This week: Human trafficking, Lynch top lawmakers’ agenda

The Senate will try to find a way forward on a bill to prevent human trafficking this week, while the House will advance legislation to rein in Obama administration rule-making.

Senators will attempt to move a measure that stalled last week over a fight on abortion. Democrats claim Republicans didn’t give them a heads-up that an anti-abortion-rights provision was tucked into the bill, while the GOP says that Democrats should have simply read the legislation more closely.

{mosads}Democrats are threatening to block the Justice for the Victims of Trafficking Act, which would boost resources for law enforcement and trafficking victims, because the legislation includes the Hyde Amendment that blocks federal funds for abortions. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has scheduled a cloture vote on the legislation for Tuesday morning. He’s threatening to keep the Senate on the bill until it passes something. 

Democrats, led by Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), objected last week to an up-or-down vote on removing the abortion provision. Reid said it wasn’t a “viable path forward” and wants Republicans to simply strip the abortion language from the legislation.

Attorney general nomination

Democrats could also get a long-asked-for vote on Loretta Lynch’s nomination to be the next attorney general. 

Before the Senate got stuck on the anti-trafficking bill, McConnell said he expected senators to vote on Lynch this week. 

Democrats have repeatedly pressed for Lynch’s nomination to come to the floor, including sending a letter to McConnell saying they are “troubled” by the delay in getting a vote. 

Lynch was voted out of the Judiciary Committee late last month with support from three Republicans. Some conservative Republicans, however, have threatened to oppose Lynch’s nomination because of Obama’s executive actions on immigration. 

‘Secret science’ bills

The House will vote on two measures this week that were delayed from consideration two weeks ago due to the Homeland Security funding fight and a D.C. snowstorm. 

One bill would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from basing regulations on scientific research not made available to the public. Republicans have accused the agency of issuing rules based on “secret science” to avoid public scrutiny. But Democrats and the EPA maintain that releasing the studies could potentially compromise patients’ privacy.

The other bill on tap would reform the process for selecting members of the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board. Both measures previously passed the House along party lines last year.

Labor union election rule

The House will also consider a measure passed by the Senate earlier this month to block a controversial National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule to expedite union elections.

On average, a union election is held within 38 days after a petition is filed with the NLRB. Republicans object to the “ambush election” regulation on the grounds that it would give businesses minimal time to prepare for the elections.

The GOP is bringing the resolution forward under the statute in the Congressional Review Act that allows Congress to formally disapprove of regulations. But the measure is unlikely to become law, as the White House has threatened a veto. 

Below is a day-by-day breakdown of the week ahead:

Monday

The House will convene at noon for morning hour debate and at 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be held at 6:30 p.m. on healthcare policy bills considered under suspension of the rules. 

One bill under consideration would exempt volunteer firefighters from the ObamaCare requirement that employers with 50 or more workers offer health insurance. The House passed it earlier this year, but the bill was used as a legislative vehicle for Department of Homeland Security stopgap funding. Two other measures would reauthorize certain trauma care programs.

The Senate will convene at 3 p.m. for leadership remarks and restart debate over the anti-trafficking bill. First-degree amendments must be filed by Monday. At 5 p.m., the Senate will go to executive session to consider the nominations of Carlos Monje to be an assistant secretary of Transportation and Manson Brown to be an assistant secretary of Commerce. 

Senators are expected to take a roll-call vote on Monje, while Brown will likely receive a voice vote. Senators will have up to a half hour for debate, with votes expected around 5:30 p.m. 

Tuesday

The House is expected to vote on a measure to reform the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board. 

A cloture vote is expected Tuesday at approximately 11 a.m. on the anti-human-trafficking bill. Second-degree amendments must be filed by Tuesday. The Senate is expected to recess from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. for the weekly party caucus luncheons.

Wednesday

The House may vote on a bill to prevent the EPA from issuing regulations based on scientific research unavailable to the public.

The Senate may still be working on the human-trafficking bill, or it might begin proceedings on the Lynch nomination.

Thursday

The House will clear the Senate’s disapproval resolution against the union elections rule before leaving town for the week. Members may also consider a resolution providing for House committee expenses for the 114th Congress. 

The Senate’s plans for Thursday remain unclear at this point.

—Tim Devaney contributed.