This Week on the Hill

Week of April 12, 2021


(Last Updated: Monday, April 19, 2021 at 8:00 am EDT)
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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This Week's Hearings and Briefings
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
10:00 am EDT
  • Hearing on Root Causes of Migration from the Northern Triangle:  The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration and International Economic Policy has scheduled a hearing for this week titled, "Renewing the United States' Commitment to Addressing the Root Causes of Migration from Central America."  The hearing is scheduled for 10:00 am EDT on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.
Anticipated Witnesses.  At the time of this writing, the following witnesses were scheduled to testify at the hearing: Ricardo Zuniga, Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle at the State Department; and Peter Natiello, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development's Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Hearing on FY '22 Appropriations for Diplomatic and Development Agencies:  The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs has scheduled a hearing for this week titled,  "Critical Management Issues - U.S. Diplomatic and Development Agencies."  The hearing is scheduled for 10:00 am EDT on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.
Anticipated Witnesses.  At the time of this writing, the following witnesses were scheduled to testify at the hearing: State Department Acting Inspector General Diana R. Shaw; U.S. Agency for International Development Acting Inspector General Thomas J. Ullom; and U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Inspector General Anthony "Tony" Zakel.
Thursday, April 15, 2021
10:00 am EDT
  • Hearing on FY '22 Appropriations for Department of Health and Human Services:  The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies has scheduled a hearing for this week titled, "FY2022 Budget Request for the Department of Health and Human Services."  The hearing is scheduled for 10:00 am EDT on Thursday, April 15, 2021.
Anticipated Witnesses.  At the time of this writing, the sole witness scheduled to testify at the hearing is Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.
Friday, April 16, 2021
10:00 am EDT
  • Hearing on Innovation in International Development Policy:  The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Development, International Organizations and Global Corporate Social Impact has scheduled a hearing for this week titled,  "Innovation in Development Policy: Maximizing Impact and Results."  The hearing is scheduled for 10:00 am EDT on Friday, April 16, 2021, in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
Anticipated Witnesses.   Scheduled to testify at the hearing are  Ann Mei Chang, former CIO and Executive Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development's U.S. Global Development Lab; and Alix Petersen Zwane, CEO of the Global Innovation Fund.
This Week's Markups and Business Meetings
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
10:00 am EDT
  • Markup of Access to Counsel Act:  The House Committee on the Judiciary is expected to hold a business meeting this week, during which it will mark up the Access to Counsel Act, The markup is scheduled for 10:00 am EDT on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, in Room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
Summary of Migration-Related Provisions.  As introduced during the 116th Congress, the legislation would have provided various protections for covered individuals subject to secondary or deferred inspections when seeking admission into the United States.  
  • Markup of NO BAN Act:  The House Committee on the Judiciary is expected to hold a business meeting this week, during which it will mark up the NO BAN Act.  The markup is scheduled for 10:00 am EDT on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, in Room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
Summary of Migration-Related Provisions.  As introduced during the 116th Congress, the legislation would have imposed limitations on the President's authority to suspend or restrict aliens from entering the United States and terminate certain presidential actions implementing such restrictions. It also would have prohibited religious discrimination in various immigration-related decisions, such as whether to issue an immigrant or non-immigrant visa, unless there is a statutory basis for such discrimination. 
This Week's Floor Actions
No Scheduled Immigration-, Human Trafficking, or Refugee-Related Floor Activity
This Week's Hearings and Briefings
No Scheduled Immigration-, Human Trafficking, or Refugee-Related Hearings or Briefings
This Week's Markups and Business Meetings
Thursday, April 15, 2021
  • Committee Consideration of Nominee to Head USAID: The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has scheduled a business meeting for this week to consider the nomination of Samantha Power to be Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development.  The meeting is scheduled for 11:00 am EDT on Thursday, April 15, 2021, in Room SD-106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
This Week's Floor Actions
Thursday, April 15, 2021
  • Senate Floor Consideration of Nomination of the Associate Attorney General: The full Senate this week is expected to begin initial skirmishing over its efforts to take up the nomination of Vanita Gupta to be Associate Attorney General.  At the time of this writing, no date had yet been announced for floor consideration of the nomination.
Background on Associate Attorney General.  The Associate Attorney General is the third-ranking official in the U.S. Department of Justice. The Associate Attorney General advises and assists the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General in policies relating to civil justice, federal and local law enforcement, and public safety matters.  It oversees a number of entities within the Department. 

From an immigration perspective, the position oversees the Office of Immigration Litigation (OIL) and the Community Relations Service.
Hearings, Briefings, and Conference Committee Actions
No Scheduled Immigration-, Human Trafficking, or Refugee-Related Legislative Activity