Floor Action:
Military- On May 22, the House approved, 325-98, the FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4435).
Human Trafficking- On May 20, the House approved several bills to address sex trafficking: the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (H.R. 3530), 409-0; the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act (H.R. 3610), by voice vote; the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation (SAVE) Act (H.R. 4225), 392-19; the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Improving Opportunities for Youth in Foster Care Act (H.R. 4058), by voice vote; and the International Megan’s Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking Act (H.R. 4573), by voice vote.
International- On May 20, the House approved, by voice vote, H. Res. 573, a resolution condemning the abduction of female students by armed members of the terrorist group Boko Haram.
Health- On May 21, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Res. 454) recognizing the importance of providing preventative heart screenings to women through primary care.
Mark-Ups:
Defense- The Senate Armed Services Committee approved, 25-1, its version of the National Defense Authorization Act on May 22. The Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee approved, by voice vote, its portion of the bill (as-yet-unnumbered) on May 21.
Appropriations- On May 22, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 30-0, the FY2015 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies spending bill (S. 2389). The Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Subcommittee approved the bill on May 20.
On May 20, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, its version of the FY2015 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
On May 22, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 30-0, the FY2015 Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee approved the bill on May 20.
On May 21, the House Appropriations Committee approved, 28-21, the FY2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
Violence Against Women- On May 21, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee approved, by voice vote, the Alaska Safe Families and Villages Act (S. 1474).
International- On May 20, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved, by voice vote, a resolution supporting World Malaria Day (S. Res. 426).
Hearings:
Economy- On May 21, the Joint Economic Committee held a hearing, “Women’s Retirement Security.”
Employment- On May 20, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hosted “Economic Security for Working Women – A Roundtable Discussion.”
International- On May 21, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing, “Boko Haram: The Growing Threat to School Girls, Nigeria, and Beyond.”
