The House reconvened this week after the August recess with a packed agenda, led by efforts to prevent a government shutdown before funding lapses on Sept. 30. Lawmakers are also set to weigh a censure motion against a North Carolina Republican and a symbolic rebuke of socialism, all against the backdrop of the 2026 midterm elections.
The centerpiece is a Senate-passed continuing resolution (CR) that would keep federal agencies funded through Dec. 11. The Senate approved the measure 90-6 earlier this month, sending it to the House, which had previously passed its own version extending funding only until Dec. 4. House GOP leaders plan to bring the Senate CR to the floor under suspension of the rules, a fast-track process requiring a two-thirds majority, signaling broad bipartisan support.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, called the Senate measure a “clear improvement” over the House-passed version. “This bill is a clear improvement over the House Republican continuing resolution, but we are still nearly two months away from the end of the fiscal year and should be working together to pass full-year funding bills that lower the cost of living, rein in the corruption at the highest levels of the government, and can earn the support of Democrats and Republicans,” she said in a statement.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) expressed optimism about passing the CR, noting the Senate’s overwhelming vote. “I’m very confident about the CR because the Senate has passed one. So while they’re not the same, the fact that they have interest in doing it, and we have interest in doing it, makes me optimistic we’ll get something over the finish line,” he said. The stopgap comes as the House has passed only three of the twelve annual appropriations bills, while the Senate remains deadlocked over topline spending levels and has yet to pass any.
House to vote on anti-socialism resolution
The House Rules Committee will meet Monday to consider a GOP-backed resolution condemning “socialism in all its forms, including the Democratic Socialists of America,” and opposing socialist policies in the U.S. The measure also calls for enactment of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and voter ID at the polls. Republicans have seized on recent primary victories by progressive Democrats, arguing their agenda would raise costs and hurt American families.
Edwards censure on the table
The House may also take up a resolution to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) after the House Ethics Committee found his conduct with two young staff members violated the “spirit” of chamber rules against sexual harassment. The committee recommended formal censure, a rare rebuke that would mark a significant ethical stain on the congressman.
Massachusetts primaries in the spotlight
On the campaign trail, Massachusetts holds its Democratic Senate primary Tuesday, with incumbent Sen. Ed Markey, 80, facing a challenge from Rep. Seth Moulton, 47, who argues it’s time for generational change. The race is seen as a test of the party’s progressive vs. establishment wings. Meanwhile, six candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination in Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District, a seat Moulton currently holds and which is rated “Solid Democrat” by the Cook Political Report.
The Senate remains out of session until Sept. 14, leaving several GOP priorities—including a reconciliation bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, and a farm bill—on hold. As the midterms approach, the political stakes are high, with Republicans eager to frame the election as a referendum on the Biden administration, while Democrats hope to galvanize voters on issues like abortion and democracy. For more on the midterm landscape, see Trump's approval slump deepening GOP fears and Democrats' rally urging voters to 'win it all'.
