This Week on the Hill

Week of February 22, 2021


(Last Updated: Monday, March 8, 2021 at 11:30 am EST)
ThisWeekInImmigration.Com's "This Week on the Hill" page lists the immigration-, human trafficking-, and refugee-related hearings, markups, and floor actions that either have been officially scheduled or that are anticipated to occur during the current week.
  • U.S. House of Representatives
  • ​​U.S. Senate
  • Bicameral
  • Non-Governmental
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Last Week's Hearings and Briefings
No Scheduled Immigration-, Human Trafficking, or Refugee-Related Hearings or Briefings
Last Week's Markups and Business Meetings
Monday, February 22, 2021
1:00 pm EST
  • House Budget Committee Business Meeting:  The House Committee on the Budget has scheduled a business meeting for this week during which it will assemble a yet-to-be-introduced FY '21 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, produced pursuant to S. Con. Res. 5, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY2021.  The meeting is scheduled for 1:00 pm EST on Monday, February 22, 2021, in Room 210 of the Cannon House Office Building.
Thursday, February 25, 2021
10:00 am EST
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee Business Meeting:  The House Committee on Foreign Affairs has scheduled a business meeting for this week during which it will mark up a number of bills, including H.R. ___-, a yet-to-be-introduced FY '21 State Department Authorization bill.  The meeting is scheduled for 10:00 am EST on Thursday, February 25, 2021, in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
Friday, February 26, 2021
9:30 am EST
  • House Rules Committee Business Meeting:  The House Committee on Rules has scheduled a business meeting for this week during which it will mark up the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 1319, the "American Rescue Plan Act" of 2021", which is the title of the Biden COVID-19 relief reconciliation bill, and was assembled by the House Committee on the Budget pursuant to S. Con. Res. 5, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY2021.  The meeting is scheduled for 9:30 am EST on Thursday, February 25, 2021.
Last Week's Floor Actions
Friday, February 26, 2021
  • House Floor Consideration of FY '21 Budget Reconciliation Act:  The full House of Representatives this week is expected to take up  H.R. 1319, the "American Rescue Plan Act" of 2021", which is the title of the Biden COVID-19 relief reconciliation bill, and was assembled by the House Committee on the Budget pursuant to S. Con. Res. 5, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY2021.  
Last Week's Hearings and Briefings
Monday, February 22, 2021
9:30 am EST
  • Hearing on the Nomination of Merrick Garland to be Attorney General: The Senate Committee on the Judiciary is expected to hold the first of two hearings this week on the nomination of Merrick Garland to be Attorney General of the United States.  The first day of hearings is scheduled for 9:30 am EST on Monday, February 22, 2021, in Room SH-216 Hart Senate Office Building. 
Anticipated Witnesses.  The sole witness who is likely to testify at the hearing is Attorney General-Designate Merrick Garland.

Department of Justice Jurisdiction Over Migration Matters. The Department of Justice is the parent agency of several entities with jurisdiction over immigration matters. The most significant of these is the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which has as its primary mission the adjudication of immigration cases by interpreting and administering the nation's immigration laws. Under delegated authority from the Attorney General, EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings.
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
10:00 am EST
  • Hearing on the Nomination of Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services: The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions has scheduled a hearing for this week on the nomination of Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.  ​The hearing is scheduled for a time to be announced on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 in Room  SD-430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Anticipated Witnesses.  The sole witness who is likely to testify at the hearing is Secretary of Health and Human Services-Designate Xavier Becerra.

Department of Health and Human Services Jurisdiction Over Migration Mattters. The Department of Health and Human Services operates several specific programs that assist refugees and other vulnerable populations of noncitizens:
            o
Resettlement Services to Refugees, Including Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM); Asylees;  Special Immigrant Iraqis and Afghans; Cuban/Haitian Entrants; and Certain Amerasians. These programs provide resettlement services to refugees who have been admitted to the United States and aliens, individuals who have been granted asylum in the United States, individuals from Vietnam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants pursuant to section 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988.
            o
Trafficking Victims. These programs assist aliens found in the United States who are the victims of trafficking (these individuals also receive resettlement services);
            o
Torture Victims. These programs assist alien torture victims who are found in the United States (these individuals also receive resettlement services); and
            o
Unaccompanied Alien Children. Unaccompanied Alien Children. These programs provide care and custody and some post-release services for unaccompanied aliens in federal custody while their status is being resolved.
The Department operates these programs through its Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an office in the Department’s Administration for Children and Families.
  • Hearing on the Nomination of Merrick Garland to be Attorney General: The Senate Committee on the Judiciary is expected to hold the second of two hearings this week on the nomination of Merrick Garland to be Attorney General of the United States.  The second day of hearings is scheduled for 10:)0 am EST on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, in Room SH-216 Hart Senate Office Building. 
Anticipated Witnesses.  The committee will hear from yet-to-be-identified public witnesses.

Department of Justice Jurisdiction Over Migration Matters. The Department of Justice is the parent agency of several entities with jurisdiction over immigration matters. The most significant of these is the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which has as its primary mission the adjudication of immigration cases by interpreting and administering the nation's immigration laws. Under delegated authority from the Attorney General, EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings.
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
2:30 pm EST
  • Hearing on the Nomination of Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services: The Senate Committee on Finance has scheduled a hearing for this week on the nomination of Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.  The hearing is scheduled for 2:30 pm EST on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, in Room SD-106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Anticipated Witnesses.  The sole witness who is likely to testify at the hearing is Secretary of Health and Human Services-Designate Xavier Becerra.

Department of Health and Human Services Jurisdiction Over Migration Mattters. The Department of Health and Human Services operates several specific programs that assist refugees and other vulnerable populations of noncitizens:
            o
Resettlement Services to Refugees, Including Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM); Asylees;  Special Immigrant Iraqis and Afghans; Cuban/Haitian Entrants; and Certain Amerasians. These programs provide resettlement services to refugees who have been admitted to the United States and aliens, individuals who have been granted asylum in the United States, individuals from Vietnam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants pursuant to section 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988.
            o
Trafficking Victims. These programs assist aliens found in the United States who are the victims of trafficking (these individuals also receive resettlement services);
            o
Torture Victims. These programs assist alien torture victims who are found in the United States (these individuals also receive resettlement services); and
            o
Unaccompanied Alien Children. Unaccompanied Alien Children. These programs provide care and custody and some post-release services for unaccompanied aliens in federal custody while their status is being resolved.
The Department operates these programs through its Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an office in the Department’s Administration for Children and Families.
Last Week's Markups and Business Meetings
No Scheduled Immigration-, Human Trafficking, or Refugee-Related Business Meetings
Last Week's Floor Actions
No Scheduled Immigration-, Human Trafficking, or Refugee-Related Floor Activity
Hearings, Briefings, and Conference Committee Actions
No Scheduled Immigration-, Human Trafficking, or Refugee-Related Legislative Activity