Friday: House to pass Russia trade bill

The House meets at 9 a.m. to debate and pass a bill giving Russia permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status.

The rule for the bill, H.R. 6156, was approved Thursday, and it sets up 90 minutes of debate on Friday. A final vote is expected by late morning or early afternoon.

The bill will likely pass with significant support, since most Republicans support the change in status for Russia, which allows the U.S. to benefit from Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. But many Democrats are expected to support it as well, since it includes language allowing for sanctions against Russian officials involved in human-rights violations.

The Russia bill is the only one planned for Friday, after which the House will adjourn for the Thanksgiving break.

The Senate is out Friday, having adjourned Thursday after making some progress on a bill aimed at increasing access to federal land by hunters and fishermen (the Senate voted to end debate on the bill). Senate Democrats had also hoped to start work on the National Defense Authorization Act this week, but that bill is being delayed by a fight over amendments.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is pushing for a vote on an amendment reaffirming opposition to the indefinite detention of American citizens, but other senators had not agreed to take up that amendment.

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