Congress is the people’s branch of government and the steward of the Constitution. Its responsibilities include funding government operations, holding hearings to inform the legislative process, and overseeing the executive branch.
Senate Leaders Seek Quick Confirmations
Senators hope to get a handle on President Trump’s nominees before leaving for summer recess. But a series of delays in the confirmation process appear to have eroded any prospects for an early exit from their August break.
House Republicans Face Rowdy Town Halls
The NRCC has urged members to aggressively sell their big domestic policy law to constituents over the next two weeks before a long break. But that advice is running into a harsh reality: Democrat-backed districts are being redrawn to give Republicans a better chance of winning.
Congressional Budget: Republicans and Democrats reach deal to avert shutdown
Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he has brought top Trump administration officials into conversations directly with Democratic leader Chuck Schumer’s staff. The move is an attempt to find a way to get past the impasse that has kept three annual spending bills from coming up for a vote in the Senate. Under the plan, leaders would seek a unanimous consent request to bundle together the Military Construction-VA and Agriculture-FDA bills, while a third bill funding Congress itself could be voted on separately. The omnibus legislation would last through Sept. 30 and be a stopgap measure rather than a permanent solution for the nation’s 12 annual appropriations bills.