Congress back to face shutdown, farm bill, nominations
By Jerry Hagstrom, The Hagstrom Report
| Both chambers of Congress return today, facing the end of the fiscal year, the expiration of the current continuing resolution funding the government and the extension of the 2018 farm bill, all on Sept. 30 as well as whether — and when — to pass a new farm bill. The House will meet at noon today for morning hour and at 2 p.m.for legislative business. The Senate convenes at 3 p.m. Following leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 and hold a vote on a motion to proceed on it at 5:30 p.m. Both chambers are expected to consider fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills this month, but there are still so many controversies surrounding the appropriations process that it’s more likely Congress will pass a continuing resolution or that the government will shut down. The Senate has passed the fiscal year 2026 agriculture appropriations bill, providing $27.1 billion in discretionary funding. The House Appropriations Committee has approved $25.5 billion in discretionary funding, but the full House has not taken up that measure. The current extension of the 2018 farm bill will expire on Sept. 30. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., has said he is preparing a text of a “skinny” farm bill to cover the programs that were not reauthorized as part of the reconciliation bill also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Farm leaders are hoping to see a text soon, but a Thompson spokesperson told The Hagstrom Report in an email that the text “is still being worked through at the staff level, and August recess has complicated the timeline” because so many people have been on vacation. |
