Congress was back in session on Monday after a six-week summer recess and immediately faced the all-too-familiar issue of preventing yet another government shutdown less than two months before Election Day.
But it's a much different political climate from when the members left town for their summer break on July 25th. President Joe Biden had just dropped out of the presidential race, Democrats were newly preparing to back Vice President Kamala Harris as their new nominee, and Republicans were rushing to figure out how to campaign against a very different Democratic opponent.
Now, Democrats have been bolstered by the popularity of the Harris/Walz campaign, while the GOP struggles to support their flailing ticket as their nominee faces multiple court cases. Trump, worried about the outcome of the election and its impact on his November 26th sentencing, is pressuring Republicans to force a shutdown until "certain demands" are met.
Current funding runs out on September 30th, giving lawmakers barely three weeks to find a compromise to keep the government going. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said House Republicans are “taking a critically important step to keep the federal government funded and to secure our federal election process.”
House GOP is also wasting time and taxpayer dollars with hearings regarding the Biden-Harris administration's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and also issuing a subpoena to VP Harris's running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has put members on notice that they will vote to confirm nominees and Biden-picked federal judges for the remainder of this year — including in the lame-duck session after the election