Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of March 2, 2026
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Agriculture
On Tuesday, March 3, the Committee on Agriculture held a full committee markup on the following bill:
- H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (Thompson)
Appropriations
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held an oversight hearing called "U.S. Department of Agriculture, Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs." The oversight hearing focused on the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and their work to promote U.S. agricultural trade, open new markets for American commodities, and address the agricultural trade deficit with expanded export financing and new trade promotion programs. This information will help appropriators as they make critical funding decisions for FY27.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing called "Preparing for the Future: America’s Community Colleges." This hearing focused on the important role community colleges play in education, helping students of all backgrounds prepare for the workforce. Education is crucial in helping individuals become independent and productive members of their communities.
On Thursday, March 5, the Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing called "Inspectors General for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development." The Acting Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development testified in front of the subcommittee on his office’s audits, investigations, and findings of waste, fraud, and abuse in the department. Appropriators will use this information as they move forward with FY27 funding decisions.
On Thursday, March 5, the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held hearings called "Member Day." Members of Congress not on the House Appropriations Committee had the opportunity to present to subcommittee members the projects and priorities that impact their districts and communities. This testimony from fellow Members of Congress will help appropriators in the FY27 funding process.
On Friday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a budget hearing called "Library of Congress & U.S. Government Publishing Office." The hearing focused on FY27 funding needs for the Library of Congress and the U.S Government Publishing Office, both essential resources for Members of Congress and their staff. This information will be used by appropriators as they make FY27 funding decisions.
Armed Services
On Wednesday, March 4, the Committee on Armed Services held a full committee hearing called "Speed to Scale: Revitalizing the Defense Industrial Base." During this hearing, members heard from Undersecretary of War on Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey regarding efforts to revitalize the Defense Industrial Base. In his opening remarks, Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03) said, "While America allowed critical manufacturing capability to erode, China did not. China’s shipbuilding capacity dwarfs ours. They are outproducing us on ships, drones, and munitions. And they have embedded themselves deep into our defense supply chains. The consequences are clear. There are growing doubts about our ability to sustain a protracted fight against China. That’s unacceptable."
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing called "Energy, Installations, and Environment Update." During this hearing, members heard from several senior witnesses on a programmatic update on military construction, environmental programs, energy programs, base operations support, and facility sustainment. In his opening remarks, Rep. Jack Bergman (MI-01) said, "Taking care of our servicemembers – giving them safe housing and functional infrastructure – is not optional. It is fundamental to readiness."
On Thursday, March 5, the Committee on Armed Services held a full committee hearing called "U.S. Defense Strategy and Posture." During this hearing, Undersecretary of War Bridge Colby testified on the National Defense Strategy and the Department of War's policies over the past year since President Trump took office.
Education & Workforce
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing called "Building an AI-Ready America: Strengthening Employer-Led Training." This hearing looked at how AI is changing the workforce and how the nation’s job training system must adapt. Lawmakers and witnesses discussed modernizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to expand skills-based pathways, strengthen employer-led training, and better prepare workers for an AI-driven economy. This was the Committee’s fifth hearing in its series on building an AI-ready America.
On Thursday, March 5, the Committee on Education and Workforce held a full committee markup on the following bills:
- H.R. 7720, the Child Care Payment Integrity and Fraud Accountability Act (Messmer)
- H.R. 7721, the Combating Regulatory Abuse, Closing Known Deficiencies, and Overseeing Waste Nationwide (CRACKDOWN) Act (Grothman)
- H.R. 7722, the Child Care Integrity Monitoring Act (Onder)
- H.R. 7723, the Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars in Child Care Act (Foxx)
- H.R. 7724, the No Waivers for Fraud Act (Wilson)
- H.R. 7725, the Stop Child Care Fraud Act (Rulli)
- H.R. 7677, the Closing the Provider Fraud Gap Act (Owens)
- H.R. 7726, the No Funds for Repeat Child Care Violations Act (Miller)
Energy & Commerce
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing called "America’s Energy Infrastructure: Authorizing Pipeline Safety." This hearing focused on legislation to help ensure America’s pipeline infrastructure is safe to support the delivery of reliable natural gas and other products across the country.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing called "Ready for Reuse: Legislative Proposals to Unleash the Potential of America’s Brownfields Sites." This hearing focused on legislation to help unleash the potential of Brownfields Sites across the country, to build critical infrastructure and encourage the use of underutilized sites.
On Thursday, March 5, the Committee on Energy and Commerce held a full committee markup on the following bills:
- H.R. 7757, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act (Guthrie)
- H.R. 2657, the Sammy’s Law (Wasserman Schultz)
- H.R. 3149, the App Store Accountability Act (James)
- H.R. 7258, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act (Lee)
- H.R. 7266, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act (Miller-Meeks)
- H.R. 7257, the Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid (SECURE Grid) Act (Latta)
- H.R. 7272, the Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act (Weber)
- H.R. 7305, the Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026 (Castor)
Financial Services
On Wednesday, March 4, the Committee on Financial Services held a full committee markup on the following bills:
- H.R. 2071, the Save Our Shrimpers Act (Nehls)
- H.R. 4171, the Small Entrepreneurs’ Empowerment and Development (SEED) Act of 2025 (Garbarino)
- H.R. 6955, the Main Street Capital Access Act (Hill)
- H.R. 7127, the Restoring the Secondary Trading Market Act (Meuser)
- H.R. 7688, the DPA Modernization Act of 2026 (Davidson)
On Thursday, March 5, the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions held a hearing called "Fighting Fraud on the Front Lines: Challenges and Opportunities for Financial Institutions." The Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Andy Barr (KY-06), examined how financial institutions are protecting Americans from the rising occurrence of financial fraud and the challenges they face within the broader anti-fraud ecosystem.
On Thursday, March 5, the Subcommittee on Capital Markets held a hearing called "The Role of Self-Regulatory Organizations in U.S. Markets: Examining FINRA and the MSRB." The Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ann Wagner (MO-02), evaluated the accountability, efficiency, and transparency of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB).
Foreign Affairs
On Thursday, March 5, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee hearing called "Advancing National Security through Public Diplomacy." The lawmakers examined the State Department's current efforts to ensure that the United States’ public diplomacy efforts align with and advance American interests after years of wasteful and counterproductive public diplomacy endeavors under the Biden State Department. During his opening remarks, South and Central Asia Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga underscored that public diplomacy is how we share America’s story. “Successful public diplomacy persuades nations and people with a clear and simple truth. Partnering with the United States of America is the best path to prosperity and security for your people. Partner with America and not the CCP,” he said.
On Thursday, March 5, the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee held a hearing called "Merit, Accountability, and Performance at State: Evaluating Promotion and Placement." The lawmakers examined the State Department’s evaluation and accountability mechanisms for Foreign Service Officers and whether those mechanisms are serving the needs of the service. During his opening remarks, Subcommittee Chairman Mike Lawler underscored that mission effectiveness requires more than talent and dedication, it requires a system that awards excellence, ensures accountability, and develops leadership.
Homeland Security
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability held a hearing called "Highway Safety Under Threat: Examining Non-Domiciled CDL Issuance to Illegal Aliens." Witnesses raised concerns about the public safety threats associated with the issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to inadmissible aliens.
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
On Wednesday, March 4, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held a closed hearing called "CI Screening, Vetting, & Watch listing."
Judiciary
On Wednesday, March 4, the Judiciary Committee held a full committee hearing called "Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security," which examined the mission and programs of the Department of Homeland Security.
On Thursday, March 5, the Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup of the following measure:
- H.R. 7640, the Shutdown Sanctuary Policies Act (McClintock)
Natural Resources
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
- H.R. 2827, To provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, and for other purposes (Cole)
- H.R. 6162, the Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 (Stansbury)
- H.R. 7065, the Seneca Nation Law Enforcement Efficiency Act (Langworthy)
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a hearing called "Oversight of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act." The hearing focused on how the Migratory Bird Treaty Act can be reformed to eliminate regulatory uncertainty and conserve migratory bird species without harming hardworking Americans.
On Thursday, March 5, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup on the following bills:
- H.R. 41, the Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act (Begich)
- H.R. 301, the Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act (Maloy)
- H.R. 398, the Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2025 (Ocasio-Cortez)
- H.R. 1077, the Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act (Lee)
- H.R. 2252, the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025 (Fedorchak)
- H.R. 2709, the Save Our Sequoias Act (Fong)
- H.R. 2768, the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025 (Fleischmann)
- H.R. 3553, the Building Resiliency and Understanding of Shrublands to Halt Fires Act (Min)
- H.R. 3831, the Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025 (Webster)
- H.R. 4684, the Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2025 (Kennedy)
- H.R. 5576, the Enhancing Geothermal Production on Federal Lands Act (Fulcher)
- H.R. 5587, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act (Kim)
- H.R. 5617, the Geothermal Gold Book Development Act (Ansari)
- H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act (Hurd)
- H.R. 5638, the Geothermal Royalty Reform Act (Kennedy)
- H.R. 5682, To take certain land in the State of California into trust for the benefit of the Pechanga Band of Indians, and for other purposes (Issa)
Oversight and Government Reform
On Wednesday, March 4, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a full committee hearing called "Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II" to examine how criminals in Minnesota ripped off an estimated $9 billion in taxpayer funds meant to feed children, provide housing for low-income and disabled Americans, and deliver critical healthcare to the vulnerable. At the hearing, lawmakers emphasized that whistleblower testimony and information gathered by the Committee now shows that Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison were aware of widespread fraud in Minnesota’s social service programs, lied about their knowledge of the fraud, and retaliated against state employees who bravely raised concerns. Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison testified and repeatedly failed to provide lawmakers and the American people with a clear explanation of how such rampant fraud was allowed to flourish under their watch. As the Trump Administration continues its efforts to hold those responsible accountable, lawmakers stressed that Congress must also pursue legislative safeguards to protect American taxpayers.
Rules
On Tuesday, March 3, the Committee on Rules met on the following measure:
- H.R. 7744, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026 (Cole)
Select Committee on China
On Thursday, March 5, Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL), and House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking him to designate the Chinese Students and Scholars Association as a foreign mission of China’s government.
Chairman Moolenaar sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging no new Chinese investment in critical U.S. industries. The letter reaffirms congressional support for President Trump’s America First Investment Policy and warns against granting China expanded market access as it weaponizes supply chains and subsidizes Chinese companies.
Transportation and Infrastructure
This week, the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a hearing with the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA), Edward Frost, to discuss GSA's priorities and plans for the management of federal real estate to improve efficiencies and reduce costs.
Veterans Affairs
On Tuesday, March 3, the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs held a joint hearing called "Legislative Presentation of Veterans of Foreign Wars & Multi VSO: Student Veterans of America, Jewish War Veterans, Blinded Veterans Association, Fleet Reserve Association, Minority Veterans of America, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)." The hearing allowed the respective VSOs to present their legislative agendas to both the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees and allowed members to ask the VSOs questions about their agendas. The first panel was comprised of Commander Whitmore of Veterans of Foreign Wars and her accompanying witnesses, and the second panel was comprised of Multi VSOs and their representatives.
On Wednesday, March 4, the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs held a joint hearing called "Legislative Presentation of The American Legion & Multi VSOs: Paralyzed Veterans of America, AMVETS, National Association of State Directors of Veteran Affairs, Wounded Warrior Project, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, National Guard Association of the United States, Mission Roll Call." This joint hearing between the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs provided an opportunity for Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) to present their legislative priorities, policy proposals, and concerns on behalf of their members. With both chambers participating, the hearing serves as a forum for the veteran community to outline key issues facing veterans and their families. Testifying organizations highlighted several policy priorities, including ensuring National Guard members receive transition support and benefits comparable to active-duty service members, strengthening federal–state coordination in veterans services, improving veteran wellbeing and mental health outcomes, reinforcing the capacity and accountability of the Department of Veterans Affairs, expanding accessibility for veterans with disabilities, and lowering the remarriage age at which a surviving spouse may remarry without losing survivor benefits.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held an oversight hearing called "Delivering for Veterans and Caregivers: Year One of the Dole Act." The hearing focused on the past 14 months since the Dole Act was signed into law and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) progress in implementing the Dole Act in its entirety. Testimony on the implementation was provided by VA and GAO. Testimony and member questions highlighted the need for further oversight of implementation, as well as sections of the Act that have been fully implemented. However, a year post-implementation, eight sections remain at risk of not being implemented or are behind schedule, and only approximately 1/3 of the act has been fully implemented. VA identified several hard-to-implement sections that may require legislative corrections and requested to work with Committee staff to correct them.
On Thursday, March 5, the Subcommittee on Health held an oversight hearing called "Hidden Wounds: Effectively Supporting Veterans with TBI." This hearing provided an opportunity for members to examine the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI), the current efforts to address it by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the medical community, and what future efforts are required to ensure veterans receive the brain health care they need. Testifying at the hearing for the Department of Veterans Affairs were Dr. Rachel McArdle and Dr. Joel Scholten, who spoke of VA’s extensive screening program as well as its vast brain health research network. Also testifying were Mr. Alan “Al” Johnson, President of BotCrew Autonomous Construction Robots and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel; Mr. Buster Miscusi, former U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant; and Dr. Russell “Rusty” Gore, Chief Medical Officer, Avalon Action Alliance. These witnesses are all veterans and spoke about their personal experiences with blast exposures and community treatment programs. Chairwoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks stressed effective TBI care helps veterans regain independence, maintain employment, strengthen family relationships, and reduce risks such as substance misuse and suicide.
Ways and Means
On Wednesday, March 4, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee hearing with Internal Revenue Service Chief Executive Officer, Frank J. Bisignano. The IRS CEO testified that the agency has delivered larger tax refunds at faster speeds in the first filing season after the Working Families Tax Cut was signed into law. IRS data shows the average refund is up over 10 percent, and CEO Frank Bisignano testified direct deposit refunds are deposited in bank accounts just nine days after filing on average. In the past, taxpayers received their refunds within 21 days for e-filed returns, while mailed returns took over six weeks, and more complex or amended returns took up to 16 weeks. IRS operations have significantly improved under CEO Bisignano’s leadership. Shorter call times, a significant increase in IRS website traffic, and its revamped online tools highlight the success of a leaner IRS that provides excellent service to taxpayers using the most advanced technology.
CEO Bisignano stated that 43 percent of tax returns filed so far have claimed at least one of the many new tax cuts that House Republicans delivered in the Working Families Tax Cuts: no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, and auto loan interest deductibility for cars made in America. He also highlighted that seniors are receiving the largest dollar benefit this filing season, while taxpayers earning less than $100,000 are seeing the largest percent increase in their refunds.
On Thursday, March 5, the Work & Welfare Subcommittee held a hearing called "Reclaiming 'Forgotten' Fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Funds Frozen by Banks." Taxpayers risk losing nearly $1 billion in fraudulent COVID-era unemployment insurance funds frozen in banks, unless the statute of limitations is extended. The hearing examined findings by the Department of Labor’s Inspector General showing $912 million in taxpayer money on prepaid debit cards issued by states. At one financial institution, the highest balance on one card is $76,000; at another financial institution, $56,000. Unfortunately, these funds may be forever lost due to the Biden Administration’s blanket waivers that allowed states to avoid recovering the funds.
The House passed a Ways and Means Committee bill, the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act (H.R. 1156), that extended the statute of limitations from five to ten years, so prosecutors have more opportunity to recover more COVID-era pandemic fraud. The Senate has yet to take action and failure to pass this bill could result in the permanent loss of taxpayer funds stolen by fraudsters and international criminal rings.
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