The House of Representatives faces an urgent timeline in September to advance its legislative goals as midterm elections approach.
Returning from their August recess on Monday, House members aim to pass various legislation before they break again to campaign for the elections on November 3. One of the priorities will be a continuing resolution (CR) to ensure the government remains funded, along with efforts to encourage the Senate to act on a third reconciliation package and other priorities.
They plan to address the CR using a suspension of the rules to fund the government until December 11. The Senate had already passed this CR with a significant bipartisan vote of 90 to 6, though it did not tackle the national debt, which crossed $40 trillion as of August 20.
Before adjourning, the House passed a provisional funding bill lasting until December 4, but they quickly had to pivot to the Senate’s version that was negotiated with Democrats.
At the time the Senate approved the CR, the House was in recess. This, unfortunately, delayed the bill from reaching President Trump’s desk before the September 30 deadline.
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
Another major concern is the $95 billion reconciliation package that House Republicans are eager for the Senate to pass soon, ideally before October. There were indications that senators might hold up this package until a funding bill is approved, and some expressed doubts about the House’s reconciliation bill.
House leaders seemed poised to apply pressure on the Senate for passage, but the Senate won’t reconvene until September 14, shrinking the available time for a budget resolution.
On the Hill, there are mixed feelings about the spending proposed in the package—some senators think it’s excessive, while others from agricultural states believe it falls short. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has voiced concerns about whether there are enough votes to secure approval.
This reconciliation package earmarks $10 billion for grants under the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, $73 billion for military and intelligence needs related to the Iran conflict, plus $12 billion aimed at assisting struggling farmers. Notably, it lacks any spending offsets and does not address the significant $1.4 trillion deficit.
Trump has repeatedly urged Congress to move the budget resolution along, adding more pressure on Republican lawmakers.
Additionally, a critical highway funding bill is set to expire on September 30 if the House doesn’t take action. With the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 nearing its end, an extension must be approved to avoid a gap in highway funding.
The Senate’s CR included a temporary extension for this highway funding. When they return, the House must either vote to extend the funding or accept the Senate’s CR.
As for the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, Congress has limited time left to pass a new bill to replace the 2018 farm bill, which is also nearing expiration on September 30. The House had passed its version of this bill back on April 30, but progress has since stalled. Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee’s attempt to advance their version was blocked due to votes against a Republican-led proposal dealing with SNAP benefit costs.
Interestingly, SNAP has allowed individuals on food assistance to purchase less healthy items, which has raised some eyebrows.
Finally, the House is likely to consider The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, aimed at imposing heavy tariffs on goods from key importers of Russian oil and gas. The Senate passed this measure previously with an 86 to 11 vote.
Graham first introduced the bill in April 2025, but it faced delays as the Trump administration sought more control over sanctions. After Graham’s unexpected passing, his sister, Republican South Carolina Senator Darline Graham, reintroduced the bill in mid-July.
