Senate Majority Leader John Thune prepares a dense legislative agenda for the final week before summer recess.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune is preparing a dense legislative agenda for the first week of July. The administration announced that the White House is pushing for a budget resolution to unlock a party-line spending bill, while Thune prioritizes a stopgap funding measure through December 11. Appropriations Chair Susan Collins expects the continuing resolution text to be unveiled today, with an initial vote scheduled for Monday. Thune is also managing a package of nominees, including the potential attorney general pick Todd Blanche, and a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill. While the administration seeks to achieve results quickly, Thune must balance the legislative process with the demands of the White House. The administration also faces pressure to resolve the farm bill text and a potential cryptocurrency bill. Despite the urgency from the administration, Thune acknowledges that the legislative branch moves slower than the executive branch, noting that both sides must work together to find common ground on several remaining issues.