Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act Amid ongoing protests in Hong Kong, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said this week that the House will move to take up the bicameral and bipartisan Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act when it returns from recess. USTR to Hold Hearing on France’s Digital Services Tax On Monday, the Office of the USTR will hold a hearing on France’s digital services tax as part of its investigation into…

Tech Foundations for Congressional Staff Congress remains in recess through September 9. While members of Congress are away from Washington, many congressional staff attended two days of presentations this week on new developments in current and emerging technologies at Georgetown Law’s annual Tech Foundations for Congressional Staff event. Topics covered ranged from “New Developments in Privacy-Impacting Technologies” and “Realities of Implementing the GDPR and CCPA” to “Data, Inference & Algorithmic Fairness,” “The Use & Impact…

Roundtable on Violent Extremism Today, the White House will host a roundtable on violent extremism with internet and technology companies. Confirmation Votes The House and Senate are in recess until the second week in September. Before adjourning last week, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) set up a number of confirmation votes for the first week the Senate is back in session, including Kelly Craft to be Ambassador to the United Nations and Dale Cabannis to…

Bipartisan Budget Act, Senate Confirmations The House and Senate are in recess until the second week of September. Last Friday, the President signed the Bipartisan Budget Act into law, implementing a two-year budget deal that also suspends the debt limit until July 31, 2021. He also signed legislation waiving a prohibition that precluded Dan Elwell, who has been serving as the Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) since January 2018, from staying on…

FY20 Spending Allocations The House and Senate will be in recess until the second week in September. Senate Appropriations Chairman Shelby (R-AL) will set FY20 spending allocations during the recess in anticipation of subcommittee markups beginning shortly after lawmakers return to Washington and the first full Committee markup set for September 12. Shelby has suggested that he will prioritize the Energy-Water, Labor-Health and Human Services, and Defense bills. Nominations The Senate can also be expected…

Weapon Sales to Saudi Arabia The House is in recess, set to return to Washington the second week of September. The Senate was in session this week and voted unsuccessfully on Monday to override the President’s vetoes of three congressional resolutions blocking emergency weapon sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Bipartisan Budget Act Today, the Senate voted 67-28 to pass the Bipartisan Budget Act, sending it to the President for his signature.…

Summer Recess The House begins its summer recess next week, with the Senate set to be in session one more week before lawmakers return home. Both chambers are scheduled to return to Washington the second week of September. Budget Deal Vote Next week, the Senate will vote on the budget deal and to confirm the President’s nominees for Deputy Secretary of Defense and Ambassador to the United Nations, as well as a package of district…