WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Congress is gone from Washington and won’t return until December and there’s a long list of things lawmakers still need to get done, which includes avoiding a government shutdown.
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Government funding runs out December 20th, leaving Congress just a few weeks to keep the government funded.
“When the Senate returns after Thanksgiving, senators can expect a very busy few weeks to finish our work before the end of the year,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
The congressional to-do list includes funding the government, passing a massive farm bill that covers agriculture policy and agreeing to the annual National Defense Authorization Act or NDAA to fund the military.
“Presumably we will get started on serious bills that we have to pass sometime before the end of the year – certainly high. Among those would be the defense authorization bill,” said Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
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Both sides will have to negotiate their own versions of all the legislation, then reconcile their differences and get the bills passed.
It’s a tall order for a Congress set to adjourn for the year on December 20th.
“It’ll be a very busy and consequential few weeks in the Senate when we return,” said Schumer.
Some senators say they should complete everything by the end of the year, instead of punting any work to the next Congress.
“That way, the next Congress can stand at full attention, ready to advance policies to make our country safer, stronger, and a more resilient place,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).
The biggest priority is keeping the government funded, without that Congress can’t get anything done.
“Letting the government shutdown just before Christmas would be asinine, plain and simple. And nobody wants that to happen,” said Schumer.
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Congress returns to Washington December 3rd.