The Senate this week gaveled out to start Congress’s annual August recess, a break before Congressional activity resumes in September. The House recessed late last week to begin its recess earlier than expected.
With 2024 being a presidential election year, Congress will also recess for the month of October as Members of the House and Senators seek to return to their districts and states to campaign for reelection.
With just three weeks in session before Election Day, both chambers stand to be busy upon their returns in September. Numerous “must-pass” legislative items remain on the docket for both chambers.
First, Congress must address the already-extended Farm Bill. Originally due to expire on September 30, 2023, Congress extended the current Farm Bill, a sprawling piece of legislation setting farm policy that Congress must renew every five years, by one year to September 30, 2024. Upon their return in September, Congress must decide to pursue a further extension, let the current extension expire and risk discontinuing some programs as currently authorized, or make rapid progress on compromise legislation between the chambers.
As of now, the House has passed through the House Agriculture Committee its version of the legislation, but it has not received a vote by the full chamber. On the Senate side, neither Senate Agriculture Committee chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), who is retiring, nor Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) have released text of their version of the legislation.
In addition to the Farm Bill, Congress must address FY2025 government funding legislation. Fiscal Year 2024 funding is set to expire on September 30, 2024, and Congress in past years has turned to “Continuing Resolutions” – essentially extensions of current funding levels – to buy more time for negotiations.
As of now, the House has outpaced the Senate in FY2025 appropriations progress. The House has passed all 12 of its individual appropriations bills through the Appropriations Committee and has passed five of those bills through the House floor (Defense, Homeland Security, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and State-Foreign Operations).
Meanwhile, the Senate has passed 11 of its 12 bills through committee and none on the Senate floor.
In FY2024, many of the individual appropriations bills did not pass one or both chambers, with Congressional leaders choosing to go straight to legislative conference with both chambers to hash out any disagreements behind closed doors.
Finally, Congress must address with its remaining time in session the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is a wide-ranging bill passed every year since 1961 setting policy and authorizing programs and funding for the Defense Department. Congress has not failed to pass an NDAA in 63 years.
NDAAs often invite thousands of amendments offered by members in both chambers and significant debate and floor time, potentially taking time away from other must-pass priorities towards the end of the year.
For now, Congress sits in recess with Members back in their districts and states, but much work remains upon their return in September with little time that both chambers are in session before the 2024 Election.
