The House and Senate are in session this week, with both chambers set to recess in the coming weeks for the entire month of August. However, President Trump has called on Congress to cancel August recess in a bid to advance additional priorities from the Administration.
Legislators will shift in earnest to work on fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills, which were delayed significantly due to the reconciliation and recissions packages. The Senate is slated to begin the first floor action on their spending bills this week. Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has indicated he may package the four bipartisan spending bills already approved by the Appropriations Committee in a minibus.
Additional appropriations hearings will continue in both House and Senate committees. However, negotiators have yet to agree to top-line funding numbers, increasing the likelihood that a continuing resolution will be required before September 30.
The House will consider legislation that would revise water permitting laws (H.R. 3898), increase penalties for illegal entry into the United States (H.R. 3486), and use the Congressional Review Act to overturn three Bureau of Land Management decisions on resource management plans (H.J. Res. 104, H.J. Res. 105, and H.J. Res. 106).
The upper chamber will also continue debate on the nominations of Terrance Cole to be administrator of drug enforcement; Joshua M. Divine to be a district judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri; Cristian M. Stevens to be a district judge for the Eastern District of Missouri; Aaron Lukas to be principal deputy director of national intelligence; Bradley Hansell to be undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security; Arielle Roth to be assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information; and John Hurley to be undersecretary for terrorism and financial crimes.
Later this week, President Trump will meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House. Trump will also travel to Scotland, where he is expected to sit down with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss the U.S. trade agreement with the UK.
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