Senate gears up for a brief pre-election push on key bills

Returning from a month-long break, the Senate faces a three-week schedule that may be cut short depending on Democratic cooperation, as Republicans seek to showcase progress before the midterm vote. Among the items on the docket, a college-sports compensation bill sponsored by Ted Cruz appears to have enough support to overcome a filibuster, while nominations for labor secretary Keith Sonderling and multiple judges are also slated for consideration.

Attempts to pass the CLARITY Act on cryptocurrency are expected to fail due to concerns over President Donald Trump’s crypto investments and Democratic demands for stricter safeguards. Permitting reform, championed by Mike Lee, remains uncertain as Democrats weigh the Trump administration’s stance on solar and wind projects. If Mitch McConnell returns, the Agriculture Committee could move a farm bill forward, though it still faces Democratic opposition over food-stamp changes. Meanwhile, the House will briefly reconvene to push a Russia sanctions bill and address data-center electricity costs, setting the stage for a flurry of activity after the elections.