Monday, April 3

á       New chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission Michael Piwowar delayed implementation of a provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that mandates the disclosure of CEO-worker pay ratios.

á       The founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince, secretly met a Putin confidant last January in the Seychelles to apparently create a back channel between Moscow and Trump.

á       Attorney General Jeff Sessions said agreements reached previously between the departmentÕs civil rights division and local police departments, a key legacy of the Obama administration, will be subject to review.

á       Senate bill S806 introduced to amend the Higher Education Act to ensure College for All.

á       Senate resolution SJRes34 became law. It nullifies the rule submitted by the FCC relating to ÒProtecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services.Ó

Tuesday, April 4

á       Democrats filibustered to block Gorsuch Supreme Court nomination.

á       House bill HR1891 introduced to amend the Plant Protection Act with respect to authorized uses of [toxic pesticide] methyl bromide.

á       House bill HR1899 introduced to ensure the digital contents of electronic equipment and online accounts belonging to É U.S. persons entering or exiting the U.S. are adequately protected at the border.

Wednesday, April 5

á       The White House announced that evidence of alleged surveillance abuses by the Obama administration would be made available to the House and Senate Intelligence panels.

á       The State Department said it is ending U.S. funding for the U.N. Population Fund, the agency focused on family planning and maternal and child health in over 150 countries.

á       Trump rolled back Fish and Wildlife hunting regulations in Alaska: a rule prohibiting certain hunting tactics on predator animals like bears and wolves, a ban on hunters using airplanes, and protections for hibernating bears.

á       Trump removed controversial White House chief strategist Steve Bannon from the National Security Council and replaced him with H.R. McMaster, an Army three-star general.

á       House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes recused himself from Trump Russia probe.

Thursday, April 6

á       Senate Republicans deployed the Ònuclear option,Ó to allow the confirmation of Gorsuch and all other Supreme Court nominees by a simple-majority vote.

á       U.S. fired 60 cruise missiles against targets in Syria reportedly to punish Syrian President Assad for chemical assault on Syrian civilians. The Trump administration had previously opposed any military engagement against Assad.

á       House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into whether Devin Nunes made unauthorized disclosures of classified information.

á       The Pesticide Action Network and the Natural Resources Defense Council sued the EPA for reversing a ban on chlorpyrifos despite its link to brain damage.

á       House bill HR2073 introduced to ban Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from identifying themselves as police officers.

á       House resolution HRes203 introduced requesting the President to transmit certain documents to the House of Representatives relating to accusations that former President Barack Obama tapped his phones.

á       Senate bill S865 introduced to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to repeal a certain exemption for hydraulic fracturing.

Friday, April 7

á       Neil Gorsuch confirmed as Supreme Court Justice.

á       Trump attacked Syria without Congressional authorization, allegedly violating the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution.

á       Marijuana reforms introduced in several House bills counteract the Trump administrationÕs apparent growing crackdown.

á       Common Dreams reported that TrumpÕs budget proposal will cut federal funding for AmtrakÕs national train network.

á       Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

á       Senate bill S898 introduced to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities.

Saturday, April 8

á       The New York Times reported that the CIA told senior lawmakers in classified briefings that last summer it had information indicating that Russia was working to help elect Trump president.

á       A federal judge approved a plan to overhaul the Baltimore Police Department, rebuking the Justice Department for its request to delay approval of the plan.

á       Jared Kushner, TrumpÕs son-in-law and senior adviser, failed to report dozens of meetings with Russians on his application for top-secret security clearance.

Sunday, April 9

á       U.S. Navy deployed a strike group off the Korean Peninsula as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China agreed with the Trump administration that action has to be taken regarding North Korea.

á       Attorney General Sessions hired Stephen Cook, past president of the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys, to help him undo certain criminal justice policies of former President Barack Obama and to revive the Òwar on drugs.Ó

á       The group of 17 states filed a legal challenge asking the court to ignore the Trump administrationÕs request to stay legal proceedings in the Clean Power Plant lawsuit.