Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of April 20, 2026
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Appropriations
On Monday, April 20, the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Department of the Interior." Secretary Doug Burgum testified before the Subcommittee on the FY27 budget request for the Department of Interior. Appropriators will use this testimony to inform the funding process as they move forward.
On Thursday, April 23, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs held a markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Bill and Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill. The FY27 Ag-FDA bill passed the subcommittee and will advance to full committee consideration next week. The FY27 NSRP bill passed the subcommittee and will advance to full committee consideration next week.
On Thursday, April 23, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Department of Commerce." Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before the Subcommittee on the FY27 budget request for the Department of Commerce. Appropriators will use this testimony to inform the funding process as they move forward.
Armed Services
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation held a hearing called "Cyber Posture of the Department of Defense." Members received testimony on the Department of Defense’s cyberspace posture and capabilities, including the defense of DoD networks, cyberspace operations against adversaries, and efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of the Department’s cyber forces. Subcommittee Chairman Don Bacon (R-NE) warned that cyber threats targeting U.S. infrastructure are increasing & cyber operations are now central to military operations and emphasized that the U.S. must strengthen our cyber forces to meet these challenges.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Committee on Armed Services held a full committee hearing called "U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Indo-Pacific Region." The hearing provided an opportunity to assess the threats to U.S. national security in the Indo-Pacific, including China and North Korea.
In his opening statement, Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) said, "As we meet, our adversaries are deepening their cooperation. China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are working together to challenge the United States. Recent reports of China and Russia’s support for Iran during Operation Epic Fury are just the latest example of this cooperation. In this threat environment, President Trump was right to commit to a historic $1.5 trillion defense budget. This investment is essential to rebuild our military and ensure peace through strength."
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a hearing called "FY27 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities." Subcommittee members received an update on the U.S. nuclear weapon and warhead modernization and sustainment plans.
"The president's budget request for fiscal year 2027 reflects a strong commitment to sustaining and modernizing our nuclear deterrent," STR Subcommittee Chairman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) said. "I was happy to see support for the execution of nuclear modernization programs, but I continue to question whether we are doing enough – and moving quickly enough – to adjust to the dynamic nuclear threat landscape."
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held a joint hearing called "Revitalizing Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base." The hearing covered government and commercial shipbuilding programs as well as efforts to bolster the maritime industrial base and support commercial maritime interests.
"As we reorient ourselves back to great power competition, we need the ability to project American power and influence across the farthest reaches of the globe, and we cannot achieve that capability without a thriving shipbuilding and maritime industry," SPF Subcommittee Chairman Trent Kelly said. "We can no longer afford to be complacent; we are far behind our near peer competitors when it comes to the pace of getting hulls in the water."
Education & Workforce
On Tuesday, April 21, the Committee on Education and Workforce held a full committee markup on the following bill:
- H.R. 8210, the A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026 (Walberg)
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing called "Profits Over Patients: The PBM Business Model Under Scrutiny." This hearing examined how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are increasing drug costs through opaque pricing, rebate systems, and kickbacks to brokers who advise employers on health plans. Witnesses and members raised concerns about conflicts of interest, limited transparency, and the dominance of a few large PBMs controlling most prescriptions, which restricts competition and access to cheaper drugs. Republicans highlighted efforts to ban kickbacks and increase accountability to lower costs and prioritize patients.
Energy & Commerce
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing called "The Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Health and Human Services Budget." During this hearing, members discussed with Secretary Kennedy what work the Trump Administration has done to support the health and well-being of Americans, including the Rural Health Transformation Program, which included historic amounts of funding for rural hospitals in all 50 states.
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing called "SAT Streamlining Act: Modernizing Satellite Licensing for the Final Frontier." This hearing focused on legislation to modernize the process for satellite licensing to enable our regulatory system to match the speed of America’s innovators.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing called "Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Oversight of Activities, Priorities, and Fiscal Year 2027 Budget." This hearing featured testimony from all five commissioners of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and focused on the work the commission has done to implement legislation such as the ADVANCE Act to expedite the process of bringing new nuclear reactors online.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on the Environment held a hearing called "Help or Hindrance? The Impact of U.S. Environmental Laws on Critical Material Supply Chains, National Security, and Economic Growth." During this hearing, members discussed the importance of strengthening our domestic supply chain capabilities to reduce our reliance on foreign countries for critical materials.
Financial Services
On Tuesday, April 21, the Committee on Financial Services held a full committee markup on the following bills:
- H.R. 425, the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act (Davidson)
- H.R. 941, the Small Lenders Exempt from New Data and Excessive Reporting (Small LENDER) Act (Hill)
- H.R. 8286, the Protecting Americans’ Retirement Savings from Politics Act (Steil)
- H.R. 8290, the Exchange Rate Accountability Act of 2026 (Sessions)
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions held a hearing called "Evaluating the Effectiveness of U.S. Sanctions Programs." The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Warren Davidson (OH-08), examined whether U.S. sanctions are being used strategically to advance clear foreign policy and national security objectives.
Foreign Affairs
On Tuesday, April 21, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee markup on 23 bills.
Homeland Security
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement and the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection held a joint hearing called "Online Scams, Crypto Fraud, and Digital Extortion: An Examination of How Transnational Criminal Networks Target Americans."
On Wednesday, April 22, the Committee on Homeland Security held the continuation of a full committee hearing called "Funding Lapse and Security Gaps: Assessing the Harmful Impacts of the DHS Shutdown on Americans."
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence partnered with the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE) – a DHS Center of Excellence – to host Demo Day, an interactive demonstration where members and staff tested the capabilities of unrestricted AI models at seven hands-on stations.
House Administration
On Wednesday, April 22, the Committee on House Administration held a full committee markup on the following bill:
- H.R. 8364, To amend title 5, United States Code, to authorize the increase of the retirement age in the United States Capitol Police (Steil)
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
On Monday, April 20, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held a full committee closed hearing called "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for Compartmented Programs."
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on the National Intelligence Enterprise held a closed hearing called "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Hearing for the Department of Energy."
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on the Central Intelligence Agency held a closed hearing called "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Central Intelligence Agency."
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture held a closed hearing called "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Military Services."
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture held a closed hearing called "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Defense Intelligence Agency, United States Cyber Command, and United States Special Operations Command."
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on the National Security Agency and Cyber held a closed hearing called "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the National Security Agency."
Judiciary
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet held a hearing called "Protecting U.S. Leadership in Codes Development and Enhancing Public Access," which examined how to preserve the United States' leadership in the development of codes and standards, such as through the Pro Codes Act, by balancing copyrights with public access to privately developed codes that are incorporated by reference into law.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup on the following bills:
H.R. 8352, a bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Derek Schmidt, allows state agencies that license and certify law enforcement officers to have access to the FBI’s criminal history database. H.R. 8365 sponsored by Andy Biggs, ends the indefinite federal court monitoring of law enforcement agencies. giving local sheriff departments the liberty to operate on their own after temporary monitoring.Natural Resources
On Tuesday, April 21, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup on the following bills:
- H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025 (Shreve)
- H.R. 1687, the Committing Leases for Energy Access Now (CLEAN) Act (Fulcher)
- H.R. 3756, the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests (FISH) Act of 2025 (Crenshaw)
- H.R. 4290, the Downwinder Commemoration Act of 2025 (Vasquez)
- H.R. 5911, the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act (Hurd)
- H.R. 5929, the Critical Minerals Supply Chain Resiliency Act (Barr)
- H.R. 6162, the Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 (Stansbury)
- H.R. 7618, the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026 (Kiggans)
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing called "EXPLORE America250: Enhancing Accessibility at our National Parks and Public Lands." This hearing examined efforts to enhance accessibility and visitor experience across our National Parks and public lands as the nation approaches America’s 250th birthday. Members considered strategies to expand access through oversight and infrastructure upgrades, and ensure these iconic landscapes remain available and enjoyable for all Americans.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a hearing called "Tribal Natural Resource Development: Barriers and Successes." This hearing focused on tribal natural resource development, highlighting current challenges and progress while stressing the need to reduce regulatory obstacles and promote economic potential in tribal communities. Discussions emphasized empowering tribes to manage their resources effectively while supporting long-term growth and self-determination.
Rules
On Monday, April 20, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:
- H.R. 1897, the ESA Amendments Act of 2025 (Westerman)
- H.R. 5587, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act of 2026 (Kim)
- H.R. 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act (Langworthy)
- H. Res. 1182, Expressing support for rural communities across the United States as stewards of the environment, major suppliers of United States energy resources, critical providers of food production and manufacturing capacity, and drivers of national economic stability, and recognizing the work of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress in support of those vital communities (Fuller)
Science, Space, and Technology
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing called "Robots Made in America: Advancing U.S. Leadership in Manufacturing and Automation." This hearing examined the scope and status of robotics research in the United States. It reviewed robotics research conducted across industry, academia, and the federal government, spanning a wide range of applications, including the energy sector, manufacturing, and industrial operations.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a full committee hearing called "A Review of the President’s Budget Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for Fiscal Year 2027."
Select Committee on China
This week, Chairman Moolenaar introduced the Semiconductor Controls Adjusted to Limit Exports (SCALE) Act.
Small Business
On Tuesday, April 21, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "Independent Work, Real Opportunity: The Gig Economy and the Future of Entrepreneurship." The purpose of this hearing is to examine how the gig economy expands entrepreneurship and supports small business growth.
Transportation and Infrastructure
On Wednesday, April 22, the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and the Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held a joint hearing focused on efforts to revitalize American shipbuilding. President Trump has been clear about his goal of bolstering American shipbuilding and making the United States a global leader in ship production through America’s Maritime Action Plan.
At the hearing, T&I Subcommittee members spoke with witnesses about how the Coast Guard can improve ship design and acquisition programs. In an opening statement submitted for the record, Subcommittee Chair Mike Ezell (MS-04) said, “The United States must be able to project power globally while simultaneously protecting its own shores. We need vessels of all types capable of conducting these missions.” Members and witnesses also discussed the need to close the gap between U.S. and Chinese shipbuilding capabilities, regulatory challenges to doing so, the importance of the Jones Act to strengthen domestic shipbuilding capacity, and more.
Veterans Affairs
On Tuesday, April 21, the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held an oversight hearing called "Examining VA Benefits: Pension and Fiduciary, and VA Life Insurance Options." The hearing focused on how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the Veterans Pension program and Fiduciary Program, along with its management of life insurance programs available to veterans and their families. Republican members looked closely at how eligibility for pension benefits is determined, how fiduciaries are selected and monitored, and how these programs are meant to support some of the most vulnerable veterans and beneficiaries.
Republican members raised concerns about oversight and accountability, particularly when it comes to protecting beneficiaries from misuse of funds within the Fiduciary Program. Witnesses spoke to VA’s life insurance programs, including the rollout of VALife and the Department’s long-standing partnership with Prudential through OSGLI. Republican members emphasized the importance of transparency, oversight, and making sure veterans and their families can easily understand and access the benefits available to them.
Ways and Means
On Tuesday, April 21, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee hearing called "Protecting Patients and Taxpayers: Cracking Down on Medicare Fraud." Medicare fraud is a massive problem that costs taxpayers $60 billion every year and denies Americans access to their Medicare beneficiaries. A California doctor shared her harrowing story of needing care after a pickleball injury and being told she could not receive Medicare benefits because they had been stolen by a fake hospice company. Unfortunately, the witness is not alone in experiencing the impacts of rampant Medicare fraud. The hearing examined the massive scope and scale of health care fraud that was allowed to fester under the Biden Administration and Democrat governors. Today, the Trump Administration is shutting down fraudulent health care providers, prosecuting alleged fraudsters and criminals, and saving billions in taxpayer dollars.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee hearing called "Trump Administration’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer." President Trump’s trade agenda has opened new market access for American producers and farmers, ended decades-long tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports, and leveraged reciprocal tariffs to force concessions from foreign trading partners. In his opening statement, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) detailed just a few of the historic trade barriers that the Trump trade agenda successfully eliminated. Committee members emphasized the need for aggressive enforcement of trade agreements negotiated by President Trump, particularly reforms to USMCA that incentivize new investment and manufacturing production in the United States.
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