Congress Returns to Lengthy To-Do List as Major Spending Fight Looms – By Kaia Hubbard (US News) / July 10, 2023
Lawmakers have just three weeks to make progress toward a number of priorities – including a major appropriations lift – before departing for their August recess.
Lawmakers return to Washington this week with a lengthy to-do list to work through before their August recess, headlined by an appropriations fight already off to a rocky start.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer outlined the upper chamber’s priorities in a letter to colleagues Sunday, highlighting about a dozen additional policy items that the chamber’s slim Democratic majority is expected to take on – from lowering prescription drug prices to modernizing federal aviation programs and addressing rail safety.
The New York Democrat acknowledged that the agenda is “ambitious,” posing an “uphill battle on many fronts” in the closely divided chamber, where lawmakers return Monday afternoon. But he expressed hopefulness about finding a path forward with Senate Republicans – especially as the massive spending fight looms.
