House Faces Tight September Window to Advance Funding and Reconciliation Bills

The House of Representatives will resume on Monday after its August recess and immediately target a narrow September window to move key legislation before members shift to campaign mode for the Nov. 3 midterms. A continuing resolution, to be considered under suspension of the rules, would fund the government until Dec. 11 and aligns with the Senate’s 90-6 vote that omitted any debt ceiling adjustment. Parallel to the funding effort, Republicans are urging the Senate to pass a $95 billion reconciliation package that allocates $10 billion for voter-eligibility grants, $73 billion for defense and intelligence initiatives related to the Iran conflict, and $12 billion for farm assistance, without providing deficit-reducing offsets.

Senate leaders, including John Thune, have expressed doubts about securing enough votes, while some senators argue the bill either overspends or underspends. The chamber must also address the impending expiration of a highway-funding extension on Sept. 30 and the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, whose current extension ends the same day. Finally, the House is expected to consider the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which would impose steep tariffs on Russian oil imports, following its Senate passage.