The Week Ahead in Washington

Next week, legislators will continue to search for an agreement on a supplemental border funding package sought with increasing desperation by the Trump administration. The Senate intends to hold a floor vote on its $750 billion version of the National Defense Authorization Act (FY 2020 NDAA), while the House holds floor votes on its first near-trillion dollar appropriations minibus and begins debate on a second package.

In the Senate

Senate Republicans plan to take up a measure with billions of dollars in funding for the southern border, with the Senate Appropriations Committee scheduled to mark up the supplemental spending bill Wednesday. The Senate also plans to hold a floor vote on the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization bill. The Pentagon would be authorized to spend $10 billion for 94 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and $948 million for eight Boeing F-15EX fighter planes under the defense policy bill (S. 1790) approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee at the end of May.

In the House

The House will work to finalize the four-bill spending package (H.R. 2740) covering FY 2020 appropriations for Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Energy & Water, and State-Foreign Operations. The House will then proceed to its second appropriations package (H.R. 3055) that includes Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-VA and Transportation-HUD funds. Agencies and programs covered by those five appropriations bills would receive about $320 billion in fiscal 2020 discretionary funding under the measure.

This Week in the States

  • Massachusetts – Unions Eye Beacon Hill for Relief after Supreme Court Ruling
  • Colorado – $100 insulin cap draws other states’ interest
  • New York – No Syracuse sports bets for you: NY to bar wagers on in-state schools
  • Massachusetts – Lawmakers Busy With Taxes, Family Leave — And Cellphones
  • Connecticut – What Education-Related Bills Did Connecticut Lawmakers Pass?
  • Delaware – Governor To Sign Bill Banning Single-Use Carryout Plastic Bags
  • New Jersey – Political battles continue to rage in Trenton over budget, tax incentives, dark money disclosure
  • Pennsylvania – Distracted drivers, beware: House advances bill to create $200 fine for cell phone use behind the wheel
  • North Carolina – Regulatory bill passes Senate absent TV landfill ban repeal
  • Ohio – Legislature under pressure to address gun background check loopholes
  • Maine – Marijuana rules waiting final ‘OK’ from Legislature
  • Nevada – Legislature bans employers from refusing to hire those who fail marijuana tests
  • California – Who takes home more cash under California’s budget deal — and who pays more?
  • Oregon – House Passes Bill To Transport Cannabis Across State Lines
  • Wisconsin – High Court Reinstates Lame Duck Laws
  • West Virginia – Manchin eyes Senate exit
  • Pennsylvania – Charter school bills win Pa. House passage but don’t touch the controversial funding issue
  • Delaware – Minimum wage hike bill clears Senate panel

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