Tuesday: Biohazard bill in the House

The House meets at 10 a.m. for speeches, then at noon to debate and pass H.R. 307, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act.

The bill reauthorizes several government programs meant to prepare for bio-hazards. A similar bill easily passed the House last year, but the Senate never took it up.

Republicans are bringing the bill up under a suspension of House rules, which means it will get just 40 minutes of debate, and be subject to a two-thirds majority vote. The House is expected to vote on the bill in the early afternoon.

At 2 p.m., the House Rules Committee will meet to establish a rule for legislation that would extend the debt limit for three months. The bill also requires congressional pay to be withheld if Congress does not pass a budget by April 15.

Approval of the rule by the committee on Tuesday will allow the House to take up both the rule and the bill on Wednesday.

The Senate meets at 10 a.m. for speeches, and will break shortly after noon for caucus lunches. Senators could start debating the House-passed Sandy relief bill, H.R. 152.

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