House Speaker Mike Johnson is gearing up for a busy week in Congress as lawmakers return for the first week of their 2024 legislative session. With a GOP majority, several significant priorities have been scheduled for the week of Jan. 8, including two separate impeachment probes and a visit from infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Dr. Fauci, one of the leading voices in the COVID-19 pandemic response, will have his first sit-down with the House select committee on COVID-19. The closed-door interview, which will take place on Monday and Tuesday, will see Fauci field questions from lawmakers on both sides for a marathon seven hours each day.
In addition to Fauci’s interview, the House Oversight Committee and the Homeland Security Committee are taking steps to hold the Biden administration accountable. Oversight Chairman James Comer has announced a procedural meeting to advance a contempt resolution against Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, for failing to comply with a congressional subpoena. Republicans had subpoenaed Hunter as part of an impeachment inquiry into alleged profiting off foreign business deals. Hunter skipped the deposition and instead held a press conference criticizing the GOP’s impeachment inquiry.
Comer stated, “Hunter Biden’s willful refusal to comply with our subpoenas constitutes contempt of Congress and warrants referral to the appropriate United States Attorney’s Office for prosecution. We will not provide him with special treatment because of his last name.” However, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the committee, criticized Comer’s decision, noting that Hunter had offered to testify in a public hearing.
Meanwhile, the Homeland Security Committee will hold its first hearing in House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The House voted in November to refer a resolution to impeach Mayorkas to the committee. Committee Chair Mark Green emphasized that Mayorkas’ decision-making and refusal to enforce laws passed by Congress were at the core of the crisis, and accountability was necessary.
After this eventful week, lawmakers will have little breathing room as they must reach a deal on government funding by Jan. 19 to avoid a partial government shutdown. The pressure is on to find a resolution before the deadline.
Overall, House Republicans are prioritizing accountability and taking action on key issues as they kick off their 2024 legislative session. With impeachment probes, a high-profile interview with Dr. Fauci, and the looming government funding deadline, this week promises to be a pivotal one in shaping the political landscape. Stay tuned for the latest updates on these developments.
