This Week in Congress

The House is in session Tuesday through Thursday this week. There are two rule bills on the schedule. H.R. 1815 requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to interview and survey retail investors prior to making any new regulations regarding transparency of retail investing. H.R. 3624 requires corporations listed on the New York Stock Exchange to disclose how many of their employees are American citizens and how many are foreigners.

The House will also consider a number of suspension bills this week, including:

1. H.R. 3289—Requires the State Department to assess whether China is exercising such control over Hong Kong to justify changes in the US’ treatment of Hong Kong. The assessments must include whether China is eroding Hong Kong’s basic law and civil liberties. The Department of Commerce must also determine whether China is using Hong Kong to evade US export controls and sanctions. It also requires the president to report on China’s human rights abuses in Hong Kong, allows visas to be issued to Hong Kong residents arrested for protesting China, and sanctions Chinese officials found to have violated human rights in Hong Kong.

2. H.R. 4270—Prohibits the export of tear gas and other forms of crowd control technology to Hong Kong.

3. H.Res. 543—Reaffirms the strong relationship between the US and Hong Kong, condemns China’s crackdown on Hong Kong protesters, and supports the people of Hong Kong’s right to protest.

4. H.Res. 521—Commends Canada for arresting Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, at America’s request, for alleged bank fraud and trying to avoid the Emergency Economic Powers Act and the International Emergency Powers Act by exporting technologies to China. Also expresses concerns over the Chinese government’s detention of two Canadian citizens.

5. H.R. 95—Increases payments to organizations serving homeless veterans and provides extra payment to help support minor children of homeless vets. (The very fact that this bill is necessary is an indictment of the shameful way the US Government treats those it sends to fight unnecessary wars.)

1. H.R. 1496—Updates the presidential monetary allowance, which is a payment made to former presidents. (This is a questionable use of taxpayer funds to say the least, since most former presidents are able to make a more than comfortable living.)