Congress returns to do bare minimum

It’s back to work for members of Congress. Finally. Fresh off their seven week recess, which most of us would call a vacation, the nation’s lawmakers are due to resume their session this week. They are scheduled to be in session for four weeks, but it wouldn’t be surprising if their session is abbreviated so lawmakers can hit the campaign trails. Congress has just one real job to do in the remainder of this session, pass a new spending bill. Congress must pass that bill by October 1 to keep the government operating. Failure to do so would lead to another government shutdown. But if history is any guide, our leaders in Washington will fight over the government’s spending priorities right up until the deadline. And it will again likely be only a temporary spending measure, likely lasting only until December. That will leave the new Congress in the same mess we are in now, failing to develop a sustainable long-term funding plan. There are other things that could be on the agenda, including funding for fighting the Zika virus. And of course lawmakers will try to cram in their pet projects in hopes of landing some federal money for their districts. But it seems that the final days of the 2016 U.S. Congress will find our distinguished politicians doing what they do best, the bare minimum.