The House is in session.

• The Senate returns on September 14.
• The House returns today to consider the Senate-passed continuing resolution. 

FY27 Appropriations: 

On Tuesday, September 1, the House is scheduled to vote on the Senate-passed continuing resolution (CR) under suspension of the rules, a procedure that allows for expedited passage and requires a two-thirds majority for passage.  The CR includes language that would delay the implementation of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed rule through December 11, 2026, and provide a clean extension of surface transportation reauthorization through the same date. 

WRDA: 

The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) and Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committees reportedly met on Thursday, August 27 to begin negotiations on a conference agreement to reconcile differences between the chambers’ respective Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bills.

• On Thursday, September 3, the House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Environment Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a legislative hearing to consider the Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2026 and the Water Cost Accountability Act of 2026, which both contain reauthorizations of drinking water provisions that are expected to be included in a final WRDA package at the end of the year.
• The Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Improvement Act would extend or re-establish existing water infrastructure programs through 2027 and add cybersecurity to the Safe Drinking Water Act grant programs. The Water Cost Accountability Act of 2026 would require states receiving Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) grants to prohibit public water systems from passing on the costs of connecting data centers or expanding water system capacity to serve data centers to other customers.

Law Enforcement: 

On Monday, August 31, the House will consider the NDO Fairness Act of 2025 (H.R.6048) under suspension of the rules. The legislation would require a court to apply additional scrutiny before it could issue certain nondisclosure orders, or “gag orders,” at the request of federal, state, or local law enforcement. Such orders would be subject to time limits, require written determinations of necessity, and be contestable by the targeted service provider. While the Reform Government Surveillance coalition, whose members include Amazon, Apple, and Google, support the bill, a coalition of law enforcement groups oppose the measure, arguing it would “delay investigations, compromise sensitive cases, and ultimately harm the victims.”

King County v. Turner: 

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of King County and over 70 local governments in the King County v. Turner case, barring the Trump administration from requiring local governments to adopt the administration’s policy preferences on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), immigration, transgender inclusivity, and abortion access to receive federal grants. This ruling applies only to the state and local governments participating in the lawsuit and only to the specific Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Transportation (DOT) grant programs at issue in the lawsuit. The administration is expected to appeal this ruling, given that similar conditions have been incorporated across numerous federal grant programs and reflected in the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance.

DOT Releases PROTECT Grant NOFO: 

On August 27, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released its Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Competitive Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for fiscal years (FY) 2024 through 2026. The PROTECT program funds projects to improve the resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. Applications are due by October 9, 2026.

21st Century ROAD to Housing Implementation: 

On September 9, 2026, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is scheduled to notify each CDBG recipient of their housing growth improvement rate, as mandated by the Build Now Act – the provision that will tie some localities’ CDBG funding to their rate of housing production.

Hearings and Markups:

• Sanctuary Cities: The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement will hold a hearing on sanctuary city policies on Tuesday.
• Welfare Programs: The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare will hold a hearing on reforming welfare programs on Tuesday.
• Energy: The House Oversight Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee will hold a hearing, entitled No Flame, More Pain: How State and Local Bans on Natural Gas Increase Costs, on Wednesday.
• Public Lands: The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold a hearing on nine public lands-related pieces of legislation, including H.R.10128, which seeks to strengthen federal cooperation with communities near public lands, on Wednesday. 
• Workforce: The House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections will hold a hearing, entitled Less Red Tape, More Opportunity: Unleashing American Workers and Job Creators, on Wednesday.
• Birthright Citizenship: The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government will hold a hearing on birthright citizenship on Wednesday.
• Water Infrastructure: The House Energy & Commerce Environment Subcommittee will hold a hearing to discuss two pieces of water infrastructure related legislation, the Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2026 and the Water Cost Accountability Act of 2026, on Thursday.

Top stories:

• House returns to a crowded legislative agenda (Semafor)
• Lawmakers try to secure seats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee (POLITICO)