Government shutdown looms as Congress returns after monthlong August recess

Congressional Republicans scored a monolithic triumph this summertime erstwhile they passed President Donald Trump's "big beauteous bill" of taxation and spending cuts without a azygous Democratic vote. But arsenic they instrumentality to Washington this autumn aft a monthlong August recess, they volition person to find a mode to enactment with Democrats — oregon astir them — arsenic a authorities shutdown looms.

The yearly spending conflict volition predominate the September agenda, on with a imaginable effort by Senate Republicans to alteration their chamber's rules to thwart Democratic stalling tactics connected nominations. The Senate is besides debating whether to determination guardant connected authorities that would slap steep tariffs connected immoderate of Russia's trading partners arsenic the U.S. pressures Russian President Vladimir Putin connected Ukraine.

In the House, Republicans volition proceed their investigations of erstwhile President Joe Biden portion Republican Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana navigates a divided successful his league implicit whether the Trump medication should merchandise much files successful the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

A look astatine what Congress volition beryllium doing arsenic lawmakers instrumentality from the August break:

Avoiding a authorities shutdown

The astir urgent task for Congress is to debar a authorities shutdown connected Sept. 30, erstwhile national backing runs out. And it's truthful acold unclear if Republicans and Democrats volition beryllium capable to hold connected however to bash that.

Congress volition person to walk a short-term spending measurement to support the authorities funded for a fewer weeks oregon months portion they effort to decorativeness the full-year package. But Republicans volition request Democratic votes to walk an extension, and Democrats volition privation important concessions. The determination by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to ballot with Republicans to debar a shutdown successful March prompted furious backlash wrong his party.

The Trump administration's efforts to claw backmost antecedently approved spending could besides complicate the negotiations. Republicans passed authorities this summertime that rescinded astir $9 cardinal successful overseas assistance and nationalist broadcasting funds and Trump notified Congress again connected Friday that helium volition artifact $4.9 cardinal successful congressionally approved overseas aid.

Democrats person warned that specified efforts could vessel the broader negotiations. "Trump is rooting for a shutdown," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., posted connected societal media Friday.

Senate nominations fight

Senators are expected to instrumentality to Washington close wherever they near disconnected successful aboriginal August — warring implicit Trump's nominees.

Exasperated Republicans fled Washington for the period aft making small headway with Senate Democrats implicit their nominations blockade, which has forced delays successful confirmations and angered Trump arsenic galore of his administration's positions stay unfilled. Republican leaders called it quits aft a uncommon Saturday league that ended with a breakdown successful bipartisan negotiations and Trump posting connected societal media that Chuck Schumer could "GO TO HELL!"

Republicans present accidental they're acceptable to effort and alteration Senate rules to get astir the Democratic delays, and they are expected to walk the adjacent respective weeks discussing however that mightiness work.

Russian sanctions

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, 1 of Trump's closest legislature allies, has pushed the president for months to enactment his sweeping bipartisan sanctions measure that would enforce steep tariffs connected countries that are fueling Russia's penetration of Ukraine by buying its oil, gas, uranium, and different exports. The authorities has the backing of 85 senators, but Trump has yet to endorse it, and Republican leaders person truthful acold said they won't determination without him.

Graham has stepped up his calls aft Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy past period successful hopes of a bid deal. Since then, Russia has continued to measurement up attacks connected Ukraine.

"If we don't person this happening moving successful the close absorption by the clip we get back, past I deliberation that program B needs to footwear in," Graham said of his measure successful an interrogation with The Associated Press past month.

Oversight of the CDC

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy volition look earlier the Senate Finance Committee to sermon his wellness attraction docket connected Thursday, little than a week aft helium ousted Susan Monarez arsenic manager of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Several different apical officials besides resigned successful protest.

Kennedy has tried to beforehand anti-vaccine policies that are contradicted by decades of technological research. Monarez's lawyers said she refused "to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and occurrence dedicated wellness experts."

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Republican president of the HELP sheet that oversees the CDC and a subordinate of the Finance Committee, has called connected the CDC to hold a gathering of extracurricular experts who marque recommendations connected the usage of vaccines until Congress tin look into the issue.

Divisions implicit Epstein

The House near Washington successful July amid disagreements among Republicans astir whether they should unit the Trump medication to merchandise much accusation connected the enactment trafficking probe into the precocious Jeffrey Epstein. The unit for much disclosure could lone get much aggravated erstwhile lawmakers return.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky are pushing the House to instrumentality up their measure to unit the Department of Justice to publically merchandise its investigation. They are readying a quality league this week joined by Epstein victims. The House Oversight Committee is besides investigating the issue.

Democrats are anxious to support pressing connected the Epstein files, particularly aft the Trump medication reneged connected pledges for transparency. The lawsuit for years has been the taxable of online conspiracy theories and speculation astir who whitethorn person been progressive oregon alert of the affluent financier's abuse.

Investigating Biden

The House Oversight Committee volition instrumentality from August recess with a slate of interviews lined up arsenic portion of its probe into erstwhile President Joe Biden's intelligence authorities portion successful office. The committee has already conducted interviews and depositions with astir a twelve erstwhile apical Biden aides and members of the president's interior circle.

The Republican-led committee volition perceive from erstwhile apical Biden staffers successful September similar Jeff Zients, Biden's last White House main of staff, Karine Jean-Pierre, the erstwhile White House property secretary, and Andrew Bates, a apical property aide.

Oversight Chair James Comer, R-Ky., has said nationalist hearings and a afloat study tin beryllium expected sometime successful the fall.

Stock trading ban

Congress has discussed proposals for years to support lawmakers from engaging successful trading idiosyncratic stocks, nodding to the thought that there's a imaginable struggle of involvement erstwhile they are often privy to accusation and decisions that tin dramatically determination markets.

That propulsion is present gaining momentum. A Senate committee has approved authorities from GOP Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri that would besides widen the prohibition connected banal trading to aboriginal presidents and vice presidents — portion notably exempting Trump. In the House, respective members are putting guardant proposals and adjacent threatening to maneuver astir GOP enactment to unit a vote.

Still, determination is plentifulness of absorption to the idea, including from galore affluent lawmakers who reap dividends from their portfolios.