A closer look at next week…

Congress returns to work on Monday after a weeklong break for Thanksgiving.

Negotiations are ongoing on how to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” including pending tax rate increases and government spending cuts in 2013, but lawmakers on the floor will be focused on other issues next week. 

The House will take up several measures related to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) starting Tuesday.

For example, the DHS Accountability Act, H.R. 5913, would establish an advisory panel to make recommendation on how to improve the management and efficiency of DHS.

The Senate will continue work on the Sportsmen’s Act, S. 3525, which would increase access to federal land for hunters and fishermen while also supporting conservation efforts, on Monday.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said last week that he wished to move onto consideration of the Defense Authorization Act, S. 3254, but Republicans were holding up the process.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is filibustering the Defense Authorization Act until he gets a vote on his amendment reaffirming opposition to the indefinite military detention of American citizens.

Below is a more detailed look at the week ahead:

Monday

In the Senate, lawmakers will vote at 5:30 p.m. on a motion to wave the Budget Act in order to proceed with the Sportsmen’s Act, introduced by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). If the motion to wave is agreed to, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the passage of S. 3525. The Senate is in for the rest of the week but with no definite plans beyond Monday.

The House is out.

Tuesday

The House starts the day at 2 p.m. and the first votes won’t happen until around 6:30 p.m. The suspension bills are:

H.R. 6025, the Mandatory Operational Control Reporting and Performance Measures Act;

H.R. 5913, the DHS Accountability Act;

H.R. 5997, the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act;

H.R. 3563, the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act;

Senate amendment to H.R. 915, the Jaime Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act; and 

H.R. 6328, the Clothe a Homeless Hero Act.

Wednesday-Friday

On Wednesday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. On Thursday, speeches will start at 10 a.m. and legislative business will resume at noon. Legislative business starts at 9 a.m. on Friday and votes aren’t expected to go past 3 p.m.

The only bill subject to a rule is H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act, which would increase the number of green cards available to people with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math.

The suspension bills being considered will name various government buildings.

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