This Week in Congress

What U.S. Congress is expected to cover this week. More links and ifo here.

Economic Recovery The House of Representatives this week will debate a measure that sets parameters for distributing of the remaining $350 billion in funding from October’s Emergency Economic Stabilization Act.

Health Care The House will consider a bill reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP. The reauthorization will expand the program to cover an additional 4 million eligible children; the cost will likely be fully offset primarily by raising the federal tobacco tax.

Equal Pay The Senate will consider the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and possibly the Paycheck Fairness Act at the end of this week after both bills passed through the House last week. The Ledbetter bill corrects a 2007 ruling by the Supreme Court that made it harder for victims of pay discrimination to bring a suit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The Paycheck Fairness Act builds on this act by prohibiting employers from limiting workers’ ability to share salary information or retaliating against them for seeking that information.

Energy and Environment The Senate will continue debate on S. 22 this week after a successful cloture vote on Sunday; the package contains over 150 individual bills designating public lands and wilderness areas. A vote on final passage of the bill is expected on Thursday or Friday.