Washington — Congress returns this week from its August recess staring down a deadline to fund the federal government and avert a attainable shutdown by month’s finish.
However a handful of different GOP priorities — from cracking down on crime to fast-tracking President Trump’s nominees — have bubbled up in latest weeks, together with lingering tensions and partisan disagreements, promising a chaotic return to Washington, and a prolonged to-do listing.
Here is what’s on lawmakers’ agenda as Congress returns:
Authorities funding combat
A well-known deadline is quick approaching, as Congress should race to maintain the federal government funded by Sept. 30.
Whereas the Home and Senate every handed a small variety of funding payments earlier than leaving Washington for the August recess, the 2 chambers have been on totally different pages with regards to funding ranges. Getting all 12 particular person appropriations payments by means of each chambers is unlikely, which means lawmakers will virtually actually should depend on a short-term measure to maintain the federal government funded.
The dynamic is not uncommon. Congress repeatedly struggles to approve the brand new funding earlier than the tip of the fiscal 12 months, opting as a substitute to push the deadline down the highway by holding the federal government funded at present ranges on a short lived foundation. However this time round, the funding combat itself has taken on new which means.
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer got here below intense scrutiny from his personal get together over the past funding combat in March. After pledging to combat the GOP plan, which elevated protection spending whereas reducing non-defense spending under 2024 ranges, he modified course on the eleventh hour. Finally, Schumer opted to ship one of many Democratic votes essential to propel the partisan measure to passage and stop a shutdown, arguing {that a} shutdown risked extra injury.
This time round, Democratic leaders have labored to interact on the funding situation nicely forward of the deadline. Early final month, Schumer and Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries referred to as for a “Massive 4” assembly with their GOP counterparts to debate funding the federal government. In a letter to Senate Majority Chief John Thune and Home Speaker Mike Johnson, the Democrats mentioned that “it’s clear that the Trump Administration and lots of inside your get together are making ready to ‘go it alone’ and proceed to legislate on a solely Republican foundation.”
Nonetheless, the letter did not seem to kickstart a bipartisan effort. And Mr. Trump, requested about assembly with the Democratic leaders final month, mentioned he would do it, whereas saying it is “virtually a waste of time to satisfy as a result of they by no means approve something.” The Democrats renewed their name for a gathering between congressional leaders final week, writing that the “authorities funding situation should be resolved in a bipartisan method. That’s the solely viable path ahead.”
In the meantime, Democrats have bemoaned the White Home’s efforts to claw again already-appropriated funds in what’s often known as a rescissions bundle earlier this 12 months, together with a brand new push by the administration final week to claw again almost $5 billion in international help funds that Congress already authorized. The not often used maneuver, often known as a pocket rescission, is an try and rescind funding unilaterally, sparking pushback on Capitol Hill and bipartisan criticism as an “illegal” transfer.
“As we speak’s announcement of the Administration’s plan to advance an illegal ‘pocket rescission’ bundle is additional proof President Trump and Congressional Republicans are hellbent on rejecting bipartisanship and ‘going it alone’ this fall,” Schumer mentioned in an announcement.
The dynamics put the events on a collision course heading towards the Sept. 30 deadline.
Whereas Republicans have majorities within the Home and Senate, they may want 60 votes within the Senate to maintain the federal government funded, which means they may want the assist of not less than seven Democrats.
On the identical time, some within the get together, together with Democratic Nationwide Committee Chair Ken Martin, have inspired Democrats to let the federal government shut all the way down to protest Mr. Trump’s insurance policies.
“We can’t be the one one taking part in by the principles with a hand tied behind our backs,” Martin mentioned. “That previous playbook, the norms that, you recognize, used to have guardrails on our democracy and shield all of us on this nation — that does not exist anymore. We have to throw that playbook out the window as a result of the Republicans have.”
Adjustments to Senate nomination guidelines
Senators left Washington after a bruising nominations saga in July. Democrats have slow-walked Mr. Trump’s nominees in latest months, placing up procedural hurdles to delay confirmations almost throughout the board. Senate Democrats have been unable to come back to an settlement with the White Home in an episode that foreshadowed a bigger combat to come back.
“Donald Trump tried to bully us, go round us, threaten us, name us names — however he acquired nothing. And he walked away along with his tail between his legs,” Schumer advised reporters earlier than leaving for the August recess.
Schumer has railed towards the White Home for strolling away from a deal involving the discharge of already appropriated funds in change for cooperation from Democrats to swiftly approve a bunch of nominees. In the meantime, the president referred to as the Democrat’s calls for “egregious and unprecedented.”
With no deal, Senate Republicans are anticipated to pursue adjustments to the nominations course of that will enable them to extra swiftly affirm the president’s nominees upon their return.
Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, urged in an op-ed final week that it is “time to alter Senate affirmation guidelines” amid what he described as a “bitter combat” over even routine nominations. He mentioned that the Senate GOP is “contemplating adjustments to the Senate guidelines to finish probably the most egregious delay ways.”
“Senate Republicans are decided to verify Mr. Trump’s certified nominees a method or one other,” Barrasso wrote.
What the adjustments appear to be stays to be seen. Each Democrats and Republicans have made pushes to alter the affirmation course of lately, like by slicing down the time necessities for the nominations and decreasing the variety of votes wanted to a easy majority.
Confirming Trump’s nominees for BLS chair and Fed governor
The attainable adjustments to the affirmation course of come as a handful of recent high-profile nominees are anticipated to come back earlier than the Senate, along with the handfuls already awaiting votes.
Mr. Trump fired the previous Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner final month over a weaker-than-expected July jobs report. He quickly introduced E.J. Antoni as his nominee to steer the company. Mr. Trump mentioned in his announcement that Antoni, a fellow on the conservative Heritage Basis, “will be certain that the Numbers launched are HONEST and ACCURATE.”
However the nominee might face pushback within the Senate, with questions on his expertise and feedback he is made suggesting the month-to-month jobs report ought to be suspended.
The Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions is planning to carry a affirmation listening to for Antoni pending accomplished paperwork, in line with a committee spokesperson. The panel features a handful of Senate Republicans who’ve pushed again on a few of Mr. Trump’s most controversial nominees this 12 months: Sen. Invoice Cassidy of Tennessee, the committee chairman, together with Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Democrats on the committee demanded that the panel maintain a full listening to on Antoni’s nomination. And Sen. Patty Murray of Washington referred to as Antoni “an unqualified right-wing extremist who will not suppose twice about manipulating BLS knowledge.”
The Senate can be anticipated to work to verify Stephen Miran, the chair of the White Home’s Council of Financial Advisers, to fill a vacated seat on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. Mr. Trump introduced the nomination in August after Adriana Kugler stepped down. The Senate Banking Committee is about to carry a affirmation listening to this week. However Democrats on the committee have referred to as for a delay, in search of as a substitute to carry an oversight listening to on Mr. Trump’s strikes to fireplace one other member of the Fed board.
Final week, Mr. Trump mentioned he had fired one other member of the Fed board, Lisa Prepare dinner, accusing her of creating false statements on mortgage paperwork. Governors can solely be fired “for trigger” and Prepare dinner has refused to resign. She sued the president to dam her firing final week.
The push to oust Susan Monarez, the director of the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, might additionally tee up one other Senate affirmation course of. The higher chamber confirmed Monarez for the submit in late July, although she had been serving because the appearing head of the CDC since January. CBS Information reported final week that Jim O’Neill, the deputy secretary of the Division of Well being and Human Companies, has been chosen to function the appearing director of the CDC.
Trump seeks crime invoice, extension of DC police takeover
Mr. Trump has moved to crack down on crime within the nation’s capital by federalizing the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police Division and deploying the Nationwide Guard to the district to help legislation enforcement. He signaled in latest weeks that he plans to ask Congress to approve “long-term extensions” to take care of management of D.C.’s police, together with different measures to deal with crime.
In an Aug. 11 govt order, Mr. Trump directed the D.C. mayor to offer the providers of D.C. police for federal use “for the utmost interval permitted below part 740 of the House Rule Act,” which the president can prolong for as much as 30 days. Any extension past that requires a joint decision handed by the Home and Senate. That might run into bother within the Senate, the place the Republican majority would wish the assist of not less than seven Democrats to maneuver ahead.
Mr. Trump additionally indicated final month that he plans to hunt round $2 billion from Congress to renovate the streets of Washington. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, mentioned the White Home was engaged on a bundle “to enhance the protection and high quality of life in our nation’s capital” which he and GOP Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama would spearhead.
“He needs $2.5 billion, I will attempt to discover him the cash, to repave the roads, take the graffiti off the constructing, refurbish the elements and provides homeless folks some place to go aside from a tent on the facet of the highway,” Graham mentioned at an occasion in South Carolina final month.
Mr. Trump has urged that his crackdown on crime in D.C. might quickly prolong to different main cities, although he has distinctive authority within the nation’s capital as a result of the district is in the end managed by the federal authorities. Final week, the president wrote in a submit on Reality Social a couple of crime invoice, saying he is working with GOP leaders in Congress on the measure, although the small print remained unclear.
“Speaker Mike Johnson, and Chief John Thune, are working with me, and different Republicans, on a Complete Crime Invoice,” Mr. Trump mentioned. “It is what our Nation want, and NOW! Extra to observe.”
Push for Epstein information
Lawmakers have been on recess for weeks, however the requires entry to information within the case of late youngster intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein have not gone away.
Controversy has swirled across the Epstein information because the Justice Division issued the findings of an inner overview in July that discovered no “shopper listing” or proof that Epstein had blackmailed distinguished figures. Epstein, a well-connected financier who was convicted of intercourse trafficking, died in federal custody in 2019. However renewed curiosity within the information has prompted members of each events to name for extra transparency, whereas dividing Mr. Trump’s base.
As Home Democrats and a few Republicans pushed for a flooring vote to drive the discharge of the Epstein information in late July, Johnson opted to ship the Home house early. However some lawmakers are nonetheless urgent forward.
Reps. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, launched laws in July to compel the Justice Division to launch the information inside 30 days, with plans to drive a vote on the measure as soon as lawmakers return from recess. Massie and Khanna are set to host a information convention on the Capitol Wednesday alongside survivors of Epstein’s abuse.
The anticipated strikes in Congress come after the administration late final month launched transcripts of a two-day interview with Epstein’s longtime affiliate, Ghislaine Maxwell, that was performed in Florida in July. In the meantime, the Division of Justice despatched a number of the information associated to Epstein to the Home Oversight Committee, which plans to make the information public after redactions have been made.
Aaron Navarro and
contributed to this report.
