Monday: Defense, nominations and firearms

Assuming the ice and snow doesn’t close down the government, Congress should be in to work on what could be its last workweek of 2013.

Weather permitting, the Senate starts at 2 p.m., and is expected to resume debate on the National Defense Authorization Act, S. 1197.

{mosads}But later in the day, the Senate will turn to nominations, a touchy subject in light of the Democratic decision to prevent Republicans from filibustering President Obama’s picks to serve in the government. At 5 p.m., senators will start debate on the nomination of Patricia Millett to be a judge for the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia, and she’ll get a vote at 5:30 p.m.

Other votes on nominations are also possible Monday and throughout the week in the Senate, including two more D.C. Circuit Court nominees and the nomination of Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.) to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The Senate might also decide to consider legislation that would extend a ban on firearms that can’t be picked up by metal detectors. The House passed a 10-year extension of the ban last week, and the ban expires today.

The House starts at noon for speeches, and then at 2 p.m. to debate one suspension bill:

— H.R. 3627, the Kilah Davenport Child Protection Act, requiring the government to report on child abuse penalties in U.S. states and territories.

However, no votes are planned until Tuesday, so if a roll call vote on this bill, it would happen Tuesday.