The 113th Congress took a five week recess which allowed members the opportunity to connect with constituents in their home districts.
Now they are back in DC and reports are that they will spend two weeks working on three key items before taking another break in order to prep for the election in early November. All 435 seats in the House are up for grabs while only a third of those in the Senate are.
The items the Congress is argued to spent time are:
1 - Passing a continuing resolution to keep the government funded and avoid a shutdown. We'll note soon enough that the word budget does not appear in the Constitution, though there is a requirement that appropriations bills be passed in order for money to be drawn from the treasury. The question is whether this will in fact be done. If it doesn't, there's no more money for many government programs, so they then shut down. Here are thoughts regarding that matter:
- Congress is back. Is another government shutdown coming?
- Click here to find out what a continuing resolution is.
2 - Determine whether the Export - Import Bank should be reauthorized. It survives based on a series of charters and the most recent one is set to expire this month. The agency dates back to the 1930s and has helped back up funding for foreign trade that is deemed too risky by the private sector. It has become a bit of a political football recently. Tea Party conservatives have targeted it for closure, though business conservatives want to keep it open. Commentators have noted that this issue points out divisions within the Republican Party that may widen.
- Wikipedia: Export - Import Bank of the United States.
- Ex-Im Bank Hits Hurdle in New GOP Leadership.
- The misleading debate on the Export-Import Bank.
3 - What to do about ISIS? This also includes questions about whether Congressional input is even necessary given the authorization the president has already been granted previously. Even if constitutional justification exist for the president to go forward on his own, there are questions about whether getting Congress to go along helps broaden political support for whatever actions are decided upon.
- Obama to Congress: No vote needed on ISIS strategy.
- 9/11 rips Congress on ISIS.
- Obama Wants Congress' Support On ISIS, But He May Not Need It.
Those are one person's opinion about what Congress may choose to act on, but there's more on the agenda - its just a matter of what they determine is worth acting upon prior to the election.
Here's what they probably wont get to and why - it's worth determining why some item are more likely to be dealt with than others - maybe this would be a good future written assignment.
- Welcome Back, Congress! Here Are 15 Issues Awaiting Your Return.
- Seven Big Items Congress Won't Get to This Fall.
