Congress Poised to Begin FY '21 Budget Process that Could Produce Significant Coronavirus and Immigration-Related Provisions
Sunday, January 31, 2021
 | After a month spent negotiating committee ratios and assignments, posturing over power sharing arrangements between the two political parties, navigating the second impeachment of an outgoing president, ratifying the election of and then inaugurating a new president, and dodging a violent insurrection, Congress is set to kick into high legislative gear this week as both the House and Senate take their first steps in producing coronavirus legislation. |
While the House and Senate Democratic Leadership intend to use the coming budget action as a vehicle for producing coronavirus legislation, the pro-immigrant advocacy community is hoping to use this week's budget action as a vehicle for enacting immigration reform legislation.
Away from the Capitol Dome, the Biden Administration is expected to issue a number of immigration-related executive actions during the coming week, including actions reversing Trump-era asylum policies, a plan to reunite migrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border, and a plan "to modernize the U.S. immigration system.'
Away from the Capitol Dome, the Biden Administration is expected to issue a number of immigration-related executive actions during the coming week, including actions reversing Trump-era asylum policies, a plan to reunite migrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border, and a plan "to modernize the U.S. immigration system.'
As far as the week beginning February 1, 2021, is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in migration policy, the week's legislative schedule includes one hearing (occurring in the House), two business meetings of committees that have jurisdiction over migration matters, and the possibility of three floor actions impacting migration law or policy.
This Week's House and Senate Floor Activity
At the time of this writing, the following measures that contain significant immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking-related provisions, that could become a target for amendments on those subjects, or could pave the way for the enactment of significant immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking related provisions are scheduled for floor consideration in the full House or full Senate during the week ahead:
At the time of this writing, the following measures that contain significant immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking-related provisions, that could become a target for amendments on those subjects, or could pave the way for the enactment of significant immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking related provisions are scheduled for floor consideration in the full House or full Senate during the week ahead:
- Senate Floor Consideration of the Nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to be Secretary of Homeland Security: The full Senate this week will continue its consideration of PN78-13, the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Secretary of Homeland Security.
- House Floor Consideration of FY '21 Budget Resolution: The full House of Representatives this week is expected to take up H. Con. Res. ___, a yet-to-be-introduced Fiscal Year 2021 budget resolution. While the text was not available at the time of this writing, it is expected to contain reconciliation instructions that could result in the production of legislation containing significant immigration-related provisions.
- Senate Floor Consideration of the FY '21 Budget Resolution: The full Senate could as soon as this week take up S. Con. Res. ___, a yet-to-be-introduced Fiscal Year 2021 budget resolution. While the text was not available at the time of this writing, it is expected to contain reconciliation instructions that could result in the production of legislation containing significant immigration-related provisions.
This Week's House and Senate Markups
At the time of this writing, two committees that have jurisdiction over immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking-related matters have scheduled business meetings during the week ahead:
At the time of this writing, two committees that have jurisdiction over immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking-related matters have scheduled business meetings during the week ahead:
- House Oversight and Reform Committee Organizational Meeting: The House Committee on Oversight and Reform has scheduled a business meeting for this week, during which it will organize for the 117th Congress.
- House Foreign Affairs Committee Organizational Meeting: The House Committee on Foreign Affairs has scheduled a business meeting for this week, during which it will organize for the 117th Congress.
This Week's Hearings and Briefings
At the time of this writing, just one hearing that is likely to touch on significant immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking-related matters is scheduled during the week ahead:
At the time of this writing, just one hearing that is likely to touch on significant immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking-related matters is scheduled during the week ahead:
- House Oversight and Reform Committee Hearing: The House Committee on Oversight and Reform has scheduled a hearing for this week titled, "“Accountability and Lessons Learned from the Trump Administration’s Child Separation Policy”
RSS Feed