Washington — With Labor Day and August recess over, lawmakers are returning to Washington for the ultimate stretch of legislative work earlier than the midterm elections in November.
The Senate returned Tuesday, whereas the Home formally returns subsequent week. The Senate specifically has a heavy workload, because it takes up laws handed by the Home this summer time. Democrats know they may lose management of 1 or each chambers in November's elections, so that they need to prioritize an important objects on their agenda.
Persevering with decision to fund the federal government
Present authorities funding runs out after Sept. 30, the top of the fiscal 12 months. It is unlikely Congress will move a complete funding invoice earlier than then, so lawmakers are engaged on crafting a seamless decision, or a "CR," to fund the federal government at present ranges for a set period of time. With out it, the federal government will partially shut down, one thing Democrats need to keep away from simply earlier than voters start casting ballots. Such funding laws would wish to move the Home and Senate earlier than heading to President Biden's desk.
On Tuesday, Senate Majority Chuck Schumer mentioned Democrats will work to forestall even "a touch of a shutdown."
The White Home is hoping Congress will even move $47 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine, preventing monkeypox, COVID-19 and pure disasters.
Marriage equality
The Senate nonetheless must take up the Respect for Marriage Act, which handed the Home 267-157 in July with the help of 47 Republicans. The invoice protects the proper of same-sex couples and interracial couples to marry.
The invoice wants 60 votes to move, which means it should want 10 Republicans to affix Democrats. Senior Senate Democrats have been contemplating including the wedding equality invoice to the persevering with decision to fund the federal government, in accordance with a Democratic supply. That would complicate the passage of each measures.
Proponents of the Respect for Marriage Act argue it is vital to enshrine marriage equality into federal legislation to keep away from a state of affairs the place a Supreme Court docket backtracks on precedent set by its 2015 resolution in Obergefell v. Hodges, because the courtroom did on Roe.
Judicial nominations
Democrats need to approve as lots of Mr. Biden's judicial nominees as attainable, significantly in case they lose management of the Senate when the brand new Congress is seated in January. Greater than 40 nominees to appeals and district courts are awaiting Senate affirmation.
Jan. 6 committee
The Home choose committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol has mentioned it should have extra hearings in September, though nothing has been introduced but.
Allowing reform
Schumer and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia struck an settlement to maneuver ahead with laws that will expedite environmental opinions of vitality infrastructure initiatives. That settlement was key to profitable Manchin's vote on the local weather and tax invoice, formally known as the Inflation Discount Act.
Melissa Quinn and Jack Turman contributed to this report.