WASHINGTON — Lawmakers have until Friday to reach an agreement on funding a host of federal agencies through the rest of fiscal 2019 — or trigger another government shutdown.
The shutdown threat will loom over all congressional business this week, including a slate of defense budget posture hearings which will occur even though the president’s budget proposal won’t be officially released for another month.
Committees will also tackle the issue of military housing failures after a series of reports late last year chronicled deficiencies at privatized buildings where military families are living.
But that work could all come to an abrupt standstill if a short-term budget deal isn’t reached. Both the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have their full-year funding and would not be directly affected, but secondary effects from other agency shutdowns would repeat the same problems the public saw last month.
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Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Indo-Pacific Command
Adm. Philip Davidson, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and Gen. Robert Abrams, head of U.S. Forces Korea, will testify before the committee on future challenges in their region.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — 2172 Rayburn
Venezuela
Elliott Abrams, U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela, will testify before the committee on the current political and security situation in that country.
House Appropriations — 11 a.m. — H-140 Capitol
Military service academies
Superintendents from the three service academies will testify before the committee on their upcoming priorities for the institutions.
House Appropriations — 11 a.m. — H-309 Capitol
Military housing
Service officials will testify before the committee on recent reports of poor upkeep of military housing and their needs for the fiscal 2020.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Visitors Center S-217
Closed briefing
The committee will receive a classified briefing on U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Wednesday, Feb. 13
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — Visitors Center S-217
Closed briefing
The committee will receive a classified briefing military cyber operations.
House Veterans’ Affairs — 10 a.m. — 1334 Longworth
Organizational meeting
The committee will formally adopt the new rules and membership for the 116th Congress.
House Veterans’ Affairs — 10:30 a.m. — 1334 Longworth
VA’s future
Department officials will testify before the committee on future planning for VA programs and outreach.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Military sexual assault
Superintendents from the three service academies will testify before the committee on new data regarding sexual assaults at those institutions.
House Appropriations — 2 p.m. — HT-2 Capitol
VA healthcare
Department officials will testify before the committee on long-term care issues at VA.
Senate Armed Services — 2 p.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Military housing
Military families, landlords and housing officials will testify before the committee on reports of problems with private housing facilities.
Thursday, Feb. 14
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — 222 Russell
Military personnel
The services’ top manpower officers and enlisted personnel will testify before the committee on personnel needs for fiscal 2020.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m — HT-2 Capitol
VA Inspector General
VA Inspector General Mike Missal will testify before the committee on current VA operations.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
