President Obama releases his fiscal 2017 budget this week as congressional Republicans vow to accelerate debates on appropriations bills amid the heated campaign season.

 

Also this week, several key administration officials will testify before congressional committees, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Timothy Massad.

 

In addition, the House will debate a bill (HR 2017) that would make it easier for supermarkets, pizza chains and convenience stores to comply with menu labeling requirements that are scheduled to take effect later this year. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act, 36-12, in November with the support of nine Democrats. The House vote is expected Friday.

 

Even as the president's budget is set for release on Tuesday. congressional appropriators are preparing an aggressive timeline for bringing out the individual 2017 funding bills. House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., told Agri-Pulse he has more than 100 hearings planned, starting Tuesday, and hopes to have the first of the spending bills on the House floor by April.

 

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