By MARY CLARE JALONICK, KEVIN FREKING and STEPHEN GROVES
Congressional Republicans scored an enormous victory this summer season after they handed President Donald Trump’s “massive lovely invoice” of tax and spending cuts and not using a single Democratic vote. However as they return to Washington this fall after a monthlong August recess, they must discover a strategy to work with Democrats — or round them — as a authorities shutdown looms.
The annual spending battle will dominate the September agenda, together with a potential effort by Senate Republicans to vary their chamber’s guidelines to thwart Democratic stalling techniques on nominations. The Senate can be debating whether or not to maneuver ahead on laws that might slap steep tariffs on a few of Russia’s buying and selling companions because the U.S. pressures Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine.
Within the Home, Republicans will proceed their investigations of former President Joe Biden whereas Speaker Mike Johnson navigates a cut up in his convention over whether or not the Trump administration ought to launch extra recordsdata within the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
A have a look at what Congress will probably be doing as lawmakers return from the August break:
Conserving the Authorities Open
Probably the most pressing job for Congress is to keep away from a authorities shutdown on Sept. 30, when federal funding runs out. And it’s to date unclear if Republicans and Democrats will have the ability to agree on how to do this.
Congress must go a short-term spending measure to maintain the federal government funded for just a few weeks or months whereas they attempt to end the full-year package deal. However Republicans will want Democratic votes to go an extension, and Democrats will need vital concessions. Senate Democratic Chief Chuck Schumer’s vote with Republicans to keep away from a shutdown in March prompted livid backlash inside his celebration.
The Trump administration’s efforts to claw again beforehand authorised spending might additionally complicate the negotiations. Republicans handed laws this summer season that rescinded about $9 billion in international help and public broadcasting funds and Trump notified Congress once more on Friday that he’ll block $4.9 billion in congressionally authorised international help.
Democrats have warned that such efforts might tank the broader negotiations. “Trump is rooting for a shutdown,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., posted on social media Friday.
Senate Nominations Battle
Senators are anticipated to return to Washington proper the place they left off in early August — combating over Trump’s nominees.
Exasperated Republicans fled Washington for the month after making little headway with Senate Democrats over their nominations blockade, which has compelled delays in confirmations and angered Trump as a lot of his administration’s positions stay unfilled. Republican leaders referred to as it quits after a uncommon Saturday session that ended with a breakdown in bipartisan negotiations and Trump posting on social media that Chuck Schumer might “GO TO HELL!”
Republicans now say they’re able to attempt to change Senate guidelines to get across the Democratic delays, and they’re anticipated to spend the subsequent a number of weeks discussing how which may work.
Russian Sanctions
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one among Trump’s closest congressional allies, has pushed the president for months to help his sweeping bipartisan sanctions invoice that might impose steep tariffs on international locations which are fueling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by shopping for its oil, fuel, uranium, and different exports. The laws has the backing of 85 senators, however Trump has but to endorse it, and Republican leaders have to date stated they gained’t transfer with out him.
Graham has stepped up his calls after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy final month in hopes of a peace deal. Since then, Russia has continued to step up assaults on Ukraine.
“If we don’t have this factor transferring in the proper course by the point we get again, then I feel that plan B must kick in,” Graham stated of his invoice in an interview with The Related Press final month.
Oversight of the CDC
Well being and Human Service Secretary Robert F. Kennedy will seem earlier than the Senate Finance Committee to debate his well being care agenda on Thursday, lower than every week after he ousted Susan Monarez as director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. A number of different prime officers additionally resigned in protest.
Kennedy has tried to advance anti-vaccine insurance policies which are contradicted by a long time of scientific analysis. Monarez’s legal professionals stated she refused “to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fireplace devoted well being specialists.”
Louisiana Sen. Invoice Cassidy, the Republican chairman of the HELP panel that oversees the CDC and a member of the Finance Committee, has referred to as on the CDC to delay a gathering of out of doors specialists who make suggestions on the usage of vaccines till Congress can look into the difficulty.
Divisions over Epstein
The Home left Washington in July amid disagreements amongst Republicans about whether or not they need to pressure President Donald Trump’s administration to launch extra info on the intercourse trafficking investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein. The stress for extra disclosure might solely get extra intense when lawmakers return.
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky are pushing the Home to take up their invoice to pressure the Division of Justice to publicly launch its investigation. They’re planning a information convention this week joined by Epstein victims. The Home Oversight Committee can be investigating the difficulty.
Democrats are keen to maintain urgent on the Epstein recordsdata, particularly after the Trump administration reneged on pledges for transparency. The case for years has been the topic of on-line conspiracy theories and hypothesis about who might have been concerned or conscious of the rich financier’s abuse.
Investigating Biden
The Home Oversight Committee will return from August recess with a slate of interviews lined up as a part of its investigation into former President Joe Biden’s psychological state whereas in workplace. The committee has already carried out interviews and depositions with practically a dozen former prime Biden aides and members of the president’s internal circle.
The Republican-led committee will hear from former prime Biden staffers in September like Jeff Zients, Biden’s remaining White Home chief of employees, Karine Jean-Pierre, the previous White Home press secretary, and Andrew Bates, a prime press aide.
Oversight Chair James Comer, R-Ky., has stated public hearings and a full report may be anticipated someday within the fall.
Inventory Buying and selling Ban
Congress has mentioned proposals for years to maintain lawmakers from participating in buying and selling particular person shares, nodding to the concept there’s a possible battle of curiosity when they’re usually aware about info and selections that may dramatically transfer markets.
That push is now gaining momentum. A Senate committee has authorised laws from GOP Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri that might additionally prolong the prohibition on inventory buying and selling to future presidents and vice presidents — whereas notably exempting Trump. Within the Home, a number of members are placing ahead proposals and even threatening to maneuver round GOP management to pressure a vote.
Nonetheless, there may be loads of resistance to the concept, together with from many rich lawmakers who reap dividends from their portfolios.
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Related Press writers Matt Brown and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
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