It’s Tuesday, the traditional day for elections and for our pause-and-consider newsletter on politics and policy.

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Photo by Jon Cherry/Reuters

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews ([link removed])
Correspondent

One month is the time it takes an infant Congress to get on its feet and start to walk. Another month after that, it can run.

That, my friends, is the moment we find ourselves in now. Even a divided government with lowered hopes of legislating can still fill the schedule at C-SPAN.

This week is by far the busiest and potentially newsiest of the 118th Congress’ short life so far. Nearly everyone could find a hearing of importance and interest. We wanted to take the chance to provide a sweeping view of what Congress is doing these days.

Here’s a look at the congressional daybook in this frenetic week and a peek into the kinds of things we track.

Note: This list does not include every hearing, but the vast majority of them. The PBS NewsHour consistently streams hearings like these every week. You can peruse our YouTube feed here ([link removed]) .

Tuesday

The Senate is in town, but the House is still arriving for the week.
* The Fed. Sitting before the Senate Banking Committee this morning was Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who had his annual oversight hearing. A key takeaway after Powell’s testimony? The Fed is likely to raise interest rates ([link removed]) more than previously anticipated.

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Watch the hearing in the player above.
* The debt ceiling. Later in the day, Senate Banking held a hearing on the national debt, namely the economic consequences of a debt limit default ([link removed]) .
* Affordable housing. Senate Finance spoke with analysts and advocates ([link removed]) .

Wednesday

This is a jam-packed policy and politics buffet.

The Senate, Wednesday evening, plans to vote on a bill ([link removed]) overturning D.C.’s new criminal code reform.

The House may vote on a bill related to COVID ([link removed]) , requiring government agencies to declassify information and produce a report about research.

As for committees, stand back:
* The world’s largest threats. The director of national intelligence and the directors of the CIA, FBI and NSA all plan to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee in what is usually an eye-opening hearing ([link removed]) about worldwide threats. (If you miss this, the same people will speak to the House counterpart on Thursday.)
* The Afghanistan withdrawal and evacuation. The House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing with aid groups on the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021. An active-duty member of the Marine Corps will be testifying ([link removed]) , though in his personal capacity. It is exceedingly rare for a current member of the military to publicly criticize U.S. policy.
* Authority to go to war. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is marking up a bill ([link removed]) to repeal the 2002 authorization that helped enable the Iraq War.
* Starbucks. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the new chairman ([link removed]) of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, initially planned to vote on subpoenaing Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz over his company’s pushback against unions. Schultz had declined the committee’s invitation to testify. The subpoena was slated for Wednesday. But on the eve of issuing a subpoena, the Vermont independent announced that Starbucks’ CEO will now appear to testify later in the month ([link removed].) .
* A ‘parents’ rights’ bill. The House Education and Workforce Committee is marking up the “Parents Bill of Rights Act,” ([link removed]) a bill sponsored by Rep. Julie Letlow, R-La. Supporters say the bill gives parents transparency into what is being taught to their children and more chances to be heard. Critics say it is a swipe at LGBTQ students and a burden on teachers. The committee is also marking up an anti-trans bill that would make it a Title IX violation ([link removed]) for recipients of federal financial assistance to allow transgender girls or women to participate in girls’ and women’s athletic programs.
* Social media. The Senate Judiciary Committee will focus on Section 230 ([link removed]) , the law that protects social media companies from most civil lawsuits over material posted by users.
* A long, historic nomination. The Senate Small Business Committee holds a confirmation hearing ([link removed]) for Dilawar Syed to be the No. 2 at the Small Business Administration. First nominated two years ago, Syed was blocked by a tie vote in the last Congress. If confirmed, he will be the highest-ranking Muslim American in government.
* Homelessness. Senate Banking is looking at what the federal government can do to end homelessness ([link removed]) .
* How COVID started. This one could drive headlines. The House COVID subcommittee is holding a hearing on the origin of the coronavirus ([link removed]) , especially considering the idea that the virus escaped from a lab in Wuhan, China.
* Wildfires. The House Budget Committee looks at their cost ([link removed]) .
* On the energy front: the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. A subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee looks at the recent depletion of the SPR ([link removed]) , a collection of salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana that can hold at least 700 million barrels of oil ([link removed]) .
* Artificial intelligence. Another House Oversight subcommittee, this one meets to talk about the risks of AI ([link removed]) .
* Regulating the nation’s bodies of water. The Small Business Committee looks at a policy many conservatives are eager to block and environmentalists want to preserve: the so-called “Waters of the United States” rule ([link removed]) that makes more bodies of water subject to federal oversight.
* Artwork and history at the Capitol. The Joint Committee of the Library holds its first, organizational meeting of this Congress. This lesser-known bicameral committee oversees placement of artwork at the Capitol building, including consideration of the collection of paintings and statues honoring Confederate and pro-slavery Americans. If you are interested in seeing this small group, the live stream will be here ([link removed]) .

Thursday

The Senate will likely have left town by mid-afternoon after a big hearing in the morning. The House plans to be here all day and leaves Friday.

Committee hearings
* The East Palestine train derailment. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has a marquee hearing on the Norfolk Southern disaster, with the company’s CEO among the witnesses ([link removed]) .
* Inflation. A House Oversight subcommittee is looking into inflation as a preventable crisis ([link removed]) .
* Pandemic funds. A House Oversight subcommittee will hear testimony on how to prevent further fraud or waste ([link removed]) of pandemic funds. Inspectors general are testifying.
* Russian mercenaries. We told you this week has everything. The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, holds a hearing on countering a notorious group of Russian mercenaries ([link removed]) . (The commission is technically independent of Congress ([link removed]) but is made up entirely of members of Congress.)
* Israel and the Middle East. The House Foreign Affairs Committee is looking at how to expand the Abraham Accords ([link removed]) , in which several Middle Eastern countries recognized Israel.
* Commodities. Lawmakers on the House Agriculture Committee are looking into the global commodity derivatives market ([link removed]) .

Friday

Not as many hearings this day, with the Senate gone and the House warming up the engines. But a few highlights:
* Biden family. Before leaving town, the full Oversight Committee is holding a hearing entitled, “The Biden Family Investigation: the Treasury.” There is a single witness ([link removed]) : an assistant secretary for legislative affairs of the Treasury.
* The president’s budget. Also Friday morning, the Ways and Means Committee has Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in the chair to discuss the president’s plan for spending ([link removed]) federal dollars. (President Joe Biden’s budget is expected to be released Thursday ([link removed]) .)
* Hypersonic enemies (and U.S. weapons). Again, something for everyone! The House Armed Services Committee has a hearing on hypersonic programs ([link removed]) , meaning weapons that fly at speeds of Mach 5 or above. For reference, Maverick fictitiously hit Mach 10 in the “Top Gun” sequel ([link removed]) .
* Flood insurance. House Financial Services is looking into how to encourage more people to buy flood insurance ([link removed]) .
* The 2022 midterms. This one is interesting, and we are going to make some calls to understand the focus here. The House Administration Committee is looking into ([link removed]) “Successes in the 2022 Midterm Elections.”
* Weekend preparedness. This is our own in-house NewsHour committee. Sometime Friday evening, we will shift into weekend mode. Still on the grid, but slightly less so. Plus, better meals.

More on politics from our coverage:
* Watch: GOP divisions become clearer as the field of candidates for White House begins to take shape ([link removed]) .
* One Big Question: What did this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, say about Republican priorities ([link removed]) ?
* A Closer Look: Walgreens ends the sale of abortion pills ([link removed]) in some GOP-controlled states where they remain legal.
* Perspectives: CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky discusses how the agency is addressing shortcomings in the agency’s COVID response ([link removed]) .

PARENTS SHARE WHY GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE IS VITAL FOR THEIR TRANS KIDS

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Watch the video in the player above.

By Dorothy Hastings, @d0r0thyh ([link removed])
National Affairs Producer

By Joshua Barajas
Senior Editor, Digital

Across the country, Republican legislators have filed at least 150 bills that target transgender Americans ([link removed]) .

About 100 of those bills specifically restrict doctors and other providers from offering transition-related health care for minors. The spectrum of gender-affirming care ([link removed]) includes elements of social affirmation and transition, like using someone’s appropriate pronouns or a name that they’ve chosen for themselves. The care also includes medical treatments ([link removed]) such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgical procedures. The treatments are widely endorsed by major medical organizations.

The PBS NewsHour spoke with several parents ([link removed]) who have been closely watching the growing list of anti-trans bills being filed in state houses.

Rori Picker Neiss said her son transitioned at 7 years old, adding that it “was not something that was particularly eventful,” and involved a name change, different pronouns and a new haircut.

But she and the other parents we talked to are deeply concerned about what these laws mean for their children. Picker Neiss, who’s worked with health care professionals for months to map out the best care for her son, is worried about a recent slate of bills ([link removed]) working through Missouri’s Republican-led legislature that limit trans students' participation in youth sports and restrict trans minors' access to gender-affirming care. Currently, there are at least 34 anti-LGBTQ bills ([link removed]) in Missouri, according to the American Civil Liberties Union’s tracker.

“To think … that the government could be telling you that they know better than this entire team of people to stop you from accessing lifesaving medical care — that in and of itself is terrifying,” she said.

The NewsHour’s Gabrielle Hays ([link removed]) contributed.

#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Serena Golden, @SerenaEGolden ([link removed])
Senior Editor, Digital

The Federal Reserve tends to make news when interest rate hikes are on the table, as Chairman Jerome Powell suggested at today’s oversight hearing.

But its role in setting monetary policy entails a wide range of responsibilities most of us don’t think about much, such as removing old bills from circulation when they no longer meet quality standards. In fact, the Fed estimates that the lifespan of a typical $5 bill is just 4.7 years, while the average $1 bill makes it 6.6 years.

Our question: What is the estimated average lifespan of a $100 bill? The closest guess — without going over — will win.

Send your answers to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.

Last week, we asked: When did the U.S. government first offer federal student loans?

The answer: 1958 ([link removed]) . After the Soviets launched the first satellite in 1957, President Eisenhower signed the National Defense Education Act in 1958 to help the U.S. education system better compete. Student loans were provided to those studying engineering, math, and science, among other subjects.

Congratulations to our winners: Jim Brydon and Barry Weinstein!

Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your inbox next week.
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