Overnight Regulation: Senate panel to debate holding SCOTUS nomination hearing

Welcome to Overnight Regulations, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Wednesday evening here in Washington and we’re loving this 70-degree weather. Spring has officially sprung in D.C. 

THE BIG STORY

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to debate whether to hold a hearing on President Obama’s pick for a Supreme Court nominee to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on Thursday. 

“If you want to hear a full-blown debate on this issue, I think we’ll probably have one before our committee tomorrow while we’re also considering three or four judges and a piece of legislation as well,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the Senate Judiciary Committee said the debate is expected to take place during the committee’s regularly scheduled business meeting in the morning. The judges being considered are to fill vacancies on the United States Court of International Trade and the United States District Court of Hawaii.

{mosads}The Judiciary committee chair made the announcement during an oversight hearing of the Justice Department at which Attorney General Loretta Lynch testified on Wednesday morning.

Grassley was responding to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who criticized Republicans for meeting behind closed doors and voting to block any Obama nominee without any input from Democrats.

“I assume that the Democrat members have their caucus to talk about how their members feel about respective issues, and I’ve never been invited to a Democrat Caucus, and I don’t think that Democrat caucus is open to the public,” Grassley said. “Tomorrow, I think we’re going to have debate.”

The committee was expected to discuss a potential nominee at its business meeting last Thursday, but Grassley postponed the discussions after Democrats refused to allow him to hold the meeting off the Senate floor.

Democrats are crying obstruction, fuming over GOP actions to block not only on a Supreme Court nominee, but other judicial nominations as well. 

On Wednesday, Senate Republicans objected to a vote on two lower court nominees – Waverly Crenshaw to be a district judge for the Middle District of Tennessee and Paula Xinis to be a district judge for the District of Maryland.

“It is only March, yet it appears that Republican Senators have decided to prevent even consensus lower court nominees from receiving a timely confirmation vote,” Leahy said in a statement. “There is absolutely no legitimate reason that judicial nominees praised by Republican senators should be blocked by the Republican leadership.” 

ON TAP FOR THURSDAY 

Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a hearing to examine the commercial use of drones by small businesses. http://1.usa.gov/1M7c4Fp

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations will hold a hearing to examine the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan program. http://1.usa.gov/1RRKkJy

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 192 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Department of the Treasury will propose new regulations stemming from the Bank Secrecy Act.

The Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, better known as FinCEN, is looking to expand the exemption for U.S. people with authority over corporate foreign financial accounts.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1QHGIe9

–The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will consider new restrictions for truck drivers and railroad employees who suffer from sleep apnea.

The federal agencies will issue an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to examine the “prevalence of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea among individuals occupying safety sensitive positions in highway and rail transportation,” they write.

They will consider the “potential consequences for safety” and determine whether these truck and railroad workers should undergo medical evaluation and treatment for their sleep disorders.

The public has 90 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1P0cL3d

–The Department of Transportation (DOT) will propose new safety standards for electric vehicles.

The Transportation Department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is considering new electrical safety requirements for these vehicles, including shock protection.

The electrical safety requirements would “protect against direct and indirect contact of high voltage sources during everyday operation of electric-powered vehicles,” the agencies write.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1Yy71VT

NEWS RIGHT NOW

Report: Obama meeting SCOTUS candidates. http://bit.ly/1M7cewF

Clinton racks up two-dozen union endorsements. http://bit.ly/1UfxtmB

Feds propose safety rules to prevent shock in electric vehicles. http://bit.ly/1QEg5oV

FAA proposes rule to overhaul small plane safety standards. http://bit.ly/1UfxAhV

DOT eyeing sleepy truck drivers. http://bit.ly/1RAobNg

Watch: Video shows Google self-driving car hitting bus. http://bit.ly/1pxSRIt

BY THE NUMBERS

25: Number of union endorsements for Hillary Clinton, according to her campaign.

TWEET OF THE DAY

“Every student in America should be able to get online,” @WhiteHouse tweeted, touting an upcoming FCC plan to offer broadband subsidies for low-income families.

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-staging.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-staging.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-staging.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and @wheelerlydia.

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