A closer look at next week…

The House meets next week to consider legislation that would extend the debt limit for three months, and condition a longer-term increase on the Senate passing its first budget in nearly four years.

Republicans announced plans to move this bill next week after holding a retreat in Williamsburg, Va. The bill is also expected to contain language that would deny members of the House or Senate their salaries if the House or Senate, respectively, fail to pass a budget.

The House will also take up a bill that would overturn President Obama's executive order allowing federal workers to get a pay hike in March. Republicans were outraged by Obama's move, which they said would only expand the annual budget deficit and $16-plus trillion national debt.

The Senate is expected to start work on the $50.7 billion Sandy relief bill that the House passed earlier this month.

Senate Democrats are not fully satisfied with the House bill. Language passed by the House, H.R. 152, takes out many of the provisions the Senate approved at the end of the last Congress that Republicans blasted for spending money outside the region affected by Sandy.

For example, some House Democrats criticized the House bill for taking out funding for fisheries damaged by other storms across the country.

But Senate passage is still expected, given that the bill at least helps achieve the $60 billion funding level requested by the Obama administration. In addition to the $50.7 billion in the latest House measure, Congress has already approved legislation allowing the National Flood Insurance Program to go $9.7 billion more into debt to handle Sandy-related claims.

Debate on the president's executive actions related to gun violence could also happen in both chambers. In addition to taking its own limited actions to deal with the issue, the Obama administration has asked Congress to reinstate the assault weapons ban, prevent the sale of ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, and require criminal background checks for all gun sales.

Senate Democrats have indicated their support for these goals, and some are expected to propose legislation to meet Obama's goals. In the meantime, Republicans have indicated they will start examining whether Obama's executive actions violate the Constitution.

But before any of this happens, Obama will be officially sworn in to his second term in office. Details on that process, and the schedule in Congress for the rest of the week, follow here:

Monday — Inauguration Day

Senators and members of Congress will start gathering at the Capitol at 9 a.m., and President Obama and Vice President Biden will be introduced and seated shortly after 11 a.m.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) will deliver opening remarks at 11:30 a.m., and by about 11:45 a.m., the Vice Presidential Oath will be given to the former Delaware senator by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Shortly after that, Obama will be sworn into his second term by Chief Justice John Roberts. Obama's inaugural address is scheduled to start at noon.

Tuesday

The House meets at 10 a.m. for speeches and noon for legislative work. That work will focus on H.R. 307, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act.

The House easily approved a similar bill in December that reauthorizes programs that help prepare for bio-threats. But the Senate never took it up in the 112th Congress, so it has to be passed again in the House.

The Senate also meets at 10 a.m., and is expected to at least begin some early debate on the House-passed Hurricane Sandy relief bill. The bill provides another $50.7 billion for reconstruction efforts and long-term storm mitigation programs.

The Senate is in for the rest of the week but with no firm plans beyond Tuesday.

Wednesday

The House meets at 9 a.m. for legislative work. One bill that should come up is the GOP proposal to extend the debt limit by three months. (As of late Friday, no text was available.)

House Republicans have also said they would hold a vote on H.R. 273, the bill from Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) to eliminate the pending pay increase for federal workers.

Thursday-Friday

No votes are planned in the House.

---