The halls of Congress will likely be empty the following six weeks as lawmakers brace for a really totally different scenario in Washington — and probably in america — when lawmakers return after Election Day.
The Home and Senate are in recess till Nov. 11.
The break offers weak legislators ample time to marketing campaign earlier than voters head to the polls on the primary Tuesday of November. Leaders on each side of the aisle, in the meantime, are busy planning for the ultimate weeks of the 118th Congress, often known as the “lame duck” session.
When lawmakers file again in, will probably be on the cusp of a brand new presidential administration and presumably a brand new stability of energy in Congress.
Speaker Mike Johnson’s dealing with of key points when Congress returns will probably rely upon whether or not Vice President Harris or former President Trump wins the election. (Getty Photos)
They’ll additionally spend the majority of their time throughout the 5 weeks in session between Election Day and the end-of-year holidays wrestling with not less than three deadlines.
Federal funding for discretionary authorities applications — these managed by Congress’ annual appropriations course of, not like necessary applications together with Social Safety, Medicare and sure state and native authorities funds — will dry up by Dec. 20 if lawmakers fail to succeed in an settlement earlier than then.
The deadline initially lined up with the top of the fiscal yr Sept. 30, however Congress punted that combat with a short-term extension of the present yr’s federal funding ranges.
The best way that battle performs out will rely closely on which get together controls Congress and the White Home subsequent yr.
“I wish to win the election overwhelmingly so we’re able to barter for all of the stuff that must be accomplished, and profitable units us up for a profitable negotiation,” Home Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., advised Fox Information Digital.
It’s probably that if former President Trump wins, Republicans will push for an additional extension into the brand new yr to present the incoming commander-in-chief management over fiscal yr 2025 federal spending.
The Home GOP majority will probably be extra inclined to take an energetic function concerning authorities funding if Vice President Kamala Harris wins, although it’s unclear how profitable any effort will likely be contemplating it is prone to meet important resistance within the present Democrat-controlled Senate.
Home Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., mentioned nationwide safety needs to be one of many high coverage priorities of Congress when it returns. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc through Getty Photos)
Congress can even should wrestle with a brand new Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA), which units army and nationwide safety coverage yearly.
Steil contends protection spending and coverage, specifically, ought to take precedence when lawmakers return.
“Our adversaries are working towards U.S. pursuits throughout the globe, and so they’re doing that as a result of they see the weak spot of the Biden administration’s international coverage,” Steil mentioned. “So, our want to come back again with a robust protection invoice to guard our troops, within the curiosity of nationwide safety, goes to be completely important.”
One other key battle on the horizon is the annual farm invoice, a broad piece of laws setting American meals and agricultural coverage that should be renewed each 5 years.
The farm invoice impacts federal meals advantages, crop costs and forestry conservation, amongst different points.
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Congress final yr prolonged the 2018 farm invoice via the top of December 2024.
Steil mentioned he was optimistic Congress may authorize a brand new farm invoice, noting its significance to the agriculture trade in his state and others.
In the meantime, Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., a member of the ultra-conservative Home Freedom Caucus, advised Fox Information Digital he needed to see his chamber prioritize the fiscal yr 2025 funding course of.
“We’ve received to recommit to going via the appropriations course of, go forward and get all that shifting so we could be profitable subsequent yr,” he mentioned.
President Biden will likely be in his lame duck window when Congress returns. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg through Getty Photos)
Ogles added, nonetheless, that he desires Home Republicans to keep away from placing their 12 annual appropriations payments into a large “omnibus” spending invoice in December, which the GOP argues furthers authorities bloat whereas lowering transparency.
Home GOP leaders have insisted they won’t advance an omnibus spending invoice.
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However some senior Republicans mentioned they’d quite end the appropriations course of this yr to go away a clear slate for a brand new administration.
“I’d hope whoever the following president is, whether or not it is Vice President Harris or, as I anticipate, former President Trump, that particular person decides to make this administration and this Congress do their job,” Home Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., advised reporters. “I do not suppose we must always, as a result of we won’t do our job on this Congress, give them a authorities shutdown disaster [in the first] couple of months. It is simply irresponsible.”
