Congress returned to Washington on Tuesday. Lawmakers face a critical September 30 deadline. They must pass funding legislation to avoid a government shutdown. Deep divisions over federal spending currently threaten negotiations. The White House and hard-right Republicans are pushing for major cuts. This creates a difficult path to a bipartisan agreement.
Divisions Deepen Over Federal Spending
The White House recently notified Congress of its plans. It intends to slash $4.9 billion in federal funds. Both Democrats and some Republicans have called the move illegal. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Republicans have no plan to avoid a shutdown. At the same time, some House Republicans demand that spending levels stay flat or decrease. These conflicting demands leave little time for a compromise.
Bipartisan Push to Release Epstein Files
Lawmakers are also pushing for transparency on another issue. A bipartisan group wants to force the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna are leading the effort. They plan to host a news conference with survivors this week. The group believes it has enough support to force a House vote on the matter. Speaker Mike Johnson has opposed the push.
Lawmakers Target Congressional Stock Trading
A renewed effort to ban congressional stock trading is also underway. Several bipartisan bills aim to stop lawmakers from trading individual stocks. Supporters say the ban is necessary to prevent conflicts of interest. They argue it will help restore public trust in Congress. The proposed ban faces an uphill battle to pass in both chambers.
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