House and Senate Action

 The House and Senate are both in session this week.

House

Starting Tuesday afternoon, the lower chamber will consider nearly a dozen bills on the suspension calendar (requires 2/3 majority for passage), including legislation – the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act (H.R. 2964) – that would require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to issue regulations requiring entities responsible for the labeling or retail packaging of certain pre-moistened, nonwoven wipes (e.g., baby wipes, cleaning wipes, or personal care wipes) to label such products clearly and conspicuously with the phrase “Do Not Flush”. It should be noted that H.R. 2964 was previously scheduled for floor consideration in May. Another bill on the docket (H.R. 6543) seeks to improve cost transparency for stays in short-term lodging, such as hotels, motels, and inns. Later in the week, lawmakers will consider the annual defense authorization bill. The full House floor schedule is available here.

Senate

Across Capitol Hill, Senate Democratic leaders will keep the focus on women’s reproductive rights this week with a vote scheduled on legislation that would protect and expand access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) services nationwide. The daily Senate schedule can be accessed here.

Legislation Introduced to Implement Recommendations of Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission

Representatives Josh Harder (D-CA) and Scott Franklin (R-FL) recently introduced legislation (H.R. 8656) that would address the growing wildfire threat by implementing a number of the recommendations outlined in a 2023 report by the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. The 50-person commission, with representatives from state and federal agencies, the private sector, nonprofits, and firefighters, made 148 recommendations. H.R. 8656 incorporates 16 of those recommendations, with a focus on workforce development, support for wildland firefighters, wildfire smoke and public health impacts, and fire mitigation and technology. A section-by-section summary of the bill is attached.

Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2024 - Section by Section .pdf

Senate Panel Discusses Underlying Reasons for Rising Insurance Costs

Last week, the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing entitled, “Riskier Business: How Climate is Already Challenging Insurance Markets.” The hearing was an opportunity for lawmakers to discuss the underlying causes of the current property and commercial insurance crisis. For their part, Democrats on the panel identified climate change as a major driver of high-damage claims and rising premium costs. Republicans, on the other hand, pointed to rising federal spending levels and inflation – including increased costs of labor and materials to rebuild or repair homes – as the main cause of insurance price hikes. Some Republicans also identified increased development into disaster-prone areas as another key factor that contributes to high insurance premiums. While there was some significant disagreement on the underlying cause(s) of the current insurance crisis, there was bipartisan agreement on the need to reduce risk and support mitigation measures that improve resilience to future disasters.

Notably, Democrats on the Budget Committee have several open investigations into the threat that climate change poses to insurance markets. As part of one investigation, the committee has requested information from dozens of private sector insurers on how they plan to address increased underwriting losses from climate disasters. The subject of another inquiry is how the insurance industry at large evaluates climate-related risks, decides to invest in or underwrite fossil fuel expansion projects that drive such risks, and policies that insure such projects. The third investigation focuses specifically on Florida’s state-run insurance provider.

Relevant Hearings and Markups

House Transportation and Infrastructure: The panel’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit will hold a hearing entitled, “Revenue, Ridership, and Post-Pandemic Lessons in Public Transit.” More details on the hearing, including a full witness list, can be accessed here.

House Appropriations: This week, the full committee will consider five FY 2025 spending bills, including those covering Defense, Financial Services and General Government, the Legislative Branch, State and Foreign Operations, and Homeland Security. The Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development will mark up its bill on Tuesday evening. The full list of committee events can be found here.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee: On Wednesday afternoon, the Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee will hold a legislative hearing on 20 bills that touch on everything from public lands management to minerals. On Thursday afternoon, the full committee will meet to conduct oversight of the Bureau of Land Management, which is expected to focus primarily on public lands management policies, renewable energy, and oil and gas development. More details on the two hearings is available here.