Senate races against time to pass defense bill before August break.
The Senate Races Against the Clock to Pass Annual Defense Bill
The Senate is facing a tight deadline as it races to pass its annual defense bill before the August recess. With just three days left, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is hoping that senators won’t stand in the way of passage, even if it means canceling their flights home.
The Senate operates by unanimous consent, allowing any senator to delay the bill. To address this, Schumer has allowed a series of votes on legislation from both sides of the aisle, with the amendments being attached to the National Defense Authorization Act.
Last week, the Senate focused on votes related to NATO, Ukraine, and a bipartisan package addressing various defense bill before August break.”>issues including artificial intelligence and competition with China. However, with a compressed timeline, the Senate has little room to finish up as voting resumes this week.
Republicans are expressing dissatisfaction with Schumer’s management of the floor, concerned that there won’t be enough time for all desired GOP amendment votes. Despite this, if Schumer is flexible with his Republican counterparts, the bill is expected to pass by Thursday.
Avoiding Drama and Finding Common Ground
The Senate is working to avoid the drama that unfolded in the GOP-led House during the passage of its version of the defense bill. While the legislation is bipartisan, a few controversial amendments led House Democrats to vote against it en masse.
Although Senate Republicans lack the power to advance their own social agenda, Schumer is yielding some ground to accommodate the minority. The first manager’s package adopted by the Senate included 51 measures, 30 of which were GOP-sponsored or bipartisan. Negotiations for additional amendment votes are ongoing.
While Schumer is willing to allow a vote on at least one controversial measure, the focus is on ending the blockade rather than passing the bill. The drama, if any, is expected to be tamer in the Senate compared to the House.
However, the amendment votes granted by Schumer could still lead to late nights for senators. The goal is to accomplish as many votes as possible within the limited time frame.
A Busy Agenda Awaits Congress
Once Congress returns from the August recess, there will be a long to-do list. In addition to striking a deal on the defense bill and funding defense priorities, Congress must also complete all appropriations bills to avoid a government shutdown by September 30.
Another item on the agenda is the five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.
With the clock ticking, the Senate faces a challenging task of passing the defense bill and addressing other pressing matters before the August recess.
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