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Lawmaker outlines end-of-year push to process nominees, advance defense authorization and appropriations
Summary
An unnamed lawmaker said the Senate will prioritize processing a large slate of presidential nominees, advance the defense authorization bill and seek a minibus appropriations package while touting the Working Families Tax Cut Act as averting major tax increases for many families.
An unnamed lawmaker opened the session by framing it as the close of a consequential legislative year and said processing a large "stack of nominees" for the president's administration is a top priority as Congress finishes work. "I filed on those last night and will be a significant number of people to fill out the president's administration," the lawmaker said, adding that Democrats "have fought and blocked and obstructed and delayed" confirmations but that overall pace will be ahead of recent administrations.
The lawmaker singled out the annual defense authorization bill as "one of the most important pieces of legislation that we do every year," saying Chairman Ricker and his committee have worked with the House and Senate to reach a finish line and that a few issues remain but should be resolved in the coming weeks. The speaker also said the Senate has processed three appropriations bills earlier in the year and is pursuing another "minibus" package by unanimous consent to continue funding work.
On tax policy, the lawmaker credited the recently passed Working Families Tax Cut Act with averting an anticipated tax increase at the start of the next year. The speaker cited an asserted $4.4 trillion figure for potential increases overall and said $2.6 trillion would have fallen on working families absent the legislation.
Asked about prospects for a Republican alternative on health care ahead of an upcoming vote on ACA subsidies, the speaker said discussions are ongoing and that some members favor bipartisan work but that "at this point we do not have a clear path forward." The lawmaker said Republicans are focused on proposals intended to increase competition, choice and affordability.
The speaker closed by saying the Republican majority will "keep our foot on the gas" and work with the administration on an agenda they say will strengthen national security and prosperity. No formal votes or motions were recorded in the transcript of this discussion; timelines for individual bills and a final schedule for nominee consideration were described as dependent on ongoing negotiations.
