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A Week Full of Big-Ticket Items

GOP health plan, Gorsuch hearings, intelligence briefings mix together

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy expects late votes on Thursday on the GOP health care plan. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy expects late votes on Thursday on the GOP health care plan. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Congress will have its hands full this week with several big-ticket political and policy debates, starting on Monday and reaching deep into the week.

Gorsuch hearing

The Senate won’t return for floor action until Tuesday, but the chamber will start the week off Monday at 11 a.m. with the Judiciary Committee’s hearing to consider the nomination of federal judge Neil Gorsuch, President Donald Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Gorsuch and senators will make opening statements on Monday. Senators are scheduled to question the high court nominee on Tuesday. And on Wednesday, the Judiciary panel is scheduled to hear from outside witnesses.

Trump rally

The president will venture to Louisville, Kentucky, later Monday to rally with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for the House Republican plan to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law.

Russia meddling

The House Intelligence Committee will hold its first public hearing into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections, and will hear from FBI Director James B. Comey and National Security Agency Director Michael S. Rogers.

Health care

Thursday could be a long day in the House. Republican leaders have scheduled a floor vote on the GOP’s health care plan for that day. Leaders have advised members to expect votes late into the evening. The Rules Committee will meet earlier in the week to clear the reconciliation measure for the floor, and the panel might incorporate changes to it that Republicans and the White House have agreed on to attract more support. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on the floor Friday that they were “working through the process” and that “there will be some elements that will be refined in the Rules Committee.”

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