House Republicans have nine days to pass a continuing resolution, pressure the Senate on a $95 billion reconciliation package, and tackle highway funding before they leave town to campaign for the Nov. 3 midterms.
The chamber returns from August recess Monday and takes up the CR under suspension of the rules to fund the government through Dec. 11.
The Senate passed the CR in a 90 to 6 vote without addressing the national debt, which exceeded $40 trillion on Aug. 20.
Before the recess, the House passed a stopgap funding bill through Dec. 4. The Senate version was negotiated with Democrats, prompting House leaders to quickly take up the upper chamber’s version instead.
The House was already on recess when the Senate passed the CR, causing a delay in it reaching President Donald Trump’s desk by the Sept. 30 deadline.
The second biggest priority is the $95 billion reconciliation package, which House Republicans want the Senate to pass before October. Senators threatened to delay the package until a stopgap funding bill was passed, and some Senate Republicans expressed skepticism over the House’s version.
The Senate doesn’t return until Sept. 14 — giving them an even shorter window.
Some senators worry the package spends too much, while farm-state senators say it spends too little. Senate Majority Leader John Thune was skeptical the chamber had the votes.
The package includes $10 billion for grants to implement the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, $73 billion for Armed Services and Intelligence Committees to address the Iran war, and $12 billion to aid struggling farmers.
It includes no spending offsets and would not address the $1.4 trillion deficit.
Bills going through House rules next week, per an internal notice reviewed by @politico:
H.R. 3453 – Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act (Letlow) (E&W)
H.R. 7082 – Fostering Learning and Excellence in Charter Schools (FLEX) Act (Mackenzie) (E&W)
H.R. 7086 – Equitable…— Jordain Carney (@jordainc) August 27, 2026
Trump repeatedly pressured both chambers to advance the budget resolution to his desk, prompting more pressure on Republicans.
A highway bill will also expire Sept. 30 if the House does not act. With the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 set to expire, the House will need to vote on an extension to prevent a funding lapse for current highway programs.
The Senate included a temporary extension for highway funding in its version of the CR.
Congress is running out of time to pass the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, a new five-year authorization of the 2018 farm bill. The current extension expires Sept. 30, meaning the House and Senate need a new farm bill or another extension before the October recess.
The House passed the bill on April 30 in a 224 to 200 vote, though it has since stalled. The Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance its own version Aug. 6 after Democrats on the committee voted against a Republican-led provision to require states to pay a portion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit costs.
SNAP allows people on food stamps to buy junk foods and sugary drinks on the taxpayers’ dime.
The House would likely take up The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which would require Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from the top five importers of Russian oil and gas and up to 500% on goods imported from Russia.
The Senate passed the legislation Aug. 7 in an 86 to 11 vote.
Graham first introduced the bill on April 1, 2025, although it stalled for over a year as the Trump White House wanted more waiver authority over the sanctions and tariffs. Following Graham’s sudden passing, the bill was subsequently introduced by his sister, Republican South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham, on July 16.
