The Senate has already started its July 4 break, but House lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week for a flurry of budget work before starting their short vacation.
The House Appropriations Committee, which unveiled its first draft of the military construction and Veterans Affairs spending plan last week, is expected to unveil its defense spending plan this week amid a series of hearings on funding for other agencies like the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security.
President Joe Biden has asked for $716 billion in defense spending for fiscal 2022, a figure that many conservatives have attacked as too small and some progressives have blasted as still too large. The appropriations committee’s draft will set the stage for a summer-long debate over the right military spending figure.
Both chambers are scheduled to be out next week, and return for the rest of July before an extended legislative recess starting in August.
House Appropriations — 7:30 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
State Department budget
The subcommittee on state, foreign operations, and related programs will mark up its draft of the FY22 budget.
Tuesday, June 29
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — 2172 Rayburn
Ethiopia
State Department officials will testify on the current security situation in Ethiopia.
House Armed Services — 11 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Army Budget
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville will testify on the fiscal 2022 budget request.
House Armed Services — 4 p.m.-- 2118 Rayburn
Cybersecurity
John Sherman, acting chief information officer for the Department of Defense, will testify on cybersecurity issues for the military.
Wednesday, June 30
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — Visitors Center H200
Defense budget
The subcommittee on defense will mark up its draft of the FY22 budget.
House Armed Services — 3 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Rotary wing aviation
Service officials will testify on rotary wing aviation requests in teh fiscal 2022 budget proposal.
House Appropriations — Time and location to be announced
Military Construction-VA budget
The full committee debates the military construction and Veterans Affairs budget for fiscal 2022.
House Appropriations — Time and location to be announced
Homeland Security budget
The full committee debates the homeland security budget for fiscal 2022.
Thursday, July 1
House Veterans' Affairs — 10:30 a.m. — online hearing
VA information technology budget
The subcommittee on technology will review the VA budget request for fiscal 2022.
House Appropriations — Time and location to be announced
State Department budget
The full committee debates the State Department budget for fiscal 2022.
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.
