WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Congress returned to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 10 for an abbreviated session and is likely to do the bare minimum: making sure the federal government doesn’t shutdown.  Congress has scheduled only about five to six work days in Washington between now and the elections.  Many members will be spending most of their time at home campaigning for re-election. So what can we expect? Will Congress accomplish anything in these last days?            

The most important bill will be passage of a temporary spending bill called a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government at close to current levels from the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1 through March 27. It is up for consideration in the House Rules Committee on Wednesday, Sept. 12 and in the full House at the end of the week. The Senate would most likely consider the CR the following week.            

It is expected the bill will be a clean bill that only extends the funding period. It appears the CR will pass and the government will forego a shutdown. The CR is needed because none of the regular appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year have been enacted. Passage of the CR would eliminate the threat that arose several times last year in budgetary showdowns. The bill essentially misses the core Constitutional responsibility of Congress to complete tis annual appropriations and budget work.            

There will also be many non-controversial bills passed by the House and Senate under suspension of the rules and unanimous consent, but few will make it to the President for his signature. The MRAA does not expect any bills that would directly impact marine retailers in the last days of this Congress before the election.