Legislative Intelligence Briefing - Friday, April 24, 2026 | Apogee

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Congress faces critical deadlines on Department of Homeland Security funding and foreign intelligence surveillance authority (Section 702) with April 30 expiration. FY2027 appropriations cycle is in active budget hearing phase with 55 member offices accepting constituent requests. Multiple regulatory filings and presidential determinations on energy infrastructure were published overnight.

LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS & FLOOR SCHEDULE

House Floor This Week (April 20–26)

The House is advancing 17 bills under suspension and rule procedures, including:

H.R. 2289 – American Broadband Deployment Act of 2026 (rule)
H.R. 4690 – Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act (rule)
H.R. 1897 – ESA Amendments Act of 2025 (rule)
H.R. 5587 – Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act of 2026 (rule)
H.R. 7386 – First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026 (suspension)

Multiple rural broadband, telehealth, and emergency services bills are on the suspension calendar, indicating bipartisan support for infrastructure and rural connectivity measures.

CRITICAL DEADLINE: SECTION 702 SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY

April 30 Expiration Looming

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has not secured conservative support needed to pass a Section 702 extension through the House. Key Freedom Caucus members are demanding tougher privacy safeguards and other provisions. Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) is attempting to broker cross-party consensus but reports "none of it has been, 'Come to this room to negotiate this deal today.'" The Senate has not yet moved legislation. Without action by April 30, a critical foreign intelligence surveillance authority expires.

Recommendation: Monitor House floor schedule for 702 extension vote; expect last-minute negotiations and potential procedural maneuvers.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING IMPASSE

Longest Shutdown in History Continues

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Speaker Johnson agreed to Democratic terms to fund most of DHS over three weeks ago, but the bill has not become law. The Senate passed a budget resolution early Thursday morning (April 23), signaling Thune has votes for a May reconciliation package to fund immigration enforcement agencies. GOP senators are pressuring Johnson to approve the Senate-passed DHS bill immediately to prevent tens of thousands of federal workers from missing May paychecks. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that department funds will entirely dry up by May without action.

Recommendation: Expect House floor vote on Senate-passed DHS bill within days; monitor for any amendments or procedural delays.

FY2027 APPROPRIATIONS CYCLE STATUS

Current Phase: Budget Hearings & Public Testimony Submissions (Active)

The appropriations cycle is in the public testimony submission window through May. 55 House member offices have opened FY2027 appropriations request portals as of April 22, 2026, including:

Rep. John W. Mannion (D-NY) – https://mannion.house.gov/fy27-appropriations-requests
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) – https://sarajacobs.house.gov/appropriations-requests
Rep. Troy A. Carter (D-LA) – https://troycarter.house.gov/services/fy27-appropriations-requests
Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) – https://collins.house.gov/services/fy27-appropriations-requests
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) – https://espaillat.house.gov/appropriations-requests

Upcoming Appropriations Hearings (April 28–29)

April 28, 2:00 PM ET – Senate Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee: NASA FY2027 budget (Dirksen 138)
April 28, 2:00 PM ET – Senate Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee: Department of Education FY2027 budget (Dirksen 124)
April 29, 6:30 PM ET – Senate Energy and Water Development Subcommittee: National Nuclear Security Administration FY2027 budget (Dirksen 124)

Advocacy Guidance: Submit written testimony to relevant subcommittees (5 pages max for House, 4 for Senate). Next phase: 302(b) allocations in approximately 7 days.

COMMITTEE HEARINGS SCHEDULED (APRIL 27–28)

Rules Committee – April 27, 5:00 PM ET

Considering: H.R. 7567 (Farm, Food, and National Security Act), H.R. 2616 (Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act), S. Con. Res. 33 (FY2026 budget resolution), S. 1318 (Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act)

Senate Armed Services Committee – April 28, 1:30 PM ET

Closed session: U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Cyber Command posture review (FY2027 Defense Authorization)
Open session follows at 11:00 AM ET (SD-G50)

House Ways and Means Committee – April 28, 2:00 PM ET

Full Committee Hearing with Health System CEOs (Longworth 1100)

House Financial Services Committee – April 28, 2:00 PM ET

"Prioritizing Main Street: Evaluating the Impact of Capital Proposals on Economic Growth and American Communities" (Rayburn 2128)

REGULATORY FILINGS & PROPOSED RULES

Environmental Protection Agency

Hazardous Waste Management System (Document 2026-07899, published April 23) – Proposed exclusion for WRB Refining LP (Borger, TX). Comments close May 20, 2026 (26 days remaining).
Air Plan Approval; Michigan (Document 2026-07905, published April 23) – Reopened comment period for 2015 Ozone Moderate RACT. Comments close May 26, 2026 (32 days remaining).
Significant New Use Rules on Certain Chemical Substances (Document 2026-08012, published April 24) – TSCA SNURs for multiple chemical substances. Comments close May 26, 2026 (32 days remaining).

Transportation Department – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Multiple proposed rules published April 24:

Adjustment to OPID Notifications for Construction (Document 2026-08082) – Increases monetary threshold for operator notifications. Comments close June 23, 2026 (60 days).
Eliminating Limitations on Welders and Welding Operators (Document 2026-08083) – Removes exclusion for nondestructive testing qualified welders. Comments close June 23, 2026 (60 days).
Timeframe To Make RMVs Operational (Document 2026-08076) – Amends required timeframes for rupture-mitigation valves. Comments close June 23, 2026 (60 days).
Hazardous Liquid Valve Maintenance Schedule (Document 2026-08077) – Allows operators to determine valve inspection schedules. Comments close June 23, 2026 (60 days).

Commerce Department – NOAA

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Monkfish; Framework Adjustment 17 (Document 2026-07909, published April 23) – Sets monkfish specifications for fishing year 2026 and projects 2027–2028. Comments close May 26, 2026 (32 days remaining).

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant; License Termination Plan (Document 2026-08008, published April 24) – Accelerated Decommissioning Partners submitting license termination plan. Comments close June 23, 2026 (60 days). Public meeting to be scheduled.

PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATIONS (ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE)

President Trump signed six Defense Production Act Section 303 determinations on April 20, published April 23–24:

Natural Gas Transmission, Processing, Storage, and LNG Capacity (Document 2026-08017)
Domestic Petroleum Production, Refining, and Logistics Capacity (Document 2026-08016)
Grid Infrastructure, Equipment, and Supply Chain Capacity (Document 2026-08013)
Large-Scale Energy and Energy-Related Infrastructure Development (Document 2026-08011)
Coal Supply Chains and Baseload Power Generation Capacity (Document 2026-08010)
Air Force Jet Fighter Training Operations in Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada (Document 2026-08009)

These determinations invoke DPA authorities to prioritize energy infrastructure and defense-related manufacturing capacity.

POLICY DEVELOPMENTS

USDA Agricultural Research Center Relocation

Trump administration announced plans to relocate federal agricultural research jobs from the D.C. area, including closure of the 6,500-acre Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Prince George's County, Maryland. Maryland's congressional delegation immediately pledged to fight the effort.

Tariff Refund System Operational

Importers began signing up for the government's tariff refund system this week. The Supreme Court invalidated $166 billion in collected duties. The Trump administration warns refunds may take weeks to process despite system functionality.

NIH Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Anti-abortion Republicans (23 cosigners) called on NIH to stop embryonic stem cell research in response to the agency's January Request for Information on emerging biotechnologies. NIH had placed a temporary pause on new applications and stem cell line approvals.

Friday, April 24, 2026