Will Congress pass border bill before recess?

An emergency funding package to address the influx of child migrants crossing the border will dominate Capitol Hill this week.

Incoming House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that a floor vote on legislation addressing the unaccompanied child minors this week is possible.

{mosads}House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) late last week declined to provide reporters with a specific dollar figure, but confirmed it was “significantly less” than the Obama administration’s original request of $3.7 billion. Republicans are further expected to demand policy changes, such as amending a 2008 trafficking law in order to deport child migrants faster, in any measure

It’s unclear if Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and his deputies will be able to get the votes to pass a bill. Many Democrats oppose changing to the 2008 law due to concerns it would limit due process. And a significant number of conservative House Republicans are wary of providing the administration with any new money in the first place.

In the meantime, the House will vote on a series of tax credit bills, including a measure sponsored by Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kansas) to overhaul the child tax credit.

The measure will likely become another flashpoint in the immigration debate, as it would require people to provide Social Security numbers in order to receive the $1,000 refundable child tax credit. Such a policy would consequently prevent undocumented immigrants to be eligible. Currently, individuals only have to provide a taxpayer identification number to apply for the credit.

House GOP lawsuit

The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday to mark up the resolution authorizing the GOP lawsuit against President Obama for his use of executive action.

Members of the Rules panel heard testimony last week from four legal experts on the merits of the lawsuit.

The House floor vote on the resolution is expected next week, before members leave for the month-long August recess, according to aides familiar with the planning.

Highways

The Senate has yet to vote on a bill to replenish the Highway Trust Fund before it runs out of funding in August. 

Last week, the House passed a $10.9 billion measure 367-55 that would extend funding for the Highway Trust Fund through May 2015.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has indicated that he will allow a vote on the House measure, as well as competing proposals to only extend funding through December to craft a long-term deal after the midterm elections.

Job Outsourcing

Senate Democrats are expected to take up a bill this week to end tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas.

The measure is sponsored by Sen. John Walsh (D-Mont.), one of the cycle’s most vulnerable incumbents. 

Walsh’s opponent, Rep. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), previously helped run Procter & Gamble factories in China. Walsh’s campaign has run ads arguing that Daines helped ship jobs overseas.

The legislation would provide businesses with incentives for expanding domestic job opportunities, including a tax credit equal to 20 percent of the cost associated with relocating to the U.S.

 

A detailed schedule of the week ahead follows:

Monday

The Senate will convene at 2 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., senators will vote to confirm Julie E. Carnes to be a U.S. circuit judge for the eleventh circuit. Two voice votes are expected on the nominations of Michael Anderson Lawson to be U.S. Representative on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization and Eunice Reddick to be U.S. ambassador to Niger.

The House will not be in session.

Tuesday

The Senate will vote to invoke cloture at 10:45 a.m. on the following nominations. Confirmation votes on those three nominations will take place at 2:15 p.m.:

– Andre Birotte to be a U.S. District Judge for Central California.

– Robin Rosenberg to be a U.S. District Judge for Southern Florida.

– John deGravelles to be a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Louisiana.

The House will vote at 6:30 p.m on a series of bills under suspension of the rules. Among the bills on tap is a measure sponsored by Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) to target extremist group Hezbollah’s foreign assets with sanctions.

Wednesday

The Senate is expected to take up legislation, titled the Bring Jobs Home Act, to encourage companies to boost job opportunities in the U.S. instead of overseas.

The House will vote on eight bills under suspension of the rules to combat human trafficking. It may also begin consideration of H.R. 4984, which would provide students with financial counseling for college, and H.R. 3136, which would direct the Secretary of Education to select institutions of higher education for participation in Competency-Based Education Demonstration Programs. 

Thursday

The Senate may be still considering the Bring Jobs Home Act, or it may have turned to a measure to maintain the Highway Trust Fund.

The House is expected to consider H.R. 4935, which would overhaul the child tax credit to require applicants to provide a Social Security number, as well as H.R. 3393, which would establish a tax credit for tuition and related expenses.

Friday

The House will consider whichever bills above that have not already been completed. A vote on legislation to provide emergency funding to address the surge of child migrants is possible by the end of the week. Additionally, the House may vote on a resolution sponsored by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) to remove U.S. armed forces from Iraq.