Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap -- Week of July 13, 2026
Appropriations
On Tuesday, July 14, the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, led by Rep. Dave Joyce, held a budget hearing to review the Supreme Court's Fiscal Year 2027 budget request with Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett – the Court's first appearance before the Committee since 2019. Members discussed courthouse security, infrastructure and technology modernization, staffing and operational resources, and investments that support the federal judiciary’s work to administer justice effectively.
Later that afternoon, the FSGG Subcommittee continued its Article I responsibilities with an oversight hearing featuring U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler. Members examined the SBA's efforts to support entrepreneurs and small businesses while reviewing the effectiveness, accountability, and stewardship of federal programs to ensure they remain responsive to the needs of America's job creators.
Budget
On Thursday, July 16, the House Budget Committee held a full committee markup on The Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2027, the SAVE and Protect America Act.
Education & Workforce
On Tuesday, July 14, the Committee on Education and Workforce held a full committee hearing called "Training Activists, Not Physicians: The Impact of DEI on Medical Schools." Why are some of America's top medical schools spending time teaching political ideology instead of focusing on medicine? Members raised concerns about DEI programs, race-based admissions, and activist coursework, arguing that medical schools should be training the best doctors—not pushing politics. This matters to every American because when you or your family need medical care, you want a doctor chosen for skill and trained in science, not ideology.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Committee on Education and Workforce held a full committee markup on the following measures:
- H.R. 9607, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Workforce Development Act (Walberg)
- H.R. 9609, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Student Aid Act (Walberg)
- H.R. 9602, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Foreign Gift Transparency Act (Baumgartner)
- H.R. 9603, the Less Bureaucracy, Better International Education Oversight Act (Wilson)
- H.R. 9605, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Foreign Medical Accreditation Act (Grothman)
- H.R. 9606, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Child Care for Student Parents Act (Onder)
- H.R. 9611, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Higher Education Act (Harris)
- H.R. 9610, the Less Bureaucracy, Better K-12 Education Act (Harris)
- H.R. 9608, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Family Engagement Act (Miller)
- H.R. 9604, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Tribal Education Act (Owens)
Energy & Commerce
On Tuesday, July 14, the Subcommittee on Energy held a markup on the following measures:
- H.R. 3978, the Nuclear REFUEL (Recycling Efficient Fuels Utilizing Expedited Licensing) Act (Latta)
- H.R. 5549, the Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act (Griffith)
- H.R. 9084, the Department of Energy Nuclear Transparency Act (Castor)
- H.R. 9612, the American Enrichment Deployment Act (Fry)
- H.R. 9613, the Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act (Harshbarger)
- H.R. 9614, the NRC Staff Pay Alignment Act (Menendez)
On Tuesday, July 14, the Subcommittee on Environment held a markup on the following measures:
- H.R. 2140, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2025 (Matsui)
- H.R. 3194, the Lifting Overburdensome Commerce Obstructions and Motives (LOCOMOTIVES) Act (Moolenaar)
- H.R. 9317, the Buses Utilizing Safety and Environmental Standards (BUSES) Act (Langworthy)
- H.R. 9615, the Battery Recycling for America’s Competitive Economy (BRACE) Act (Miller-Meeks)
- H.R. 9616, the Environmental Monitoring and Remediation Technology Assessment Initiative (EMRTAI) Act of 2026 (Pfluger)
- H.R. 9617, the Coordinating and Harnessing America’s Recovery of Minerals (CHARM) Act (Palmer)
- H.R. 9618, the Diesel Engine Flexibility (DEF) Act (Fedorchak)
On Wednesday, July 15, the Subcommittee on Health held a markup on the following measures:
- H.R. 7184, the PRESS Act (McDowell)
- H.R. 8005, the Stop Pills That Kill Act (Evans)
- H.R. 5880, the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act (Hageman)
On Wednesday, July 15, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing called "Maintaining America’s Leadership in Biomedical Innovation: FDA’s Role in Advancing U.S. Drug Development." For patients facing terminal or severe conditions, excessive caution—while intended to be a safeguard—can pose significant risks. This week’s Health hearing examined FDA’s vital role in bringing to market new innovative treatments and cures is key to expanding patient access.
Financial Services
On Tuesday, July 14, the Committee on Financial Services held a full committee hearing called "The Federal Reserve's Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report." The Committee welcomed Federal Reserve Board Chairman Kevin Warsh for a hearing on his views on the future path of the economy, the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy functions, and efforts to achieve price stability and ensure the Federal Reserve remains focused on its core mission.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Committee on Financial Services held a full committee hearing called "The Semi-Annual Report of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection." The Committee hosted Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Russell Vought for a hearing on the agency’s Semi-Annual Report, the reforms underway at the Bureau, and legislative efforts to ensure the CFPB remains transparent, accountable, and focused on protecting consumers.
On Friday, July 17, the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence held a field hearing called "Building the Future of Finance: How the CLARITY Act Unlocks Innovation." This hearing examined how the CLARITY Act establishes a clear and functional regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States. Members will explore how clear rules can encourage entrepreneurs, developers, and financial institutions to build and invest in the United States. Members also looked at how the CLARITY Act supports the growth of digital asset markets and reinforces U.S. leadership in financial innovation.
Foreign Affairs
On Tuesday, July 14, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee hearing called "FY27 BIS Budget: the AI Arms Race and the ICTS Office." Chairman Mast underscored the urgency with which the U.S. must act to ensure American continues to lead the AI Arms Race. He also highlighted core role the Bureau of Industry and security plays in ensuring our most advanced technologies do not enable our adversaries. During the hearing, lawmakers explored what tools BIS needs to be successful.
On Tuesday, July 14, the East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee held a hearing called "More Bang for the Buck: Aligning Commercial Diplomacy Between State and Commerce." During the hearing, lawmakers underscored the imperative to ensure America’s economic interests remain at the forefront of its foreign policy and explored opportunities to align commercial diplomacy efforts between the State Department and the Department of Commerce.
On Tuesday, July 14, the Oversight and Intelligence Subcommittee held a hearing called "U.S. Economic Security and Investment Abroad: Assessing Economic Security Zones." The lawmakers the role of economic security zones in President Trump’s strategy to build secure supply chains, strengthen private sector investment, create economic architecture that advances American prosperity and security.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee hearing called "Ending Supply Chain Dependency: Aligning Tools, Capital, and Partnerships." During his opening remarks, Chairman Mast underscored the imperative for ensuring the U.S. does not depend on China for materials, technology, energy and infrastructure that power the American economy. He also highlighted the steps President Trump is taking to advance American energy dominance, secure critical mineral supply chains, and strengthen American industry.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee held a hearing called "A New Beginning for Colombia." During her opening remarks, Subcommittee Chairwoman Maria Salazar underscored that the U.S. looks forward to working with Colombia as it reaffirms its position among democratic nations that value a close partnership with America.
Intelligence
On Wednesday, July 15, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held a hearing called “States on the Frontlines of Counterintelligence.”
Judiciary
On Wednesday, July 15, the House Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup on the following measures:
- H.R. 9098, the Congressional Records Protection Act (Kelly)
- H. Res. 1394, Condemning prosecution policies that give preferential treatment to foreign nationals over United States citizens (LaLota)
- H.R. 3100, the CHILD Act of 2026 (Fry)
- H.R. 7651, the Chloe Cole Act of 2026 (Onder)
- H.R. 9191, the National Fossil Act (Houchin)
- H.R. 625, the Local Access to Courts Act (McCaul)
- H.R. 7834, the Safe Cloud Storage Act (Lee)
Natural Resources
On Tuesday, July 14, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a joint oversight hearing called "Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country." Members examined how emerging technologies, enhanced law enforcement coordination and stronger information sharing are helping address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis. The hearing highlighted advancements in DNA analysis, AI-powered investigative tools and aerial search technologies that are equipping law enforcement with new capabilities to deliver answers for tribal families and justice in Indian Country.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup on the following measures:
- H.R. 726, the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025 (Downing)
- H.R. 2317, the Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act of 2025 (Amodei)
- H.R. 2406, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025 (Bonamici)
- H.R. 2827, To provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, and for other purposes (Cole)
- H.R. 6251, To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow importation of polar bear trophies taken in sport hunts in Canada before the date the polar bear was determined to be a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Begich)
- H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act (Scott)
- H.R. 7889, the Advancing Water Research and Collaboration (AWRC) Act of 2025 (Wittman)
- H.R. 8658, the Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act (Kennedy)
- H.R. 9436, To amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to extend the time period for which certain regulations concerning the North Atlantic right whale are effective (Lawler)
Oversight and Government Reform
On Tuesday, July 14, the Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses held a hearing called "Combating DEI in American Institutions." During the hearing, members analyzed how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies are pretexts for illegal and unconstitutional discrimination, and how employers and other institutions routinely discriminate on the basis of race, sex, and national origin. Members also examined how the Trump Administration has been working to abolish illegal DEI policies that harm all Americans.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Subcommittee on Government Operations held a hearing called "Emerging Fraud Threats and the Evolving Fraud Landscape." During the hearing, members examined the use and effectiveness of digital identity verification platforms to combat fraud threats and protect American taxpayers. Members also discussed how to identify, monitor, and prevent emerging fraud threats, as well as try to understand how these threats continue to change over time.
Rules
On Monday, July 13, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:
- H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 (Buchanan)
- H.R. 8595, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027 [Rule Markup Only] (Diaz-Balart)
- H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act [Rule Markup Only] (Bost)
- H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act [Rule Markup Only] (Moore)
Science, Space, and Technology
On Wednesday, July 15, the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing called "A Review of the Office of Space Commerce’s Mission Authorization Proposal." The purpose of this hearing was to consider the proper structure for authorizing and supervising non-governmental space activities not specifically addressed by the current regulatory structure.
Select Committee on China
On Monday, July 13, Chairman Moolenaar and Senator Bernie Moreno participated in a bipartisan event at the American Enterprise Institute to discuss the national security risks of Chinese automobile technologies in connected vehicles, and H.R. 8730 Connected Vehicles Security Act – Chairman Moolenaar’s bipartisan legislation to keep Chinese-made vehicles off of American roads.
On Tuesday, July 14, Chairman Moolenaar was joined by Senator Jim Banks at an event hosted by FDD to discuss how Congress can safeguard U.S. academic research to protect American innovation from CCP exploitation.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Select Committee on China held a hearing called "Protecting American Innovation: The Federal Research Security Enterprise." Chairman Moolenaar and members of the committee pressed officials from the Department of Energy and National Institutes of Health to adopt research security standards that ban collaboration with known foreign entities that are a national security risk.
Small Business
On Tuesday, July 14, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "AI on Main Street: How AI is Shaping the Future of Small Business." The purpose of this hearing was to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming small business operations, competitiveness, and economic opportunity. This hearing also assessed barriers that small businesses face in AI adoption as well as federal initiatives that are helping small businesses learn and implement AI technologies.
Transportation and Infrastructure
On Tuesday, July 14, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a full committee markup of H.R. 9497, the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA). WRDA is a bipartisan bill that addresses improvements for the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation system, flood and storm risk management, environment, and other aspects of our water resources infrastructure. The bill also includes various policy changes to improve infrastructure project delivery and the Army Corps of Engineers processes.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a full committee hearing called "Reforming FEMA: Ensuring the Nation’s Disaster Readiness Works for Americans" to focus on how H.R. 4669, the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act (FEMA Act), supports needed FEMA reforms and to review recommendations developed by the FEMA Review Council established by the President.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Chairman Graves noted, “Last year, I, alongside Ranking Member Larsen, started down the path of examining how we can fix the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. Around the same time, President Trump issued an Executive Order creating the FEMA Review Council to develop recommendations on reforming FEMA. What everyone seems to agree on is that FEMA is broken and has been for a long time.”
Veterans' Affairs
On Monday, July 13, the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization held an oversight hearing called “PACT Act Implementation: Modernizing VA Disability Claims Through Effective Technology.” Chairman Tom Barrett (MI-07) led an oversight hearing evaluating the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) 5-year modernization roadmap and the current capabilities of its disability claims processing platform. VA and industry witnesses defended expanding automated tools as helpful administrative aids that augment human processors, while GAO stressed that the agency must adopt strict AI accountability frameworks and focus on workforce upskilling. However, committee members raised serious operational concerns, with Republicans pointing out that management silos and software failures complicate claim submissions, and Democrats and veteran advocates warning that automated fixes often generate errors that stall production and cannot replace government workers.
Ways and Means
On Wednesday, July 15, the Ways and Means Committee held a full committee markup on the following measures:
- H.R. 9641, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2026 (Tenney)
- H.R. 3108, the Rural Patient Monitoring Act (Kustoff)
- H.R. 9642, the Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act (Moolenaar)
- H.R. 9648, the Saving Today’s Acute-Care Resources (STAR) Act (Hern)
- H.R. 3514, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 (Kelly)
- H.R. 9644, the Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act (Moran)
- H.R. 9645, the Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act (Smith)
In addition to ensuring patients have the information they need to make more informed health care decisions, the Committee also approved legislation to expand and protect access to care in rural and underserved communities – including remote patient monitoring services and anesthesia services – as well as legislation to provide long-term care sooner for the sickest patients who need it. For seniors in nursing homes, legislation approved by the Committee will ensure essential caregivers, like a family member, can enter and provide care – even during a designated emergency when other visitation rights might be suspended.
The Committee’s reform efforts deliver on President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan to lower health care costs, empower patients with more transparency, and demand more accountability from health care empires.
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