Congress Faces Government Shutdown Fight as September Battles Loom/ Newsalooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ After a summer of partisan victories for Republicans, Congress returns to Washington facing a looming government shutdown. Lawmakers must strike a deal on spending before Sept. 30, but deep divides remain over budgets, foreign aid, and Trump’s policies. Other battles include Senate nominations, Russia sanctions, Epstein files, and GOP-led probes of former President Biden.
Congress Returns Quick Looks
- Federal funding runs out Sept. 30, risking shutdown if no deal
- Republicans passed Trump’s tax and spending cuts without Democratic support
- Democrats demand concessions for temporary funding extensions
- Trump blocks billions in foreign aid, complicating negotiations
- Senate Republicans consider rule changes to push through Trump nominees
- Bipartisan Senate bill proposes steep tariffs on Russian trading partners
- HHS Secretary RFK Jr. to testify after CDC shakeup
- House Republicans split over releasing Jeffrey Epstein investigation files
- Oversight Committee probing Biden’s mental fitness with key witnesses lined up
- Stock trading ban for lawmakers gains new momentum but faces resistance
Congress Faces Government Shutdown Fight as September Battles Loom
Deep Look
WASHINGTON — Congress is back in session after its August recess, but lawmakers face an immediate and daunting challenge: preventing a government shutdown by the end of September.
Republicans returned to Capitol Hill buoyed by their summertime win on Trump’s tax and spending cuts, passed without a single Democratic vote. Yet that partisan triumph sets the stage for a bruising September, where bipartisan cooperation will be unavoidable — but in short supply.
The Urgent Deadline: Sept. 30
The federal government’s funding expires on Sept. 30, leaving Congress just weeks to act. Lawmakers are expected to pass a short-term funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, to buy time. But Republicans will need Democratic votes in the Senate, where demands for concessions are intensifying.
Complicating matters further, Trump is clawing back billions in foreign aid. Just Friday, he moved to block $4.9 billion in congressionally approved assistance, after rescinding $9 billion earlier this summer. Democrats argue this is deliberate brinkmanship.
“Trump is rooting for a shutdown,” charged Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
Senate Showdown on Nominations
The Senate returns to unfinished business: Trump’s nominees. Democratic resistance has stalled confirmations, leaving many posts vacant and angering the White House.
Republicans are openly weighing a rules change to circumvent delays, reviving procedural battles not seen in years. Senate leaders expect intense negotiations this fall over how far to go in breaking the deadlock.
Russia Sanctions in Play
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is pressing Trump to endorse sweeping bipartisan sanctions. The measure would levy tariffs on countries still purchasing Russian oil, gas, and uranium. The proposal has 85 Senate backers, but GOP leaders refuse to move without Trump’s support.
Graham warned that if progress stalls, “plan B needs to kick in.” The urgency follows Trump’s recent meetings with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which have yet to yield peace.
RFK Jr. to Face Senate Panel
New Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will testify before the Senate Finance Committee this week, days after ousting the CDC’s director, Susan Monarez, sparking multiple resignations.
Kennedy’s controversial push for anti-vaccine policies has drawn bipartisan concern. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has called for delaying CDC expert meetings until Congress investigates further.
Epstein Files Divide the House
Another flashpoint awaits in the House: whether to force the Trump administration to release more information on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Lawmakers including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are leading a bipartisan push for transparency, joined by Epstein’s victims. The issue, long surrounded by conspiracy theories, threatens to deepen divisions within the GOP.
Biden Mental Fitness Probe Intensifies
House Republicans are also pushing their investigation into former President Joe Biden’s mental acuity while in office. The Oversight Committee will question former aides including Jeff Zients, Karine Jean-Pierre, and Andrew Bates.
Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has promised public hearings and a comprehensive report later this fall, keeping Biden’s legacy in the political spotlight.
Stock Trading Ban Gains Traction
For years, Congress has debated banning lawmakers from trading individual stocks due to conflict-of-interest concerns. Now, momentum is growing.
A Senate panel recently advanced a bill by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) to ban stock trading by lawmakers, presidents, and vice presidents — though notably exempting Trump. In the House, bipartisan factions are threatening to force the issue onto the floor.
Still, many wealthy lawmakers remain resistant, reluctant to give up lucrative investment practices.
A Volatile September Ahead
With shutdown talks looming, sanctions debates intensifying, and internal GOP disputes brewing, September promises to be a volatile month in Washington.
While Republicans enjoy their legislative win on tax cuts, governing in divided Congress will test whether they can strike deals — or whether a shutdown showdown will define the fall.
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