CFATA Passes in Committee

The House Homeland Security Committee held their third and final markup hearing on HR 2868 yesterday. This final meeting was held so that the committee could finish voting on three amendments that were considered last week. All three amendments failed on the recorded votes. The amended bill was passed and will be reported favorably to the full house. All votes today were on straight party lines. Members will have two days to submit their comments to be included in the report to the House. This means that the committee report and the amended language will probably not be available until at least Thursday. With no hearing currently scheduled on this bill before the Energy and Commerce Committee, the full House will not take up this bill before the 4th of July recess. With the August recess fast approaching it is unlikely that this bill will be taken up in the Senate until September or October. It is certainly beginning to look like inclusion of a CFATS extension in the appropriations bill was a smart move on the part of the Administration.