Roll Call

  • The list of items likely to spark major fights — or at least some distraction - once Congress returns is growing. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) promises no more government shutdowns. Democrats called for budget negotiations to start last month. But Roll Call reports Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said no debates have started yet. Tom Shoop is editor in chief at Government Executive magazine. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose that McConnell is making a promise that he doesn't have the power to keep.

    August 14, 2015
  • Congress has just this work week left until it adjourns for a month-long recess. The to-do list is long. And the Senate has barely finished work on 12 appropriations bills. House Speaker John Boehner says the Congress will have to settle for a continuing resolution this year to avoid a government shutdown in the fall. David Hawkings, senior editor of Roll Call, writes the Hawkings Here blog. He's keeping an eye on the congressional calendar and tells In Depth with Francis Rose that there just aren't enough days left before the fiscal year ends.

    July 27, 2015
  • Congress has a little less than five work weeks left now before the fiscal year ends. The House Appropriations Committee is done with all 12 of its spending bills for fiscal 2016. But the full House and Senate both have a stack of unfinished business that's just getting bigger. Now it includes a 60-day period to review President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran and several different debates over the Confederate flag. David Hawkings, enior editor of Roll Call, writes the Hawkings Here blog. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose about some of the distractions that are "sucking all the oxygen out of the room".

    July 20, 2015
  • Congress has a little less than six work weeks left now before the fiscal year ends. Little movement on individual appropriations bills could mean that a short term spending bill is starting to look more likely. And yes, we may even have another fight over a potential government shutdown. David Hawkings, senior editor of Roll Call, writes the Hawkings Here blog. He tells In Depth guest host Jared Serbu what Congress has left on its plate before the month-long recess in August.

    July 13, 2015
  • The House Oversight and Government Reform Government Operations subcommittee will get a new chairman. The old one -- Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) -- lost his chairmanship after a vote on a trade bill. David Hawkings is Senior Editor at Roll Call and writes the Hawkings Here blog. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose about the punishment policy that eliminates a potential ally of Feds in the Republican caucus.

    June 22, 2015
  • The Senate is back at work for the third week now on its version of the National Defense Authorization Act. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) wants to get the bill moving, but more debate over a few key amendments could slow things down. David Hawkings, senior editor of Roll Call, writes the In Depth with Francis Rose about the status of the NDAA right now, and what is likely to happen this week.

    June 15, 2015
  • The Defense Authorization Act is the main piece of business for the Senate this week. The House will debate its version of the appropriations bill for defense spending. Those two bills have a big difference in their top-line numbers. David Hawkings, senior editor at Roll Call, writes the Hawkings Here blog. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose how much the Overseas Contingency Operation is at play.

    June 08, 2015
  • Congress is back today, and the month of June is a busy one. The House will start to consider 12 different agency spending bills, starting with the Commerce-Justice-Science measure. David Hawkings, senior editor at Roll Call, writes the Hawkings Here blog. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose about the first moves the House Appropriations Committee will likely take.

    June 01, 2015
  • A budget blueprint is through the Senate that has a topline similar to the White House's plan for FY 2016. But the details behind both the House and Senate plans look very different from President Barack Obama's, including major cuts to some domestic programs. David Hawkings is Senior Editor of Roll Call. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he broke down the potential for which plans might guide the future funding levels of your agency.

    March 30, 2015
  • Now that the smoke is clear from the budget debate with the Homeland Security Department, Congress can look towards raising the debt limit. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) promises it can happen without the possibility of a shutdown. David Hawkings is Senior Editor of Roll Call. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he explained this and other deadlines approaching Capitol Hill over the next few weeks.

    March 09, 2015
  • The Homeland Security Department is running on a one-week continuing resolution after Congress couldn't agree on a long-term spending plan for the agency. The new CR is set to run out on Friday. David Hawkings is Senior Editor of Roll Call. He outlined the debate over the DHS budget on Capitol Hill for Federal News Radio's Jared Serbu on In Depth with Francis Rose.

    March 02, 2015
  • Friday is deadline day for the Homeland Security Department. Sen. Mitch McConnell(R-Ky.) will try/tried for the fourth time today to introduce the House's bill to fund DHS. David Hawkings is Senior Editor at Roll Call and writes the Hawkings Here blog. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he explained what to watch for next in the DHS showdown.

    February 23, 2015
  • Speaker of the House John Boehner says a shutdown at the Homeland Security Department could still happen. Funding for the agency runs out next Friday, and Congress is in recess all this week. David Hawkings is Senior Editor of Roll Call and writes the Hawkings Here blog. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he said the Speaker isn't the only politician who seems to think a shutdown at DHS would be OK.

    February 16, 2015
  • If Congress can't put together a spending plan for the Homeland Security Department by the end of the month, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson says he may have to furlough 30,000 employees. David Hawkings is Senior Editor of Roll Call. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he explained the current budget progress on Capitol Hill.

    February 09, 2015