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Week ahead: House eyes trillion-dollar omnibus | Crunch time for Senate ObamaCare repeal bill | Senate moves ahead on Trump nominees

by Sylvan Lane

It will be a busy week in Congress as House Republicans make plans to move a trillion-dollar omnibus spending bill before the August recess.

Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) told rank-and-file Republicans on Friday that the vote-counting team would gauge support for a 12-bill omnibus.

The House Appropriations Committee is set to finish passing all 12 of its spending bills by the end of next week, leaders said.

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But it’s a risky strategy for the House. The package would include deep spending cuts unlikely to pass muster with the Senate, where a package would need 60 votes — including eight Democrats — to overcome procedural hurdles.

And some centrist Republicans are already balking at the idea of passing deep cuts that won’t get through the Senate.

Still, depending on how the whip count goes, GOP leaders could put the omnibus package on the floor during the last week of July, right before the House adjourns for its August recess.

The plan was first floated by Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) to help jump-start the process. Lawmakers will need time to negotiate a final spending deal to avoid a government when the fiscal 2017 year ends in October.

The House Budget Committee is also expected to pass a 2018 budget resolution next week after a long fight over the size of mandatory cuts.

Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), chairman of the Republican Study Committee, offered support for $200 billion in cuts.

Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus though have been pushing for a larger number.

All eyes will also be on the Senate next week where it’s decision time on ObamaCare.

Senate leaders Thursday unveiled a revised bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare and are aiming for a vote in the coming week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) included a provision sought by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that would let insurers offer plans that don’t meet ObamaCare requirements as long as they offer at least one plan that does.

Conservatives say the measure will help provide lower-cost plans to health people. But moderates are worried it will raise premiums for the sick and those with pre-existing conditions.

And McConnell already faces a challenge winning over centrists with the new bill keeping in place deep cuts to Medicaid that they oppose.

Centrists pushed back on McConnell on Friday, asking for more funds for Medicaid and for low-income policyholders.

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have already announced they’ll vote no to advance the bill, meaning McConnell can afford no more defections.

A Congressional Budget Office score could come as early as this weekend.

Lawmakers will also try to make headway on getting Trump’s nominees confirmed in the coming week.

The Banking Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday for six nominees to the Treasury Department, Commerce Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday for assistant Treasury secretary nominee David Kautter, and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will consider two nominees to the National Labor Relations Board.

 

Your week ahead:

Monday:

 

Tuesday:

 

Wednesday:

 

Thursday:

 

Recap the week with Overnight Finance:

 

Today’s stories:

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