House action regarding Jan. 6: The House is set to vote this week on two major pieces of legislation related to the Capitol insurrection. One measure would establish a 9/11-style bipartisan, independent commission equipped with subpoena power to investigate the incident, while the other would provide $1.9 billion in emergency spending to cover bills from the Jan. 6 incident and enhance security on Capitol Hill going forward.
What we’re watching: While the House is likely to pass both pieces of legislation, it’s unclear how much GOP support the measures will draw, and the prospect of Senate passage is also murky.
Infrastructure talks: A group of Senate Republicans are expected to submit a new offer to the White House on specific infrastructure items that could garner enough bipartisan support to clear the Senate through regular order. The Biden administration reportedly expects to receive the counterproposal by Tuesday.
What we’re watching: The Democratic response to the latest GOP offer will provide something of a make-or-break moment ahead of a self-imposed informal Memorial Day deadline on making progress in bipartisan talks. While some Senate Democrats have expressed openness to some of the pay-fors proposed by Republicans, Biden is also facing increasing leftward pressure to ditch the bipartisan inclination he projects in public and move to advance his sweeping package via reconciliation rules with Democratic votes alone.
China legislation: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is pushing to pass legislation by the end of the month that would increase federal support for research and development aimed at competing with China.
What we’re watching: The measure advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee last week in a 24-4 vote. And while lawmakers from both parties agree on confronting China on its technological advancements, getting agreement in an evenly divided chamber is nonetheless a major hurdle.
Vaccine safety: Two top executives from the biotech firm Emergent BioSolutions are set to testify to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus this week.
What we’re watching: The company is subject of a committee probe into its manufacturing failures that led to millions of doses of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine being ruined, and Democrats are particularly interested in whether it used contacts with the Trump administration to land multimillion-dollar vaccine contracts.
McGahn testimony: Former White House counsel Don McGahn will testify privately to the House Judiciary Committee about Trump’s attempts to obstruct the Russia investigation, according to a court filing.
What we’re watching: While the testimony — which Democrats have sought for two years now — will happen behind closed doors “as soon as possible,” a transcript is expected to be released publicly about a week later.