The House is in recess this week and returns next Tuesday, the 23rd. The Senate remains in session this week and next, except for the Juneteenth federal holiday this Friday.

Renewing FISA

Over the weekend, a sweeping surveillance authority under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Section 702) expired for the first time since 2008. The sticking point in Washington was the lack of a Senate-confirmable director of national intelligence. A standoff ensued that ultimately sank a short-term extension when the House failed to pass it before leaving town. Democrats, along with some Republicans, objected to the Administration's reliance on Bill Pulte, the current director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who has no national security background. In response, the President announced he would nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former SEC chairman, as permanent DNI. The Senate Intelligence Committee will hold Clayton's confirmation hearing on Wednesday, June 17, at 2:00 PM.

Student Athlete Reforms

The Senate Commerce Committee plans a Thursday markup of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 (S. 4668) that would make sweeping changes to collegiate athletics and has the President's support.

The legislation would create nationwide rules for student-athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). It would grant the NCAA, or a to-be-established national governing entity, limited antitrust authority to enforce its rules and create a potential revenue-sharing system if enough schools sign on, while staying neutral on whether student-athletes could be considered university employees.

Defense Authorization

The Senate Armed Services Committee completed its markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act on June 10, advancing the bill on an 18–9 vote. The measure now awaits floor consideration. The White House requested roughly $1.5 trillion in total defense resources, the largest such request in U.S. history.

There are no committee hearings of interest this week.