Members of the House and Senate returned to Washington on September 10 after a month-long August recess but found few must-pass items on the agenda before both chambers are scheduled to again adjourn for the last stretch of the campaign season.
In fact, what was expected to be the most contentious issue during September was largely taken off the table early last month when Democratic and Republican leaders reached an agreement in principle on a continuing resolution (CR) that will keep the federal government operating at current funding levels for the first six months of the 2013 fiscal year.
Passage of a CR is necessary because Congress is not expected to enact any of the twelve annual appropriations bills before the next fiscal year begins on October 1. Failure to reach a short-term spending deal would inject the specter of a federal government shutdown into the political debate just a month before voters head to the polls – an outcome that members of both parties wanted to avoid.
The deal to extend FY12 spending levels for all federal programs and agencies through the end of March carries appeal for both parties. For Republicans optimistic about their chances of picking up additional congressional seats or even the White House in November, the deal ensures that the new Congress will have the final say on FY13 spending next spring. And if this scenario plays out as Republicans hope, EPA and other federal agencies could be in line for severe budget cuts next year.
For the Democratic party, the six-month funding deal will not include controversial policy riders that might otherwise, for example, bar funding for certain EPA programs or other Democratic spending priorities. Congressional Republicans in the past have attempted to use continuing resolutions to block funding for specific programs, so Democrats were willing to agree to a longer-term continuing resolution if it means their policy priorities will not be impacted in the interim. And they, too, are optimistic about their chances of holding the Senate and the White House in November, and therefore believe they will be able to stop GOP attempts to further reduce federal spending early next year.
The text of the CR has yet to be written or released, but barring an unexpected development Congress will approve it with little fanfare well before the end of the current fiscal year on September 30.
The only other pre-election deadline facing Congress is the Farm Bill, which is scheduled to expire on September 30. The Senate passed a new 5-year Farm Bill earlier this year, and the House Agriculture Committee approved its own several weeks later. But House GOP leaders are hesitant to hold a major debate on issues such as food stamp funding and crop insurance reforms prior to the election – making chances for enacting a new permanent bill before the deadline remote. Instead, both chambers will likely pass a simple short-term extension of current farm policies (perhaps lasting up to one year), and effectively punt the issue to the next Congress.
Congress is currently scheduled to hold its last pre-election votes on Friday, October 5, but there is growing speculation that lawmakers will adjourn well before that point to get a head start on campaigning.