This Week in Congress

This week the House had a packed legislative agenda that included consideration of multiple appropriations measures, policy reforms across veterans and financial services, and a broad slate of small business legislation. The House voted on the National Security-State appropriations bill (H.R. 8595) and the Energy-Water appropriations bill (H.R. 9022), along with a Veterans Administration reform measure (H.R. 9237). The House considered H.R. 1181, a proposal aimed at prohibiting credit card companies and payment processors from assigning a specific merchant category code for gun retailers.

In addition, the House voted on 11 bills heavily weighted toward small business policy, including nine measures advanced out of the Small Business Committee. Those bills include efforts to increase transparency in Small Business Administration (SBA) pandemic-era and disaster lending programs (H.R. 826; H.R. 4238), strengthen oversight of SBA employee conflicts of interest (H.R. 7401), and enhance cybersecurity assistance for small businesses (H.R. 8880). Additional measures address the SBA’s use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (H.R. 8881), improve processes for handling small business antitrust complaints (H.R. 8882), and expand participation in federal contracting assistance programs (H.R. 8879). Other SBA-related measures would codify the agency’s Office of Native American Affairs (H.R. 7396) and authorize SBA lending for cloud computing services and business software (H.R. 915).

The House also voted on legislation allowing open-end investment companies, such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, to delay redemptions when there is suspicion of financial exploitation (H.R. 2478), as well as a Senate-passed bill (S. 629) that would increase the share of federal disaster relief funds available upfront to farmers and timber producers.

Finally, the House voted on newly updated version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act following expected Senate action.

The Senate voted on its revised version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644) and confirmed Trump administration nominees. Senate leadership also faces a narrowing window to advance a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) extension before lawmakers depart Friday for a two-week recess. With limited time before the break, leadership is expected to prioritize high-priority confirmations and must-pass items, leaving little room for additional legislative negotiations in the final days of the work period.

FARM BILL INCOMING: Boozman Set to Release Long-Awaited Senate Agriculture Proposal

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Boozman (R-AR) released his long-anticipated farm bill text on Wednesday, setting the stage for a high-stakes legislative fight over nutrition assistance and competing partisan priorities. Boozman’s draft is expected to deliberately omit several controversial Republican policy priorities in an effort to attract enough Democratic support to clear the Senate’s 60-vote threshold required for advancement. The strategy reflects a broader effort to craft a package that can move through a closely divided Senate, even as significant policy disagreements remain unresolved. The chairman is also aiming to hold committee markup after the Fourth of July recess but before the August break, though that timeline could shift depending on negotiations following the bill’s release.

One of the most significant sticking points remains Democratic opposition to provisions tied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Democrats have indicated they will not support a farm bill that fails to delay implementation of a provision requiring some states to assume a share of SNAP benefit costs under a broader Republican domestic policy framework.

It remains unclear whether Boozman’s base proposal will include a delay of the SNAP cost-share requirement, a decision that could determine whether bipartisan agreement is achievable.

Republicans’ earlier domestic policy legislation already included an implementation delay for certain states with the highest SNAP payment error rates, giving them additional time to reduce inaccuracies. States with error rates below 6 percent are not required to contribute to benefit costs under the current framework. That carveout has become a central point of contention in current negotiations.

TRADE TROUBLES: Farm-State Republicans Push President Trump to Preserve USMCA Ahead of Critical July Review

Farm-state Republicans are intensifying calls for President Trump to reconsider his recent skepticism toward the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), warning that uncertainty surrounding the pact could disrupt agricultural trade just weeks before its mandatory six-year review.

The pressure comes after President Trump suggested he might be open to abandoning the agreement altogether, raising concerns among lawmakers representing major agricultural states that depend heavily on exports to Canada and Mexico.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Boozman (R-AR) said he has been in direct contact with the White House and is urging the administration to secure a renewed commitment to the agreement as quickly as possible. “USMCA is very important, and I think that the president will ultimately negotiate a good deal,” Boozman said. “It was one of his centerpiece achievements of his last administration.”

Boozman emphasized that maintaining the agreement is critical for agricultural markets and broader trade stability, particularly as the review process enters a decisive phase.

On June 10, President Trump told reporters he was “erring on the side of terminating” the trade agreement, arguing that the United States does not need imports from Canada or Mexico. His comments sparked immediate concern among lawmakers and agricultural stakeholders who view USMCA as a foundational trade framework for U.S. farm exports.

Despite the remarks, administration officials are currently engaged in formal negotiations with Mexico and have recently opened discussions with Canada as part of the required six-year review process. Under the agreement’s “sunset review” mechanism, the three countries must jointly assess whether to extend USMCA for another 16 years, with a key review meeting scheduled for July 1.

Other Republican senators have also urged the administration to preserve the agreement, pointing to its significance for farm income and export stability. Sen. Fischer (R-NE) said she hopes the White House will reconsider allowing the deal to lapse, calling USMCA “a wonderful trade agreement for our ag producers.” Sen. Grassley (R-IA) echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the trilateral benefits of the agreement. “It’s pretty clear to me, and I hope everybody else, even the president of the United States, that … it’s beneficial to all three countries,” Grassley said.

Some Republican senators are interpreting President Trump’s rhetoric as a negotiating tactic rather than a definitive policy shift. Sen. Hoeven (R-ND) suggested the president may be using leverage to influence talks ahead of the July review. “The president likes to keep the other party off balance in any negotiation,” Hoeven said. “I think that may be his negotiating style so that they don’t assume we’re going to get it just the way it is.”

USMCA is currently in a mandatory six-year review process, requiring the United States, Mexico, and Canada to determine whether to extend the agreement for an additional 16 years. If any country objects to renewal, the agreement would continue only until 2036 unless resolved through ongoing annual reviews. Each country also retains the ability to withdraw with six months’ notice, although both Mexico and Canada have already signaled support for renewing the pact. As the July 1 review meeting approaches, farm-state lawmakers are increasingly focused on ensuring the agreement remains intact, warning that uncertainty could create significant disruption for agricultural markets and North American trade flows.

21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: Advancing Rural Housing Solutions

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is being highlighted as a significant legislative effort to address one of the most persistent housing challenges in the United States: the shortage of affordable and accessible housing in rural communities.

While housing affordability has become a nationwide concern, rural areas face distinct and often more severe barriers, including limited construction capacity, aging housing stock, workforce shortages, infrastructure gaps, and reduced access to traditional mortgage financing. These challenges have made it increasingly difficult for families, agricultural workers, and small-town residents to secure stable, quality housing.

A central feature of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is its emphasis on improving housing availability and affordability in rural regions, where market conditions often fail to support new development without targeted federal support. Key rural housing challenges the legislation is designed to address include:

• Limited housing supply: Many rural communities lack sufficient new construction to meet demand, particularly for workforce and entry-level housing.

• Financing constraints: Smaller lenders and borrowers often face difficulties accessing affordable credit and federal housing programs.

• Infrastructure limitations: Water, sewer, and broadband gaps frequently restrict the ability to expand residential development.

• Aging housing stock: Existing rural homes are often older and in need of repair or modernization, reducing overall housing quality and availability.

The ROAD to Housing framework is intended to streamline and modernize federal housing programs to better align with the realities of rural development. By improving program flexibility and reducing administrative barriers, the legislation aims to make it easier for local governments, developers, and housing providers to deliver projects in underserved communities. Supporters of the bill argue that a more responsive federal housing framework is essential to sustaining rural economies, attracting and retaining workers, and ensuring that families can remain in the communities where they live and work.

Improved rural housing availability is also closely tied to broader economic development goals. Adequate housing supports agricultural labor stability, small business growth, healthcare and education workforce recruitment, and overall community resilience. By addressing structural barriers in housing delivery, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is positioned as a potential tool for strengthening rural America’s long-term economic viability.

FY 2027 Appropriations: Collins Pushes Ahead on Spending Bills Amid Partisan Tensions

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Collins (R-ME) attempted to advance four FY 2027 appropriations bills this week, even as negotiations continue to face resistance from Senate Democrats and procedural uncertainty threatens the broader funding process.  Collins has already canceled committee markups twice in recent weeks after Democrats signaled plans to offer amendments targeting the now-defunct Anti-Weaponization Fund, a proposed provision that the administration has since indicated is no longer under consideration. The disputes have underscored broader tensions surrounding the structure and content of the upcoming fiscal year spending package.

Republican leadership argues that Democratic opposition to advancing appropriations legislation reflects a broader strategy to slow or block the annual spending process, potentially setting the stage for a government funding confrontation later in the fiscal year. Republican leaders have suggested that the resistance could signal an effort to increase political leverage heading into the midterm election cycle, particularly if spending bills fail to advance through regular order.  Democrats, meanwhile, have raised concerns about policy riders and amendment limitations that they argue could affect the scope and direction of federal spending priorities.

Despite current tensions, lawmakers on both sides acknowledge that a full appropriations package remains unlikely before the end of the fiscal cycle. As a result, Congress may ultimately turn to a continuing resolution in late September to maintain government funding.

Such a measure would temporarily extend current funding levels and defer final decisions on FY 2027 appropriations, potentially pushing negotiations into late 2026 or early 2027.

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