- House passes short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown, while the GOP has decided to punt major fights including government funding and surveillance authorities until after the November election.
- Congress needs to act on the expanded surveillance authorities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that expired in June and the $1.15 trillion annual defense authorization bill, which Democrats blocked on the Senate floor in July.
- The farm bill failed to get out of the Senate Agriculture Committee in August because Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) couldn’t attend the markup, leaving Republicans without a majority on the panel.
- There is a brewing fight over the Trump administration’s emergency funding request for the Pentagon, farmers struggling with drought and low commodity prices, and long-stalled disaster relief funding.
- A senior Senate GOP aide said “a lot” is getting pushed into the lame-duck session, and the aide used congressional slang “ash and trash” to describe an omnibus appropriations bill.
- The Trump administration has requested a historic $1.5 trillion in defense spending, which Senate Democrats have rejected as a nonstarter, and Democrats have blocked spending bills because they claim Republicans asked for a 4.5-1 increase in defense spending compared to nondefense.
- Lawmakers will need to scramble to finish work on a bill regulating the recruitment and compensation of college athletes for use of name, image and likeness if the measure manages to pass the Senate this month.
The House of Representatives has passed a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown, extending funding until December 11. This move sets the stage for a contentious lame-duck session, as GOP lawmakers have deferred significant legislative battles until after the November elections.
The funding bill, passed overwhelmingly on Tuesday, initiates a major partisan conflict over spending levels for both defense and nondefense programs, with a senior Senate GOP aide indicating that a lot is being pushed into the lame-duck session. The aide noted, “The question is whether we can put together ‘ash and trash’ on an approps bill, which I assume will be an omnibus,” referring to a bill that collects various provisions to be attached to a must-pass bill.
The Trump administration has requested a historic $1.5 trillion in defense spending, which Senate Democrats have labeled a nonstarter. Democrats have also blocked spending bills in the Senate, arguing that Republicans are seeking a 4.5-1 increase in defense spending compared to nondefense spending.78
In addition to funding, lawmakers face a brewing conflict over the Trump administration’s emergency funding request for the Pentagon, farmers affected by drought, and long-stalled disaster relief funding. Congress must also address the expanded surveillance authorities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which expired in June, and the $1.15 trillion annual defense authorization bill, blocked by Democrats in July. The farm bill, which failed to advance in August, also remains unresolved, complicating the legislative landscape as the year-end deadline approaches.234
“The lame-duck session will likely include a $1.5 trillion defense request that Senate Democrats call a nonstarter, plus a brewing fight over emergency Pentagon funding and disaster relief. A senior Senate GOP aide said 'a lot' is being pushed into the session, using slang 'ash and trash' for an omnibus bill.”
