Remember that feeling on the very last night of summer vacation or spring break, when it begins to slowly dawn on you that yes, you really do have to go back to school tomorrow. Even worse, you just know that all the homework you didn’t manage to finish before you left will just be sitting there patiently, waiting for you. I’d imagine that’s rather how our Senators and Representatives feel this week, as another recess draws slowly to a close.
Ready or not, Congress returns to Washington D.C. this week. Their first week back in session will be an interesting one for disability rights, criminal justice reform and campaign finance in the post- McCutcheon era. Here’s a look at what team ACLU will be watching closely in the week ahead:
Tuesday, April 29th
Disability Rights
The Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Law Enforcement Responses to Disabled Americans: Promising Approaches for Protecting Public Safety.”
Criminal Justice
The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation of the House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Examining the Growing Problems of Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse.” Sen. Portman (R-Ohio) and Sen. Whitehouse (D-R.I.) will also sponsor the Addiction and Criminal Justice Policy Forum that day.
Wednesday, April 30th
First Amendment
The Senate Rules and Administration Committee will hold a hearing titled “Dollars and Sense: How Undisclosed Money and Post-McCutcheon Campaign Finance Will Affect 2014 and Beyond.” The Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations of the Senate Judiciary Committee will also likely hold a markup of H.R. 4225, the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act of 2014.
Racial Justice
The House Budget Committee will hold a hearing titled, “A Progress Report on the War on Poverty: Lessons from the Frontlines.”
Information Sharing
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Lessons Learned from the Boston Marathon Bombing: Improving Intelligence and Information Sharing.”
Criminal Justice
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Oversight of the Drug Enforcement Agency.”
Also Happening This Week
Privacy
We expect the President’s Big Data Review group, led by John Podesta, to release its report sometime this week.
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