Members of both the Senate and House are in Washington, DC, before taking off for the Memorial Day recess until June. Both Chambers will review spending decisions of various federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, other Department of Commerce agencies, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The House Appropriations Committee last week approved the funding bill for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development 

Monday

• House will consider for final passage, under suspension of the rules, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 (H.R. 1987), which includes authorization of a new icebreaker for the Great Lakes.

Tuesday

• Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife legislative hearing on "S. 1140, The Federal Water Quality Protection Act" (a bill from Sens. John Barrasso (WY) and Joe Donnelly (IN) that would direct the Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. EPA to re-propose the Waters of the United States rule); 10:00 AM, room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• The House passed its bill, H.R. 1732, directing the U.S. EPA and the Army Corps to rescind and reevaluate the Waters of the U.S. Rule. The final passage included an amendment from Great Lakes Task Force Member, Rep. Dan Kildee (MI-05), that would provide states at least two years to comply with any new definition of the waters of the U.S.
• Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee hearing to examine proposed environmental regulation's impacts on America's small businesses; 2:00 PM, room 428A Russell Senate Office Building.
• Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee meeting to markup  the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016, funding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Energy); 2:30 PM, room 138 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Agriculture Committee meeting to consider, among other items, the National Forest Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2015 (the National Forest Foundation Act established a National Forest Foundation to benefit the activities of the U.S. Forest Service by encouraging, accepting, and administering private gifts of money and property); Wednesday, 10:00 AM, room 1300 Longworth House Office Building.

Wednesday

• House will consider for final passage the "America COMPETES Reauthorization Act", H.R. 1806; NEMW Congressional Coalition Co-Chairs Reps. Mike Kelly (PA-03) and Jim McGovern (MA-02) have amendments to the bill to raise authorized funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittees on Federal Lands and Water, Power and Oceans joint hearing to review the "'Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act"; 9:30 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Environment and Public Works Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight subcommittee oversight hearing "to examine scientific advisory panels and processes at the Environmental Protection Agency," including consideration of S. 543, the "EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015"; 9:30 AM, room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Appropriations Committee meeting to mark up the fiscal year 2016 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill, which, among other things, would cut the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by $274 million and increase funding for the National Science Foundation by $50 million; 10:30 AM, room 2359 Rayburn House Office Building.

Thursday

• Senate Appropriations Committee meeting to mark up the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (which would fund the Department of Energy, Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies); 10:30 AM, room 216 Hart Senate Office Building.