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Crises converge as lawmakers return to Capitol Hill

From a potential impeachment trial in the Senate to the House speaker's job hanging in the balance, here are the big issues lawmakers face this week.
Crises converge as lawmakers return to Capitol Hill
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For lawmakers in Washington, D.C., a long spring break is over. They return to Capitol Hill this week and are faced with an agenda packed with crises here at home and abroad.

In the Senate, the first order of business is whether to hold an impeachment trial for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his role in the southern border crisis. While the charges have made their way over from the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, it's still up to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats as to whether they proceed with a trial.

SEE MORE: Mike Johnson faces 3 options for moving Ukraine aid through the House

Republicans have pushed in the Senate to hold a full trial. However, there's a very good chance Democrats will move to dismiss the charges against Mayorkas given the fact that many have called them baseless.

"As I've said, I think the charges are absurd," Schumer has said. "There is no evidence, zero evidence, that he's committed an impeachable offense."

In the House chamber, Republicans and Democrats return to Washington on Tuesday. But Speaker Mike Johnson will enter the building already on thin ice after having a motion to vacate filed against him by a member of his own party.

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been threatening to bring up that motion to remove Johnson from his post, just like what happened to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. But Johnson may have to rely on Democratic support to save his job, given that Republicans have an extremely narrow majority in the House.

One way Johnson could get some Democratic support would be if he follows through on his pledge to bring up additional aid to Ukraine. But that's a proposal some Republicans in the chamber have balked at.

Either way, it's expected to be an extremely busy two-week work period on Capitol Hill before lawmakers return to recess. So keep an eye out for some pretty contentious issues to make headlines this week.


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