The House and Senate returned to session this week with deadlines looming on everything from DHS funding and a farm bill to an almost-expired national security and foreign intelligence law. Lisa Desjardins reports on the long to-do list for Congress.
Amna Nawaz:
The House and Senate return to session this week, with deadlines looming on everything from DHS funding and a foreign bill to an almost expired national security and foreign intelligence law.
Our congressional correspondent, Lisa Desjardins, joins us now with more on Congress’ long to-do list.
Lisa, bring us up to speed.
Two weeks ago, Congress managed to pass a bill that would fund and open DHS, most of DHS. As part of the deal, they left ICE and Border Patrol out.
Lisa Desjardins:
Right.
Amna Nawaz:
How are Republicans handling that now?
Lisa Desjardins:
These next two weeks are critical for those subagencies.
First of all, remind people that both of those agencies, ICE and Border Patrol, got a windfall, a one-time windfall last summer. They have been living off of that. But it’s their usual annual appropriations that they have not gotten 1 cent of yet. Democrats blocked that because of what we showed in videos and also their concerns over conduct in general across the country, how Americans — killed and also being treated in ICE custody.
Now, what’s happened now is that Republicans are trying to go around Democrats using a special budget procedure called reconciliation. It only needs 50 votes in the Senate. Here’s what they are proposing to pass, first of all, $38 billion for ICE, more than $25 billion for Customs and Border Protection.
Those are large sums. It would be three years’ worth of beefed-up funding. The bill is expected to hit the Senate floor as soon as next week. But the politics are already hitting now, because funding three years, that’s very unusual.
And, in addition, there are billions of other dollars in this, including $1 billion to find security for the president’s ballroom.
Amna Nawaz:
And that money for the ballroom we saw generate headlines just like last week. What’s your reporting on how lawmakers are seeing that?
Lisa Desjardins:
This has really dominated conversation among Republicans on the Hill behind the scenes. Talking to my sources, there is confusion at best and very high frustration at worst.
I think this money right now is really on the edge of coming out of this bill. One congressional source told me the White House has to sell this money. They’re not exactly sure what the billion dollars would be for. And they’re not sure if Trump wants it.
But we know he wants something because he said so to our own reporter Liz Landers. Here’s what he told her in a phone call last week.
He said: “All they’re doing is financing some security, and it’s not a billion dollars. It’s just a few — what’s needed for security.”
So let’s look at the legislation, though. It clearly is calling for $1 billion in numbers available for three years to support the East Wing. That is clearly the ballroom, Amna. But there are no specifics on exactly why a billion dollars would be needed. It is a huge amount of money. The U.S. Secret Service entire annual budget is $3.5 billion.
So this is a large chunk of that. We may know more tomorrow. The head of Secret Service has been asked to speak to Senate Republicans behind closed doors at their lunch.
Amna Nawaz:
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on several other issues in Congress. What else is on your radar and should be on ours?
Lisa Desjardins:
There’s a lot.
It was hard to pick just a couple, as you could imagine. But, first of all, we do expect an important nomination to be confirmed this week. That is of Kevin Warsh. He is the nominee to be the head of the Federal Reserve. He is expected to be confirmed this week and step into what will be one of the most powerful jobs honestly on the face of this planet.
We’re also watching the farm bill. That’s something that is particular to politics, but also has enormous policy implications from nutrition to farm policy, a lot of our farmers going through a lot of stress, especially in the last couple of years. But we’re also watching what it means for ethanol, some important votes on that this week.
And, finally, key powers in FISA. That’s the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That runs out in a month. It seems like a long time. Congress has punted it. But it’s not because, of course, Congress will have a one-week recess in the middle. And we know it is hard for them to make decisions on this controversial bill. So we’re watching that closely.
Amna Nawaz:
Busy week for you. We will see you back here soon, Lisa Desjardins.
Lisa Desjardins:
OK. Got it.
