*File
Caryn Freeman 9:18AM EST
It looks like a deal has been reached on the debt-limit increase. The deal will reduce the deficit and avoid default. This proposed deal will cut 1 trillion dollars over the next ten years. The president also said Sunday that there should be some “modest adjustments to programs like Medicare.” However, the deal does require a bipartisan committee in Congress to come up with a proposal to make cuts that will further reduce the deficit by November. Nice work to all of those who spent the weekend with members and working out the details of this deal. Boehner wants the vote today and although some in the Progressive Caucus might have a problem with this deal that creates more of a problem for the president’s campaign in 2012 than it will for members working to get the deal out of the House and onto the Senate. Before we can all start sneaking out of the office early or taking extended lunch breaks both chambers have a few other issues to work out before August recess begins.
Monday: This morning the House Judiciary Committee will hold a mark-up hearing of H.R. 1433, H.R. 83 and H.R. 2189, H.R. 1433, the "Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2011";
H.R. 83, the "Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act of 2011" and H.R. 2189, the “Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2011” I wonder if the bullying Act applies to dealings on the Hill. I am sure there are Republicans and Democrats who will spend part of their recess explaining to constituents why they had to take some things off the table in the debt deal.
Tuesday: Is the debt-limit deadline, as things stand today it looks like we have avoided default. Let’s hope we can keep the peace for the next 36 hours. Things are quiet on the House side Tuesday with only two hearings scheduled both hosted by The Committee on Foreign Affairs, Why Taiwan Matters, Part II and Hydrocephalus Treatment in Uganda: Leading the Way to Help Children. Hydrocephalus is a buildup of fluid inside the skull, leading to brain swelling. Hydrocephalus means "water on the brain."
On the Senate side things are much busier Tuesday. There will be more hearings the on Afghanistan. The Senate Armed forces Committee will meet to discuss our exit strategy. Foreign Relations will hold nomination hearings. Housing finance and reform will be discussed in the Banking Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and the Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee looks to examine health reform and health insurance premiums while empowering states to serve consumers. Armed Services will also meet in a closed briefing on cyber security and Intelligence will hold a closed briefing as well.
Wednesday things pick up on the House side when the Defense Department meets with members of Congress to examine Contracting in Afghanistan and Combat Corruption. U.S. Department of Justice and the Committee on the Judiciary will meet with the Office on Violence against Women and the Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures is scheduled to hold a joint hearing on the intersection of energy policy and tax policy.
On the Senate side, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment meets on the housing finance system and Foreign Relations Committee addresses nominations of the Department of State.
Thursday in the House the Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Military Personnel will discuss the current status of suicide prevention programs in the military.
Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Human Resources will tackle (TANF) programs and how States can engage recipients in work activities that move them toward self-sufficiency and the Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Counter-terrorism and Intelligence will get together with the Secret Service to look into missions and challenges in 2012.
On Thursday members of the Senate Foreign Relations Sub-Committee on African Affairs will meet to see what can be done about drought and famine in the region and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security examines whether federal agencies are getting a bad deal when leasing federal property.
Hang in there your almost there. Just a few more days until August recess begin. Check in Friday for the final weekly wrap-up before recess begins.