Both the House and the Senate are in recess.

On the Horizon:

Congress returns at the end of the month to a busy slate. Government funding runs out on September 30, so passing a stop-gap funding bill will be one of the highest priorities. A third reconciliation package has been delayed after the Senate abandoned plans to take up a budget resolution. And the bipartisan farm bill was rejected in committee over a fight on food stamps.

Before leaving for the break, the Senate passed a bipartisan continuing resolution by an easy 90-6 vote. If the House passes the bill as is when it returns, current government funding would be extended through December 11, providing an extra 10 weeks to either complete the full-year appropriations bills for FY 2027 or pass yet another continuing resolution. The House debate is likely to be heated, with disputes over the sale of THC-infused hemp products, language blocking a federal rule that requires grants to be approved by senior political appointees, and the exclusion of a White House request for $1 billion to build "Trump-Class" battleships.

The Senate had planned to take up a budget resolution for a third reconciliation package but abandoned those plans for lack of votes. The President had urged the Senate not to leave town before making headway on the package, which would increase defense spending and impose some elements of the SAVE America Act, requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID at the polls.

The Senate Agriculture Committee rejected a five-year farm bill at a contentious markup. The 10-11 vote marked a rare break from the bipartisan support farm bills typically enjoy. While the Republican-controlled committee could normally approve a bill along party lines, the absence of Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) left it without a majority.