Legislative Intelligence Briefing - Thursday, April 9, 2026 | Apogee

OVERNIGHT LEGISLATIVE INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

April 9, 2026 | 24-Hour Period

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Congress is in recess (House reconvenes April 14; Senate in state work period through April 10). The overnight period saw significant regulatory and executive activity, including 5 presidential actions published on April 9 and 28 Federal Register documents. Major legislative momentum remains concentrated on appropriations and defense bills, with 20 committee hearings scheduled for the week ahead.

CONGRESSIONAL SESSION STATUS

House: Not in session. Reconvenes Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Senate: In state work period recess through Friday, April 10, 2026. Next session date not yet scheduled.

Next Recess: Memorial Day recess begins May 25, 2026.

MAJOR BILLS IN MOTION

H.R. 5371 — Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026

Status: Enacted (resolves government shutdown that began October 1, 2025)
Scope: Provides FY2026 continuing appropriations through January 30, 2026, for most federal agencies; full-year appropriations for agriculture, military construction, veterans affairs, and legislative branch
Key Provisions:
Extends Defense Production Act authorities through CR duration
Permits Navy advance payments to Maritime Administration's Ready Reserve Force
Authorizes Air Force E-7 Wedgetail aircraft program rapid prototyping funding
Extends TSA Reimbursable Screening Services pilot program
Provides additional funding for Supreme Court Justice protection and federal defender services
Extends DHS cybersecurity authorities and State/Local Cybersecurity Grant Program
Permits FEMA Disaster Relief Fund apportionment for response/recovery activities
Extends U.S. International Development Finance Corporation authority through January 30, 2026
Momentum: Low (0.03 score); 260 lobbying registrants; 7 baseline media mentions

REGULATORY FILINGS & FEDERAL REGISTER ACTIVITY

28 documents published April 8-9, 2026. Key filings:

#### Finalized Rules (Effective)

FCC: Modernizing Suspension and Debarment Rules (Document 2026-06864)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Effective: May 11, 2026
- Adopts OMB Guidance for Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension; extends FCC suspension/debarment framework to additional programs to combat waste, fraud, and abuse
EPA: Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review (Document 2026-06808)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Effective: June 8, 2026
- Finalizes amendments to New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Emission Guidelines for crude oil and natural gas sources; includes technical changes to flaring provisions and vent gas monitoring requirements
FCC: Foreign Ownership Policies for Broadcast and Common Carrier Licensees (Document 2026-06866)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Effective: May 11, 2026
- Updates foreign ownership rules; codifies existing policy on controlling U.S. parent entities; extends remedial procedures to privately held companies; clarifies U.S. residency requirements
EPA: Air Plan Approval — Rhode Island Regional Haze SIP (Document 2026-06838)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Effective: May 11, 2026
- Approves Rhode Island's second implementation period regional haze plan and remaining infrastructure SIP elements for 2015 ozone NAAQS

#### Proposed Rules (Open Comment Periods)

FCC: Modernizing Suspension and Debarment Rules (Document 2026-06863)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Comments Close: June 8, 2026 (60 days)
- Proposes additional safeguards and mandatory reporting requirements
FCC: Spectrum Abundance for Emergent Space Operations (Document 2026-06865)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Comments Close: June 8, 2026 (60 days)
- Proposes clarification and expansion of regulatory classifications for emergent spacecraft operations; seeks to expand spectrum access for telemetry, tracking, and command functions; proposes secondary allocation for Space Operation Service
EPA: Air Plan Approval — Missouri Sulfur Emissions (Document 2026-06831)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Comments Close: May 11, 2026 (32 days)
- Proposes approval of Missouri SIP revisions addressing administrative changes to state sulfur emissions rules
USDA: Dairy Tariff-Rate Quota Import Licensing Program (Document 2026-06873)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Comments Close: April 23, 2026 (14 days remaining) — EXTENDED 15 days from original April 8 deadline
- Amends regulation for annual licenses to import dairy articles under tariff-rate quotas
Interior/OSM: Wyoming Regulatory Program (Document 2026-06892)
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Comments Close: May 11, 2026 (32 days)
- Proposes amendment to Wyoming coal program recognizing specific reclamation bond estimate adjustment procedures

PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS PUBLISHED APRIL 9, 2026

5 presidential documents published overnight:

Executive Order 14388 — Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries
- Signed: February 20, 2026
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Continues suspension of duty-free treatment for de minimis imports from all countries
Executive Order 14400 — Urgent National Action To Save College Sports
- Signed: April 3, 2026
- Published: April 9, 2026
Sequestration Order for Fiscal Year 2027
- Signed: April 3, 2026
- Published: April 9, 2026
- Pursuant to Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act
Proclamation — Strengthening Actions Taken To Adjust Imports of Aluminum, Steel, and Copper
- Signed: April 2, 2026
- Published: April 9, 2026
Proclamation — Adjusting Imports of Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Ingredients
- Signed: April 2, 2026
- Published: April 9, 2026

UPCOMING COMMITTEE ACTIVITY (WEEK OF APRIL 14-15)

20 hearings scheduled; 0 markups scheduled

#### Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

April 14, 2:00 PM — Business meeting to consider 9 bills:
S.1682 (consumer product safety standard for gates)
S.1885 (mental health warning label on covered platforms)
S.1962 (satellite system licensing restrictions)
S.2378 (aviation security checkpoint technology)
S.3257 (mental health disclosure for aviation activities)
S.3404 (cybersecurity of commercial satellite systems)
S.3597 (National Quantum Initiative reauthorization)
S.3618 (fentanyl access via social media)
S.3791 (Regional Ocean Partnerships reauthorization)

#### Senate Foreign Relations Committee

April 15, 2:00 PM — Oversight hearing on UN reform and U.S. priorities

#### Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

April 15, 2:00 PM — Hearings on Great Lakes restoration efforts

#### Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

April 15, 2:00 PM — Hearings on the Second Amendment

#### Senate Judiciary Committee

April 15, 2:15 PM — Hearings on pending nominations

#### House Budget Committee

April 15, 2:15 PM — Hearing on President's Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request

#### House Education and Workforce Committee, Workforce Protections Subcommittee

April 15, 2:15 PM — Hearing: "Building an AI-Ready America: Understanding AI's Economic Impact on Workers and Employers"

#### House Energy and Commerce Committee, Health Subcommittee

April 15, 2:15 PM — Hearing: "Healthier America: Legislative Proposals to Improve Public Health"

#### House Veterans' Affairs Committee

April 15, 2:15 PM — Hearing: "Faster Decisions, Stronger Outcomes: VA's Work to Streamline the Disability Claims Backlog"

#### House Financial Services Committee, Capital Markets Subcommittee

April 15, 2:15 PM — Hearing: "Safeguarding Main Street: Combatting Fraud and Exploitation in Our Capital Markets"

#### House Judiciary Committee, Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

April 15, 2:15 PM — Hearing: "Restricted Rights: Second Amendment Under Fire"

#### House Oversight and Reform Committee, Government Operations Subcommittee

April 15, 2:00 PM — Hearing: "Fraud Prevention: Understanding Fraud in Federally Funded Programs Run by the States"

#### House Foreign Affairs Committee, East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee

April 15, 2:00 PM — Hearing: "Helping American Businesses Win Abroad: Strengthening U.S. Commercial Diplomacy"

#### House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee

April 15, 2:00 PM — Hearing: "The State of Scientific Publishing: Assessing Trends, Emerging Issues, and Policy Considerations"

#### House Armed Services Committee

April 15, 2:00 PM — Member Day

#### House Small Business Committee

April 15, 2:30 PM — Hearing: "Lower Taxes, Stronger Main Street: The Benefits of the Working Families Tax Cuts"

#### House Energy and Commerce Committee, Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee

April 15, 6:00 PM — Hearing: "Computing Power and Competition: Examining the Semiconductor Ecosystem"

#### Joint Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission)

April 13, 6:00 PM — Briefing on Vatican diplomacy in an age of estrangement, power politics, and war

#### House Energy and Commerce Committee, Health Subcommittee

April 14, 1:00 PM — Field Hearing: "Modernized Health Care in Practice: Empowering Americans to Live Healthier Lives"

BILL MOMENTUM SNAPSHOT

Top 3 bills by recent momentum (1-day window):

S.476 — White Oak Resiliency Act of 2025 (Momentum: 0.25)
- 7 lobbying registrants; 179x media surge ratio (1 recent mention vs. 1 baseline)
H.R. 1 — Reconciliation Act (Momentum: 0.20)
- 1,502 lobbying registrants; 0.68 media surge ratio (3 recent mentions vs. 794 baseline)
H.R. 1795 — NETWORKS Act (Momentum: 0.06)
- 0 lobbying registrants; 44.75x media surge ratio (1 recent mention vs. 4 baseline)

ACTION ITEMS

Monitor dairy tariff-rate quota comment period: USDA extended deadline to April 23, 2026 (14 days remaining)
Track FCC spectrum rule: Proposed rule on emergent space operations open for comment through June 8, 2026
Watch Senate Commerce markup: April 14 business meeting will consider 9 bills including quantum initiative reauthorization and mental health warning label requirements
Monitor FY2027 budget hearings: House Budget Committee hearing April 15 on President's budget request

Thursday, April 9, 2026