Legislative Intelligence Briefing - Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Executive Summary

The House is in a voting session today (Wednesday, May 13) with a packed floor schedule anchored by the FY2027 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469) under a rule, alongside a criminal justice package. The Senate is not in session but has convened a dense slate of FY2027 budget hearings across six subcommittees today alone. On the regulatory front, the Bureau of Land Management finalized rescission of the 2024 Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, the EPA proposed significant revisions to New Source Review air permitting, and HHS proposed stripping $2+ billion in Head Start workforce requirements — all published in the last 24 hours. The appropriations cycle is in active subcommittee markup phase, with full committee markups approximately 19 days away.

House Floor — Voting Day, May 13

The House is in session today as a voting day. The week's floor schedule (H. Res. 1275) packages several significant measures under a rule and a series of suspension bills.

Under Rule — Major Floor Items This Week:

H.R. 8469 — Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027 (Rep. John R. Carter, R-TX-31): The first FY2027 appropriations bill to reach the House floor. Covers military construction for all service branches, NATO Security Investment Program, Base Closure Account, family housing, and the full VA budget including the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, National Cemetery Administration, and the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund. Introduced April 23, 2026; placed on Union Calendar (No. 539).

→ Walk me through H.R. 8469's funding levels and key provisions

→ Draft a one-page memo on H.R. 8469 for stakeholder distribution

H.R. 5625 — Cashless Bail Reporting Act (Rep. Mark Harris, R-NC-8): Requires DOJ to publish an annual list of states/localities permitting cashless bail for violent offenses. Implements a Trump executive order from August 25, 2025. Union Calendar No. 522.

H.R. 6260 — Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act of 2025 (Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-WI-5): Classifies charitable bail funds as insurance entities subject to federal fraud statutes and state insurance regulation. Union Calendar No. 521.

H.R. 8365 — Monitor Accountability Act (Rep. Andy Biggs, R-AZ-5): Imposes conditions on court-appointed monitors in consent decrees, including 5-year term limits, fee caps, and public comment requirements. Union Calendar No. 551.

Under Suspension:

H.R. 2853 — Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 (Rep. David Joyce, R-OH-14): Expands federal enforcement of organized retail theft, adds prepaid cards to money laundering statute, creates a DHS coordination center.
H.R. 4437 — SMART Act of 2025 (Rep. William Timmons, R-SC-4): Limits exam scope for well-capitalized depository institutions with assets ≤$6 billion.
H.R. 4478 — TRUST Act of 2025 (Rep. Tim Moore, R-NC-14): Raises asset threshold for less-frequent federal bank examinations from $3B to $6B.
H.R. 2267 — NICS Data Reporting Act of 2025 (suspension)
H.R. 2071 — Save Our Shrimpers Act (suspension)
H.R. 8352 — Criminal History Access Act (suspension)
H. Res. 1252 — Memorializing law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty
H. Res. 1259 — Expressing sense of House on release of detainees held by China (Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, Jimmy Lai)

→ See the full floor schedule and suspension calendar for the week of May 11

Committee Activity — Today and This Week

Today, May 13 — Senate Budget Hearings (FY2027)

Six Senate appropriations subcommittees are holding FY2027 budget hearings simultaneously today:

|---|---|---|---|

→ Pull witness lists and prepared testimony for today's EPA FY2027 budget hearing

Today, May 13 — House Committee Activity

House Natural Resources Committee (10:00 AM, Longworth 1324): Oversight hearing on DOI FY2027 Budget Request.
House Foreign Affairs Committee (10:00 AM, Rayburn 2172): Markup of "Various Measures."
House Financial Services Committee (10:00 AM, Rayburn 2128): Markup of "Various Measures."
House Workforce Protections Subcommittee (10:15 AM, Rayburn 2175): Hearing — "Building a Safer Future: Private-Sector Strategies for Emerging Safety Issues."
House Energy Subcommittee (10:15 AM, Rayburn 2123): Hearing — "Wires, Rates, and States: Permitting Transmission for Reliable and Affordable Power."
House Veterans' Affairs Committee (10:15 AM, Cannon 360): Hearing — "Expanding the Mission: The Future of the National Center for Warrior Independence in West LA."
House Appropriations — Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee (11:00 AM, Rayburn 2359): Hearing on FY2027 CJS Bill.
House Health Subcommittee (2:00 PM, Rayburn 2123): Markup of Ten Pieces of Legislation.

→ See what bills are in the House Health Subcommittee markup of ten pieces of legislation on May 13

Tomorrow, May 14 — Key Markups

House Natural Resources Committee (10:30 AM, Longworth 1324): Markup of 6 bills including:
H.R. 741 — Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act (Rep. Stanton)
H.R. 3924 — Wildfire Risk Evaluation Act (Rep. Neguse)
H.R. 5694 — ARTIST Act / Alaska ivory sales (Rep. Begich)
H.R. 7487 — Rural Jobs and Hydropower Expansion Act (Rep. Boebert)
H.R. 7831 — License to Drill Act (Rep. Kennedy of UT)

House Veterans' Affairs Committee (2:00 PM, Cannon 360): Mega-markup of 17 bills including H.R. 5634 (Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act), H.R. 7683 (VA Fiscal Management and Modernization Act), H.R. 7950 (VA Congressional Accountability Act), H.R. 5999 (Veteran Opioid Emergency Treatment Act), and H.R. 8010 (VA Police Recruitment and Retention Act of 2026).

→ Walk me through the 17 bills in the May 14 House Veterans' Affairs Committee markup

House Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement & Intelligence Subcommittee (3:00 PM, Cannon 310): Markup of 7 DHS intelligence reform bills including H.R. 7443 (I&A Mission Reorientation Act), H.R. 7764 (National Threat Evaluation and Reporting Program Reassignment Act), and H.R. 7427 (SAFE VISITS Act).

House Environment Subcommittee (10:15 AM, Rayburn 2123): Markup of 3 pieces of legislation.

Regulatory Actions — Last 24 Hours

BLM Rescinds Conservation and Landscape Health Rule (Final Rule)

The Bureau of Land Management published a final rule (Document No. 2026-09386, 91 FR 25787, effective June 11, 2026) fully rescinding the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule originally issued May 9, 2024. The rescission restores the "multiple use and sustained yield" framework, prioritizes access and local decision-making, and aligns BLM regulations with the administration's national energy policy. No comment period — this is a final rule.

→ Analyze the BLM Conservation Rule rescission and its impact on federal land management

→ Draft a memo on the BLM rule rescission for advocacy purposes

EPA Proposes New Source Review Permitting Revisions (Proposed Rule)

The EPA published a proposed rule (Document No. 2026-09524, 91 FR 26958) revising the NSR preconstruction permitting program. The proposal would allow construction of non-emitting components (structures, foundations) to begin before an NSR air permit is obtained, by distinguishing between "pollutant-emitting activities" and non-emitting construction. Revises definitions of "begin actual construction" and "commence construction" in both NNSR and PSD programs. Comment period closes June 29, 2026 (47 days remaining).

→ Analyze the EPA NSR proposed rule and its implications for industrial permitting

HHS Proposes Head Start Workforce Requirement Rollback (Proposed Rule)

The Administration for Children and Families published a proposed rule (Document No. 2026-09383, 91 FR 25842) removing wage and benefit requirements from the Head Start Program Performance Standards. ACF estimates the changes would produce over $2 billion in future cost savings for Head Start programs by rescinding the costliest parts of the 2024 "Supporting the Head Start Workforce" final rule. Comment period closes June 11, 2026 (29 days remaining). Comments at regulations.gov docket ACF-2026-0364-0001.

→ Analyze the Head Start workforce NPRM and its impact on program staff and quality

FCC Finalizes Satellite Broadband Spectrum Sharing Rule

The FCC published a final rule (Document No. 2026-09565, 91 FR 26928, effective July 13, 2026) modernizing the spectrum sharing framework for Geostationary Orbit (GSO) and Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite systems. Replaces the 1990s-era Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) limits with modern performance-based GSO protection criteria and a voluntary coordination framework. Intended to accelerate rural satellite broadband deployment.

→ Explain the FCC satellite spectrum sharing rule and its impact on rural broadband and NGSO operators

Multi-Agency Proposed Rule: Excepted Fertility Benefits

Treasury (IRS), Labor (EBSA), and HHS jointly published a proposed rule (Document No. 2026-09479, 91 FR 27140) establishing fertility benefits as a new category of "limited excepted benefits" under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, and the Public Health Service Act — exempting them from ACA market requirements. Comment period closes July 13, 2026 (61 days remaining).

DEA: CUMYL-PEGACLONE Placed in Schedule I (Final Rule, Effective Today)

DEA published a final rule (Document No. 2026-09566, 91 FR 26913) placing the synthetic cannabinoid CUMYL-PEGACLONE (SGT-151) in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, effective May 13, 2026. Fulfills U.S. obligations under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

CFTC Proposes Interest Rate Swap Clearing Updates

The CFTC published a proposed rule (Document No. 2026-09428, 91 FR 25812) amending clearing requirements for interest rate swaps to reflect benchmark transitions from CDOR to CORRA (Canadian dollar) and from TIIE to F-TIIE (Mexican peso). Comment period closes June 11, 2026.

Presidential Actions — Published May 12–13

Continuation of National Emergency — ICTS Supply Chain (Document No. 2026-09671, published May 13): President Trump renewed the national emergency regarding securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services supply chain.

→ Pull the history and current scope of the ICTS supply chain national emergency

Presidential Determination (Document No. 2026-09624, signed May 7, published May 13): Determination pursuant to Section 1245(d)(4)(B) and (C) of the FY2012 NDAA — relates to sanctions waiver authority on Iranian oil transactions.

Proclamations (both signed May 7, published May 12): Victory Day for World War II, 2026; Military Spouse Day, 2026.

Appropriations Signals — FY2027 Cycle

Current Phase: Subcommittee Markups (Active)

Full committee markups are approximately 19 days away. Public testimony submission windows remain open through May.

Today's Appropriations Hearings (Senate):

Interior/Environment Subcommittee: EPA FY2027 Budget (Dirksen 124, 10:30 AM)
Agriculture/FDA Subcommittee: FDA FY2027 Budget (Dirksen 138, 10:30 AM)
Financial Services/General Government Subcommittee: GSA FY2027 Budget (Dirksen 138, 2:00 PM)

Tomorrow's Appropriations Hearings (Senate, May 14):

Transportation-HUD Subcommittee: HUD FY2027 Budget (Dirksen 192, 10:00 AM)
MilCon-VA Subcommittee: Military Construction and Family Housing FY2027 Budget (Dirksen 124, 10:00 AM)

May 19 Hearings (Senate):

Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee: DOJ FY2027 Budget (Dirksen 138, 10:00 AM)
Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee: DOL FY2027 Budget (Dirksen 124, 10:00 AM)
Transportation-HUD Subcommittee: DOT FY2027 Budget (Dirksen 192, 3:00 PM)

FY2027 Member Request Portals — 55 offices now live. Sample of recently detected portals (all detected April 22, 2026):

Rep. John Mannion (D-NY): mannion.house.gov/fy27-appropriations-requests
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA): sarajacobs.house.gov/appropriations-requests
Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA): troycarter.house.gov/services/fy27-appropriations-requests
Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA): collins.house.gov/services/fy27-appropriations-requests
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY): espaillat.house.gov/appropriations-requests
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX): sessions.house.gov/appropriations-requests
Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ): norcross.house.gov/fy27-appropriations-requests
Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA): torres.house.gov/fy27-appropriations-requests
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN): burchett.house.gov/appropriations-requests
Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA): friedman.house.gov/fy27-appropriations-requests

Action: With full committee markups ~19 days out, organizations should submit public witness testimony and member-directed funding requests immediately. The window is closing.

Action Items

H.R. 8469 (MilCon-VA FY2027): Monitor House floor vote today. This is the first FY2027 appropriations bill to move — its passage or failure signals the pace of the broader appropriations process.
BLM Conservation Rule Rescission: Effective June 11, 2026. Organizations with interests in federal land management, conservation, or energy access should assess legal and advocacy options immediately — no comment period remains.
EPA NSR Proposed Rule: Comment deadline June 29, 2026. Industrial, environmental, and state/local government stakeholders should begin preparing comments on the "begin actual construction" definition changes.
Head Start NPRM: Comment deadline June 11, 2026. Early childhood education advocates should prioritize this — the $2B savings estimate signals significant workforce standard rollbacks.
FY2027 Appropriations Portals: 55 member offices are live. Submit earmark and funding requests now before full committee markups begin in ~19 days.
House Veterans' Affairs Markup (May 14): 17 bills moving simultaneously — track H.R. 7683 (VA Fiscal Management), H.R. 7950 (VA Congressional Accountability Act), and H.R. 5999 (Veteran Opioid Emergency Treatment Act) for floor trajectory.

Wednesday, May 13, 2026