Overall, as Republicans took stock of the past seven months of control of the House and Senate under the Trump administration, the mood was glum. The House began its summer recess last week, but as senators rushed for the exits Thursday they were still pointing to the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court as their signal success, even though that happened back in April.
n a final burst of action Thursday, the Senate overwhelmingly approved a Food and Drug Administration funding bill, and agreed to more than 60 Trump administration nominees, more executive branch nominations in a single day than the Senate had approved all year to date. Republicans have bitterly blamed Democrats' foot-dragging on nominees for many of their problems, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky heralded Thursday's actions as "an important step towards filling critical roles throughout the administration."
Like other Republicans, Scott cited the GOP's success in overturning a series of Obama administration regulations, employing the little-used Congressional Review Act.
Yet what lawmakers left undone promises to make for an ugly September on Capitol Hill.
Two must-do items will dominate the agenda: increasing the government's debt limit to prevent a catastrophic default on U.S. obligations like interest payments and Social Security checks; and passing a temporary spending bill to keep government agencies up and running.
The debt limit increase is particularly nettlesome and many Republicans in Congress simply can't bring themselves to vote for it. But with a Republican in the White House and the party controlling both the House and the Senate, it's the GOP's responsibility to deliver the votes.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/...ut-having-gotten-much-accomplished-1.13924741
n a final burst of action Thursday, the Senate overwhelmingly approved a Food and Drug Administration funding bill, and agreed to more than 60 Trump administration nominees, more executive branch nominations in a single day than the Senate had approved all year to date. Republicans have bitterly blamed Democrats' foot-dragging on nominees for many of their problems, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky heralded Thursday's actions as "an important step towards filling critical roles throughout the administration."
Like other Republicans, Scott cited the GOP's success in overturning a series of Obama administration regulations, employing the little-used Congressional Review Act.
Yet what lawmakers left undone promises to make for an ugly September on Capitol Hill.
Two must-do items will dominate the agenda: increasing the government's debt limit to prevent a catastrophic default on U.S. obligations like interest payments and Social Security checks; and passing a temporary spending bill to keep government agencies up and running.
The debt limit increase is particularly nettlesome and many Republicans in Congress simply can't bring themselves to vote for it. But with a Republican in the White House and the party controlling both the House and the Senate, it's the GOP's responsibility to deliver the votes.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/...ut-having-gotten-much-accomplished-1.13924741
