Congress Is Back. Here's What's on the Agenda.
The House of Representatives returns to work the week of August 31, 2026, with a temporary spending bill among the items on the agenda, NPR's A Martínez reported on Morning Edition. Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey of Maryland discussed the chamber's plans in an interview aired August 31. NPR
Lawmakers come back with less than a month before several deadlines all hit on September 30. The government's fiscal year ends that day. The same date also brings the expiration of a law that pays veterans exposed to radiation during nuclear testing and uranium work, known as RECA. Two tax provisions also expire that day — one affecting taxes on tipped workers' tips and another on overtime earnings. CRFB
Before leaving for its August break, the House passed a continuing resolution, which is a short-term bill that keeps the government funded at current levels. That measure runs through December 4. The Conference Board
That followed earlier action to resolve a government shutdown that began October 1, 2025. A bill called H.R. 5371 funded most federal agencies and ended that shutdown. Congress.gov The House passed it as a clean extension, meaning it dealt only with funding and no附加 policy changes. House Appropriations Committee
The current funding bill expires December 4, so Congress will need to pass another extension or agree on full-year spending to keep the government open.
The September 30 deadlines add to the challenge. If RECA expires, veterans who were exposed to radiation could lose their compensation. If the tax provisions expire, the tax treatment of tips and overtime earnings would change. Each one needs a separate vote in Congress to extend.
The broader context here is that Congress has been running the government on a series of short-term funding bills this cycle instead of passing full-year spending plans the way the process normally works. Lawmakers returning this week face the task of either extending the current funding bill again or reaching a deal on full-year spending, while also addressing the veterans' compensation and tax provisions expiring at month's end.
Rep. Ivey's interview on Morning Edition laid out these items for a national audience as the House returns. The stopgap spending bill was identified as a leading item the chamber plans to take up. NPR
For anyone tracking the schedule, the key dates are close. September 30 ends the fiscal year and triggers three separate deadlines at once. December 4 is when the current funding bill expires. Any action requires both the House and Senate to agree before those dates to avoid disruptions to government funding, veterans' pay, and taxes on tips and overtime.
