Federal Legislative Update, Week of September 8, 2025
House and Senate Action
Both chambers are in session this week.
House
This week, the House will consider the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The annual NDAA package authorizes funding and sets policy for the Department of Defense and other defense-related activities. The chamber will also consider legislation – the Stop Illegal Entry Act (H.R. 3486) – that would impose a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for an undocumented immigrant who has multiple convictions, or a conviction for an aggravated felony. The legislation, which is also known as Kate’s Law, was named for Kate Steinle, who was killed by an undocumented immigrant who had several felony convictions and had been previously deported from the United States. The full House agenda can be accessed here.
Senate
Across Capitol Hill, the Senate will take the first procedural steps today to advance a Republican-led effort to speed up consideration of President Trump’s nominees. At the center of the debate is the so-called “nuclear option,” a unilateral rules change that would allow the Senate to confirm multiple non-Cabinet executive branch nominees at once through “en bloc” packages. The move is designed to counter what Republicans describe as unprecedented delays by Democrats in processing administration officials. Democrats counter that existing procedures help ensure nominees are properly vetted. It should be noted that the proposal would not apply to judicial nominees. The chamber will then resume consideration of the NDAA later in the week.
Government Funding Showdown Heats Up
With just three weeks until the September 30 deadline, lawmakers are drawing battle lines over how to keep the federal government funded. Unlike past years, the debate is not breaking down along traditional party lines.
On one side, fiscal conservatives are aligning with the White House in support of a stopgap bill that would lock in current funding levels, ideally through January or longer. On the other, Democrats and moderate Republicans are pushing for a short-term extension into November or December, giving negotiators more time to strike a bipartisan deal on updated funding levels.
There has also been some talk among House and Senate appropriators of a hybrid approach that would advance full-year funding for certain priorities - such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and congressional operations - while temporarily extending current levels for other agencies.
For their part, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have not yet engaged directly on the looming deadline.
House Panel Set to Discuss Bipartisan Permitting Reform
On September 10, the House Natural Resources Committee will hold a legislative hearing on bipartisan permitting reform legislation – the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act (H.R. 4776) – that is championed by the panel's Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME). The bill, which was introduced just before the August recess, seeks to streamline the federal permitting process following the recent Supreme Court decision narrowing the scope of NEPA reviews. Among other provisions, H.R. 4776 would expand categorical exclusions, limit judicial review timelines, extend the use of programmatic environmental documents, and set stricter deadlines for agency action.
The hearing will give lawmakers an opportunity to debate the proposal’s potential to accelerate project approvals while weighing its implications for environmental oversight and public participation.
While the SPEED Act reflects a broader push in Congress to overhaul permitting rules, the path forward remains uncertain. Looking ahead, the bill is likely to advance through the House, though its more sweeping reforms may face resistance in the Senate, where bipartisan talks are centered on a narrower package of permitting changes.
The committee has circulated both a section-by-section summary and a one-pager on the bill.
New Bill Aims to Strengthen Emergency Alert Systems
Last week, Congressmen Kevin Mullin (D-CA) and Randy Weber (R-TX) introduced legislation – the Resilient Emergency Alert Communications and Training (REACT) Act (H.R. 5154) – that would direct FEMA to provide more federal resources for local emergency officials to improve their alert and warning systems.
The bill responds to longstanding concerns about gaps in public warning capacity, particularly during fast-moving disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, and severe storms.
Under the legislation, FEMA would be directed to:
- Offer technical assistance to state and local governments to improve emergency alert capacity and effectiveness
- Help develop evidence-based alert message templates and public education campaigns explaining how the those experiencing a disaster should respond
- Publish an annual report tracking which communities are conducting exercises, testing and public education of emergency alert systems
- Authorize $30 million annually through 2035 to support field training, live testing, and community-based exercises of alert systems
Relevant Hearings & Markups
House Committee on Agriculture
Tuesday, September 9 |11 a.m. ET | The full committee will consider the fiscal year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services spending bill.
Wednesday, September 10 |10 a.m. ET | The full committee will consider the fiscal year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science spending bill.
House Committee on Agriculture
Tuesday, September 9 |10 a.m. ET | The Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture will hold a hearing entitled, "Exploring State Options in SNAP."
Wednesday September 10 |10:30 a.m. ET | The Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture will meet to discuss efforts to promote forest health and resiliency through improved active management.
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Tuesday, September 9 | 10:15 a.m. ET | The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a hearing that will focus on public safety communications in the United States.
House Committee on Natural Resources
Tuesday, September 9 | 10:15 a.m. ET | The Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold an oversight hearing on the state of our nation’s federal forests.
Tuesday, September 9 | 2:15 p.m. ET | The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing entitled, “Exploring the Economic Potential of the Golden Age of American Energy Dominance."
Wednesday, September 10 | 10:00 a.m. ET | The full committee will hold a legislative hearing on three permitting bills, including Chairman Bruce Westerman's (R-AR) bipartisan NEPA reform proposal - the SPEED Act.
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Wednesday, September 10 | 10:00 a.m. ET | The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment will meet to review and conduct oversight of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) - legislation that authorizes civil works projects and policy reforms for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
Wednesday, September 10 | 9:30 a.m. ET | The full committee will meet to consider legislation (H.R. 5089) that seeks to improve NOAA's weather research, support advancements in weather forecasting and prediction, and expand commercial opportunities for the provision of weather data.
Senate Committee on Appropriations
Thursday, September 11 | 9:30 a.m. ET | The full committee will meet to consider the fiscal year 2026 spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security.
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Wednesday, September 10 | 10:00 a.m. ET | The Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness will convene a hearing to examine President Trump’s artificial intelligence strategy, Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan. According to majority staff, the hearing will also explore legislative actions to foster AI innovation by preventing overregulation, streamline the development of American AI infrastructure, and strengthen U.S. leadership on the global stage.
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Wednesday, September 10 | 10:00 a.m. ET | The full committee will hold a legislative hearing to receive testimony on a discussion draft of the Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act.
Senate Committee on Homeland Security
Wednesday, September 10 | 2:30 p.m. ET | The Subcommittee on Disaster Management will hold a hearing entitled, "Sounding the Alarm: America's Fire Apparatus Crisis."