WASHINGTON—Congressional leaders from both major U.S. political parties intensified negotiations on legislative priorities on Tuesday as lawmakers worked against a compressed calendar before the August recess, with government funding, defense legislation and election-related measures competing for limited floor time.
House Republican leaders met with senior lawmakers and White House officials to discuss advancing a budget framework that would enable a party-line reconciliation package, according to congressional officials and lawmakers familiar with the discussions. Republican leaders have said they want to move legislation addressing defense spending and other administration priorities before lawmakers leave Washington later this month.
The legislative schedule has been complicated by procedural disputes within the House Republican conference and by leadership changes in the Senate following the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, who chaired the Senate Budget Committee. Republican leaders are also contending with the continued absence of Senator Mitch McConnell, whose office has said he is recovering from a medical episode.
Democratic leaders have criticized Republican efforts to prioritize partisan legislation while arguing that Congress should focus on bipartisan appropriations measures and other must-pass bills. Republicans, meanwhile, have accused Democrats of slowing negotiations on spending legislation, reflecting broader disagreements over fiscal priorities and election-related proposals.
Beyond the policy disputes, congressional committees and political organizations are also approaching statutory campaign finance reporting deadlines. The Federal Election Commission said quarterly reports for congressional campaign committees, political action committees and party committees following quarterly filing schedules are due on July 15, covering financial activity through June 30. Monthly filers face a July 20 reporting deadline.
Lawmakers also face pressure to make progress on annual appropriations legislation and the National Defense Authorization Act before the August recess. Congressional observers have noted that only a limited number of legislative workdays remain before the scheduled break, increasing the importance of negotiations between House and Senate leaders over floor priorities.
As of Tuesday, congressional leaders had not announced a final agreement on the sequencing of major legislative measures. Additional meetings among House and Senate leadership were expected as lawmakers sought to determine which proposals could advance before the scheduled recess, while appropriations deadlines later in the fiscal year continued to shape negotiations.
