Week 18 Legislative Recap
Things slow down as Trump's grip on Congress wanes
Last week in Congress may indicate that President Trump’s influence has waned considerably. Fortune says that investors think China is winning Trump’s trade war, and they are probably right. Trump has not managed to get many wins, but Congress seems ill-equipped to bail him out.
Republicans are now divided on a range of issues, including clean energy, Medicaid, tax hikes for millionaires (which Trump floated recently), and Pentagon spending. This might explain why Congress did not accomplish very much last week.
Following the removal of Mike Waltz as national security advisor the week before, Trump made another change last week. Trump pulled the nomination of Janette Nesheiwat for Surgeon General when an independent journalist on Substack exposed that she does not actually have a license to practice medicine. Laura Loomer also criticized Nesheiwat because she supported COVID vaccines.
Here are the highlights for this week.
SENATE
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (disapproval): H.J. Res. 61 nullifies EPA rule: “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing''. Passed by roll call vote 55-45.
Bank Merger Act Applications (disapproval): S.J. Res. 13 Nullifies a rule under the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the Department of the Treasury relating to the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act. Passed by roll call vote 52-47.
Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program (disapproval): S.J. Res. 7, Nullifies an FCC rule relating to “Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program''. Passed by roll call vote 50-38.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (disapproval): H.J. Res. 60 Nullifies a National Park Service rule relating to “Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Motor Vehicles''. Passed by roll call vote 50-43.
Nomination confirmed
Frank Bisignano to be Commissioner of Social Security Administration. Passed by roll call vote 53-47.
Nomination withdrawn
Janette Nesheiwat to be Surgeon General of the Public Health Service.
HOUSE
Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025: H.R. 1503 Combats forced organ harvesting and trafficking in persons for purposes of the removal of organs. Passed by roll call vote 406-1.
DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act: H.R. 881 Establishes Department of Homeland Security funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with Confucius Institutes. Passed by roll call vote 266-153.
Gulf of America Act: H.R. 276 Renames the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” Passed by roll call vote 211-206. A motion was made by Huffman to recommit the bill to the Committee on Natural Resources, but it was rejected by roll call vote 203-213.