Congress:

• FY 27 Appropriations: Next week, the House Appropriations Committee will hold a full-committee markup of the Commerce-Justice-Science bill and a subcommittee markup of the Energy and Water bill. On May 21, the House Appropriations Committee is expected to hold a subcommittee markup of the Transportation-Housing, Urban Development, and Related Agencies bill. To date, Agriculture, Financial Services, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and National Security-State House Appropriations bills were advanced by the full House Appropriations Committee. The Senate Appropriations Committee also released its subcommittee hearing schedule for next week.

• Reconciliation Update: Senate Republicans on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees released legislative text covering their portions of the $72 billion budget reconciliation package funding ICE and CBP for the next three years. The bills include $38.2 billion for ICE; $26 billion for offices under CBP; $5 billion for DHS; $1.5 billion for DOJ; and $1 billion for the Secret Service. Senate Republicans are aiming to put the reconciliation measure on the floor by the week of May 18, with mark-ups in Judiciary and Homeland Security planned for next week.
• Objections to Senate Housing Bill: The Senate-passed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act faces opposition from President Trump and House members regarding provisions on large institutional investors. Reps. French Hill (R-AR) and Maxine Waters (D-CA) are expected to release a House housing package as soon as next week that addresses these concerns, omitting the large institutional investor provision, as well as removing authorization for CBDG disaster recovery and including a full five-year ban on a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
• Surface Transportation Reauthorization Update: Sources indicate that the surface transportation markup is tentatively planned for May 20.

Trump Administration:

• FEMA Update: On Thursday, May 7, the FEMA Review Council released its final report, outlining its 10 recommendations to reform federal disaster response, recovery and mitigation programs. The Council suggested that many federal responsibilities should be shifted to states and localities. Comments on the final report are due by June 8, 2026. In addition, a provision of the Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R.7147) requires FEMA to publish a publicly available, interactive dashboard tracking all reimbursement requests under its Public Assistance Program. Under the provision, FEMA must post project-level detail, including cost estimates, timelines, status updates, and plain-language explanations for delays, within 90 days of receiving a request and within 60 days of a project entering final review at DHS.
• USDA Issues SNAP Rule: USDA issued a final rule on Friday, May 8, requiring retailers that accept SNAP benefits to carry seven varieties of items across the four staple food categories, more than doubling the available foods in grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. The rule excludes certain snack foods from qualifying. Noncompliant retailers risk losing SNAP authorization.
• EPA Guidance on Lead Pipes: EPA released guidance outlining requirements and flexibilities for complying with the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, which requires the replacement of virtually all lead water lines by 2037 and set an initial deadline of November 1, 2027, for utilities to identify pipes made of lead.
• EPA Launches Permitting Map: On May 8, 2026, EPA launched its Permitting Authority Map. The Map identifies which regulatory agencies have the authority to issue permits covering all of EPA’s permitting programs and environmental statutes, assisting public entities in determining whether they are authorized to conduct the environmental review on behalf of the federal government.
• DHS Closes Detention Investigations Office: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly closing the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, an office responsible for investigating misconduct and abuse in the immigration detention system. An internal email to DHS employees attributes the closure to a lack of funding in the DHS appropriations bill that ended the recent partial shutdown.
• Retirement Savings Executive Order: President Trump issued an executive order, directing the Treasury Department to create a website by January 1, 2027 that offers workers without access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan access to information about low-cost individual retirement accounts.

The Week’s News:

• Commerce Department signed deal to vet major AI companies’ models before release (POLITICO)
• FDA authorizes fruit-flavored vapes (WaPo)
• Virginia Supreme Court strikes down Democrats’ redistricting plan (AP)
• Tennessee approves redistricting plan to eliminate a majority-Black district (WaPo)

 

Look Ahead 5.11.26:

The House and Senate are in session

• The Senate returns today to consider the President’s nominees, including Kevin Warsh’s nomination to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. The Senate is also set to advance their portions of the reconciliation bill funding immigration enforcement, with $38.2 billion for ICE; $26 billion for offices under CBP; $5 billion for DHS; $1.5 billion for DOJ; and $1 billion for the Secret Service 

• The House returns tomorrow, May 12th to consider several law enforcement measures during National Police Week, including Cashless Bail Reporting Act (H.R.5625); Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act of 2025 (H.R.6260); Monitor Accountability Act (H.R. 8365); and the Expressing support for law enforcement officers (H.Con.Res.96).   

• FY27 Appropriations: The House Appropriations Committee plans to markup the Commerce-Justice Science appropriations bill Wednesday and conduct a Subcommittee markup on the Energy and Water appropriations bill Friday. The House will also vote this week on the Military Construction and Veteran Affairs Appropriations bill.  

• Housing Package: House Republicans plan to release revised housing legislation that rolls back key Senate-passed provisions in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act aimed at limiting large investors’ role in the housing market. The House draft reportedly narrows the definition of “single-family home,” potentially allowing institutional investors to purchase more properties, and eliminates a requirement that build-to-rent homes be sold to individual buyers after seven years. The changes respond to bipartisan House concerns and industry pushback. The House could vote on the legislation as soon as the week the updated text is released. 

• TOD Planning Grants Open: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the opportunity to apply for over $28.5 million in competitive grants for FY 26 Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning. The TOD Planning grant provides funding for local communities to integrate land use and transportation planning around a new fixed guideway or core capacity improvement project. Applications are due by July 10, 2026.  

 

• Fraud in Federal Programs (H.R.8464): House Republicans are advancing a bill to expand the administration’s authority to withhold payments in federal programs due to suspected fraud. Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), a co-sponsor of the bill, suggested that the bill could be incorporated into a partisan Reconciliation 3.0 package. 

Hearings and Markups: 

HUD: Secretary Scott Turner will provide testimony on HUD’s FY 27 budget request before the House Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Tuesday. Turner on Thursday will also provide testimony on his agency’s FY 27 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. 

Reconciliation 2.0: On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will discuss the panel’s portion of the immigration enforcement reconciliation bill.  

EPA: Administrator Lee Zeldin will provide testimony on his agency’s FY 27 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Wednesday. 

Forest Service: Chief Tom Schultz will provide testimony on the Forest Service’s FY 27 budget request before the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday. 

Interior: Secretary Doug Burgum will provide testimony on his agency’s FY 27 budget request before the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday. 

FDA: Commissioner Marin Makary will provide testimony on FDA’s FY 27 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Wednesday. Reporting last week indicated that President Trump is considering firing Makary due to policy differences over drug approvals and nicotine products.  

Commerce-Justice Science: The House Appropriations Committee will hold a markup of the FY 27 Commerce-Justice Science appropriations bill on Wednesday. 

Education: The House Education & Workforce Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday to discuss the policies and priorities of the Department of Education. 

Sanctuary Cities: The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement will hold a hearing on Thursday to discuss the consequences of sanctuary city policies. 

Energy and Water: The House Appropriations Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a markup of the FY 27 Energy and Water appropriations bill on Friday.  

Top stories: 

• CDC activates emergency response for hantavirus (NYT) 

• Trump signs off on plan to fire FDA Commissioner (WSJ) 

• Trump says there will be a 3-day ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine war (POLITICO)