Republicans brace for crowded legislative calendar as shutdown deadline nears

Congressional Republicans are back from August recess with a packed agenda, including a stopgap spending measure to fund the government past Sept. 30 and a third reconciliation package sought by President Trump. The House has passed a budget blueprint with defense, agriculture, and voting-related funding, but the Senate has not yet taken up its version. Other unfinished items include the defense policy bill, farm bill, and reauthorization of foreign spy powers, with only about three weeks before the October recess.