parties, the legislation would require the federal government to conduct at least one offshore oil and gas sale and wind sale per year. While the bill is likely to advance through committee this week, it’s unclear whether it’ll be taken up by the full Senate before the end of the year. A brief summary of the legislation is available here, and a section-by-section outline can be accessed here.

Relevant Hearings and Markups

Senate Finance Committee: On Tuesday morning, the panel will hold an oversight hearing entitled, “Tax Tools for Local Economic Development.” A livestream of the hearing will be available here, beginning at 10am ET. 

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation: On Tuesday morning, the Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade and Export Promotion will hold a hearing to examine the current landscape for rural export businesses, including the challenges facing rural businesses as they work to access international markets and the resources available to support rural business owners as they start or expand their export business. Witnesses will highlight the importance of rural businesses to local economies and the need to ensure they have the tools to compete globally. More information on the hearing can be found here. On Wednesday morning, the full committee will meet to consider several dozen bills within the panel’s jurisdiction. The full list of bills on the docket can be viewed here.

Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: On Wednesday morning, the panel will hold a hearing entitled, “Long-Term Economic Benefits and Impacts from Federal Infrastructure and Public Transportation Investment.” Additional information on the hearing, including a full witness list, can be accessed here.

Senate Budget: On Wednesday morning, lawmakers on the panel will meet to discuss the future of electric vehicles. More information on the hearing can be found here.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources: On Wednesday morning, the committee will consider bipartisan permitting reform legislation. More details on the markup can be found here.

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: On Wednesday morning, the committee will meet to consider three bills, including legislation (S. 4776) that would reauthorize the Older Americans Act. Additional details on the markup can be accessed here.

Senate Appropriations: On Thursday morning, the committee will meet to consider the last five (of 12) spending bills for fiscal year 2025, including those covering Energy and Water; Defense; Labor-Health and Human Services; Homeland Security; and, Financial Services. More details on the markup can be found here.