House and Senate Action

The House and Senate both gaveled into session on Monday afternoon, kicking off the final week of the Biden administration. Ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, key Senate committees are set to hold several hearings to consider a number of his cabinet nominations.

On Wednesday, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem will testify before the Senate Homeland Security Committee as Trump’s pick for DHS Secretary. As head of the department that overseas border security and immigration enforcement, Noem will face tough questions from lawmakers who oppose Trump’s pledge to begin mass deportations on day one of his administration. Former Congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy appears to have a smoother path to confirmation as Transportation secretary, with apparent backing from both Democrats and Republicans. On Wednesday, he’ll testify before the Senate Commerce Committee and is expected to face questions about electric vehicle policies, the next surface transportation bill, and Boeing’s discretionary grant programs. On Thursday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum for Interior secretary. Burgum is expected to face tough questions from Democrats, who want a commitment to protect public land from energy development. While some Democrats have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest from Burgum’s history as an investor, several Democrats have signaled willingness to support his nomination. Former Congressman Lee Zeldin is also expected to garner some Democratic support when he faces the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday for his nomination as EPA administrator. While serving in Congress, Zeldin opposed Trump’s proposed budget cuts to the EPA and supported legislation targeting forever chemicals. Under Trump, he’s likely to take a different approach and pursue a deregulatory platform.

On Monday, the upper chamber also considered the Laken Riley Act (H.R. 29), which would require the secretary of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants arrested for theft, burglary and other related crimes. The legislation also would allow individual states to bring litigation against the federal government over its implementation of immigration, detention, and deportation policies. The bipartisan, bicameral measure passed the House last week and is slated for a procedural vote in the Senate on Monday evening. Despite some partisan hand wringing, the measure will have bipartisan support (two Senate Democrats, for instance, are co-sponsors of the legislation).

This week, the House will consider several bills under suspension of the rules, which expedites the legislative process and is reserved largely for uncontroversial measures.  Among other pieces of legislation, the House will be voting on the Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act (H.R. 152), which would require FEMA to convene a working group with other federal agencies to improve preliminary damage assessments following disasters.

USFS Withdraws Old Growth Forest Plan

This week, the Biden administration announced its decision to withdraw a proposed nationwide forest plan amendment designed to conserve old-growth forests across the National Forest System. Advocates for these forests stress their irreplaceable value, highlighting their unparalleled capacity for carbon storage and their essential role in supporting biodiversity. However, the proposal has faced significant criticism, particularly over persistent issues with defining “old growth.” The term varies widely among federal and state agencies, creating inconsistencies and uncertainty about which trees and ecosystems would be protected. This lack of clarity raised questions about the rule’s practicality, complicating implementation and enforcement. Additionally, critics warned that overly restrictive policies could limit forest managers’ ability to address urgent wildfire threats, potentially jeopardizing both ecosystems and nearby communities.

Relevant Hearings and Markups

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee: On Wednesday, the committee will provide an update on the country’s transportation system during a hearing titled “America Builds: The State of the Nation’s Transportation System.” Additional details and a witness list can be found here.