House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has an ambitious agenda planned for members when the chamber next gavels back in session.The House returns Monday from its summer recess with government funding at the top of its agenda, as lawmakers prepare to vote on a temporary spending measure nearly four weeks before the Sept. 30 funding deadline.
The chamber is expected to take up a Senate-passed continuing resolution that would maintain current government spending levels and policies through Dec. 11 while making targeted adjustments for several priority programs.
The legislation would postpone the larger battle over federal spending until after the November midterm elections, reflecting bipartisan interest in avoiding another government shutdown confrontation immediately before voters head to the polls.
House leaders plan to consider the measure under suspension of the rules, an expedited procedure typically used for legislation expected to receive broad bipartisan support.
Unlike legislation considered under ordinary House procedures, bills brought up under suspension require a two-thirds majority of members voting to pass.
If approved by the House without changes, the measure would head to President Trump’s desk, allowing Congress to temporarily avert a shutdown while leaving the major spending negotiations for later in the year.
“President Trump strongly opposes another futile government shutdown,” the White House said in a statement of administration policy backing the bill, per the Washington Times.
“Every member of Congress should support passage of this CR to keep the government open as discussions on full-year appropriations continue.”
The House will also take up several politically charged measures during its first week back from the summer recess.
Among them is legislation that would prohibit federal funding for colleges and universities that participate in boycotts of Israel, putting the chamber back into the broader debate over antisemitism, campus activism and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
Republicans are also preparing a messaging vote on a nonbinding resolution condemning socialism, including the Democratic Socialists of America.
The resolution would additionally call for passage of the SAVE America Act, Republican-backed election legislation aimed at strengthening safeguards against noncitizen voting in federal elections.
The House could also consider a resolution censuring Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina over allegations of sexual harassment.
A censure would amount to a formal expression of House disapproval but would not remove Edwards from office.
The Ethics Committee issued a report on Aug. 3 finding that Edwards “engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.”
“While Representative Edwards denied that any of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, including providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations, sending notes regarding his effusive affection, and inviting them to other activities as a way to spend time together,” the committee report said.
Edwards sent a letter to House colleagues this week disputing the findings against him and raising concerns about the way the Ethics Committee conducted its investigation.
The North Carolina Republican outlined what he described as problems with the committee’s process and challenged its conclusions as he sought to defend himself ahead of a possible censure vote.
“Sexual harassment is a serious offense. One that deserves to be defined clearly, investigated fairly, and established by evidence — not inference or speculation,” Edwards said.
“I unequivocally reject the Ethics Committee’s findings and its conclusion that I engaged in sexual harassment,” he added, per the Times.
The committee announced when it released its report on Edwards that it planned to bring a privileged resolution censuring him to the House floor.
A privileged resolution receives expedited consideration under House rules, meaning lawmakers would be required to address the matter within a limited period once it is formally introduced.
The committee has not said exactly when the censure resolution will receive a vote, the Times added.