This week in Congress: Budget deadlines loom

WASHINGTON — With only two weeks left before Congress’ spring break, congressional appropriators are stepping up their schedules to try an avoid a government shutdown at the end of next month.

Defense Secretary James Mattis was on Capitol Hill last week petitioning lawmakers for a $30 billion boost in military spending for the rest of fiscal 2017, but Democratic leaders so far have been unwilling to go along with the plan. If a full government funding plan isn’t reached before April 29, federal agencies will face a partial shutdown of services.

House appropriators, meanwhile, are already looking ahead to fiscal 2018, with hearings on military medical needs and veterans priorities scheduled for this week.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and U.S. European Command head Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti also both return to Capitol Hill this week, appearing before different committees to discuss largely the same topics they did in hearings last week.

Tuesday

House Armed Services -- 10 a.m. -- Rayburn 2118
Russia
Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, head of U.S. European Command, will testify before the committee on Russian aggression and European security challenges.

House Foreign Affairs -- 10 a.m. -- Rayburn 2172
Diplomacy
Outside analysts will testify on the role of diplomacy in national security and the federal budget.

House Homeland Security -- 10 a.m. -- Visitors Center H210
Federal networks
The subcommittee on cybersecurity will hear from outside experts on Department of Homeland Security efforts to secure federal networks.

Senate Foreign Relations -- 10:30 a.m. -- Dirksen 419
Iran
Outside analysts will testify before the committee on U.S. policy on Iran.

House Foreign Affairs -- 2:30 p.m. -- Rayburn 2200
East Africa
The subcommittee on Africa will hear from outside experts on famine and security challenges in East Africa.

Senate Armed Services -- 2:30 p.m. -- Visitors Center S217
Closed briefing
Committee members will receive a closed briefing on Department of Defense worldwide policy and the fiscal 2017 defense supplemental budget request.

House Armed Services -- 3:30 p.m. -- 2212 Rayburn
Naval strike fighters
Navy and Marine Corps aviation officials will appear before the subcommittee on tactical air to discuss strategic and budget concerns.

Wednesday

House Veterans’ Affairs -- 8 a.m. -- Cannon 334
Legislative mark-up
The subcommittee on health affairs will mark up a series of nine bills, including the "No Hero Left Untreated" act and the "Veterans Urgent Access to Mental Health Care" act.

House Appropriations -- 10 a.m. -- Rayburn 2362A
Veterans perspectives
Representatives from veterans advocacy groups will testify before the subcommittee on Veterans Affairs on their views on the fiscal 2018 budget.

Senate Foreign Relations -- 10:15 a.m. -- Dirksen 419
Mexico
Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and other outside experts will testify before the committee on U.S. policy towards Mexico.

Senate Appropriations -- 10:30 a.m. -- Dirksen 192
Defense budget
The service’s surgeons general will testify before the defense subcommittee on the Defense Health program and funding requests for fiscal 2017 and 2018.

House Armed Services -- 2 p.m. -- Rayburn 2118
Military pilots
Manpower officials from the four services will testify before the subcommittee on military personnel about military pilot shortages.

Senate Appropriations -- 2 p.m. -- Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington Cemetery
The subcommittee on Veterans Affairs will hold a field hearing to review current operations at the well-known military cemetery.

House Foreign Affairs -- 2 p.m. -- Rayburn 2172
Iranian missile programs
The subcommittee on the Middle East will hear from outside experts on Iran’s ballistic missile program and sanctions against the country.

House Armed Services -- 2 p.m. -- Visitors Center H210
Space Assets
Former Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen and former U.S. Air Force Space Command Gen. William Shelton will testify before the committee on threats to U.S. space assets.

Senate Armed Services -- 2:15 p.m. -- Russell 232A
Defense industrial base
Service officials will testify before the committee on challenges facing the defense industrial base and possible solutions.

Senate Foreign Relations -- 2:15 p.m. -- Dirksen 419
Asia
The subcommittee on the Pacific will hear from outside experts on American leadership and security challenges in East Asia.

Senate Appropriations -- 2:30 p.m. -- Dirksen 192
Russia
The subcommittee on state will review civil society perspectives on Russia.

Senate Armed Services -- 3:30 p.m. -- Russell 222
Air Force
The subcommittee on Airland will hear from operations and strategy leaders at the Air Force on their modernization plans.

Thursday

House Armed Services -- 9 a.m. -- Rayburn 2118
Transportation Command
The subcommittee on readiness will hear from Gen. Darren McDew, head of U.S. Transportation Command, on current operations and fiscal challenges.

Senate Foreign Relations -- 10:00 a.m. -- Dirksen 419
American values
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley will testify before the committee on U.S. security policy and values.

House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs -- 10:30 a.m. -- Rayburn 2172
Russia
The two committees will hold a joint hearing focused on Russia violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty.

 
Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at lshane@militarytimes.com.