The House recessed last week for five weeks and the Senate is scheduled to follow suit by the end of this week. When both return in September there will be a short legislative session before members leave again to return home to campaign for the upcoming midterm elections. Prior to departure the House completed action on a short-term FY 2027 continuing resolution (CR) that will keep the government operating until December 4.
The CR was necessary to avoid a government shutdown because none of the FY 2027 appropriations bills have been passed and are unlikely to passed before the September 30 end of FY 2026. Of importance to LICA members, included in the House CR is a significant 14.4 % cut in highway construction funding. The House included this cut because the highway authorization also ends on September 30 and, while the House has started to address a five -year reauthorization, action is not close to being completed.
The Senate is working on its version of the FY 2027 CR and is expected to complete action this week. That bill would fund the highway program at FY 2026 levels. The Senate CR may also include language providing short-term highway reauthorization so the program can continue operating past the September 30 deadline.
The House also passed, and the Senate is working to complete action before recess, a budget resolution that includes reconciliation language that would provide supplemental funding for the Iran war as well as $12 billion in aid for farmers. Other issues involved in the budget resolution debate, including President Trump’s insistence that the Save Act, which deals with election reforms, be included, could keep that legislation on hold until September.