This Week in Congress
Since 1996, Congress has not funded the government on time and under regular order in a presidential election year or any other year for that matter, preferring to delay things with a continuing resolution (CR) until the lame-duck session begins or the new Congress is sworn in.
Even amidst all that appropriations dysfunction, members have been loath to force a government shutdown in an election year. You have to go back to October 3, 1984, to find a shutdown in the run-up to a presidential election, and October 5, 1990, for the last shutdown ahead of a midterm election, and even those lasted just two days and three days, respectfully. The reason is obvious, closing down the government in October is a bad look for anyone asking voters to elect them to Congress in November.
This week, Congress passed a CR that would extend federal government funding for a few months into the new fiscal year that starts on October 1st. Both chambers recessed at the end of the week and through the elections, returning to D.C. on November 12th.
In addition to its vote on the CR, the House considered four measures including: the Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 8790), intended to expedite environmental reviews for forest management projects; a bill to impose sanctions on members of the Chinese Communist Party (H.R. 3334); a bill to make cash bail subject to federal insurance fraud laws (H.R. 8205); and a resolution condemning Biden administration officials for their handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan (H.Res. 1469).
Meanwhile, the Senate voted on the CR and on a few Biden administration nominees.
Last Wednesday, September 18th, the Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points, providing an instant reprieve to anyone holding a variable-rate home loan or shopping for a car loan.
Finally, our updates included in ASAToday will be limited and intermittent throughout the month of October and through Election Day, November 5th while Congress is in recess! Please remember to Vote!