Two Bills to Become Law; Lots of Ongoing Work
by Amy West, GovTrack.us, March 20, 2026
Two Bills to Become Law
These two bills have passed both the Senate and the House and now go to the President for signing, or, if he remembers his empty threat from the week before last, go to the President to sit for 10 days excluding Sundays at which time they will become law anyway.
S. 1884: Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025, which will prohibit certain non-merits-based defenses against returning relevant artwork, passed the House by voice vote so no recorded vote exists.
S. 3971: Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, which will extend some small business related programs, passed 345-41.
Recorded Votes
These bills have only passed the House, so they are not going to become law anytime soon.
H.R. 4294: MAWS Act of 2026, which would direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a pilot program with respect to the sale of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, passed 320-66.
H.R. 1958: Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify that aliens who have been convicted of defrauding the United States Government or the unlawful receipt of public benefits are inadmissible and deportable even though existing law covers this category of crime in nearly every case, passed 231-186.
H.R. 4638: Federal Working Animal Protection Act, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable even though existing law covers this issue, passed 228-190.
H.R. 556: Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, which would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from prohibiting the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain Federal land or water under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, passed 215-202.
Legislative Appropriations Recap from the First Branch Forecast
Our colleagues at the First Branch Forecast have been tracking the legislative appropriations process so you don't have to: Recap.
The bottom line is that the legislative branch needs vastly more appropriations than it's likely to give itself and the damage to the functionality of legislative branch will continue to accrue, possibly to a breaking point.
Legislator Updates
Wall Street Journal report on the record number of members leaving Congress.
NOTUS report on an AI company co-owned by Rep. Swalwell (D-CA14).
NOTUS report on Congressional wealth.
Continuing Business
The House Oversight Committee has formally subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi for a closed session on Jeffrey Epstein.
The House received a classified briefing on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in advance of a vote next month to renew Section 702.
DHS remains shut down as neither party has moved from its demands of the other.
Weekly Updates

March 17, 2026, 11:34 a.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Anna St. John to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana: Anna St. John, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Cloture Motion Agreed to 48/45
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

March 17, 2026, 2:15 p.m. — Vote
On the Nomination PN787-4: Anna St. John, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Nomination Confirmed 51/45
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

March 17, 2026, 3:10 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Proceed on S. 1383: Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act / SAVE America Act
Motion to Proceed Agreed to 51/48
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

March 17, 2026, 3:36 p.m. — Vote
H.R. 4294: MAWS Act of 2026
Passed 320/66
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 17, 2026, 3:44 p.m. — Vote
S. 3971: Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act
Passed 345/41
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 17, 2026, 3:51 p.m. — Vote
On Ordering the Previous Question: H.Res. 1115: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 556) to prohibit the Secretary of …
Passed 196/192
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 17, 2026, 3:57 p.m. — Vote
H.Res. 1115: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 556) to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from prohibiting the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain Federal land or water under the jurisdiction of th
Passed 196/193
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 18, 2026, 5:13 p.m. — Vote
On Motion to Recommit: H.R. 556: Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act
Failed 206/209
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 18, 2026, 5:21 p.m. — Vote
H.R. 556: Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act
Passed 215/202
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 18, 2026, 5:27 p.m. — Vote
H.R. 1958: Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026
Passed 231/186
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 18, 2026, 5:34 p.m. — Vote
H.J.Res. 139: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget for the Federal Government.
Failed 211/207
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 18, 2026, 7:07 p.m. — Vote
On the Motion to Discharge S.J.Res. 118
Motion to Discharge Rejected 47/53
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Yea
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Yea
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

March 19, 2026, 10:30 a.m. — Vote
H.R. 4638: Federal Working Animal Protection Act
Passed 228/190
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

March 20, 2026, 1:30 p.m. — Vote
Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 7147
Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected 47/37
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

March 21, 2026, 1:03 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Tuberville Amdt. No. 4421 to the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1383 with Amendment
Cloture Motion Rejected 49/41
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

March 21, 2026, 2:01 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Schumer Motion to Suspend the Rules re: TSA Funding
Cloture Motion Rejected 41/49
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Yea
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Yea
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.