Key facts
- Senator Lindsey Graham has died, and Senator Mitch McConnell is absent due to health issues, reducing the Senate Republican majority.
- Key legislation including defense policy, Russia sanctions, and a foreign surveillance program renewal faces potential delays.
- The absence of Graham and McConnell could impede agreements on government funding, risking a shutdown.
- Confirmation hearings for Trump nominees, including Jay Clayton and Todd Blanche, are scheduled.
- Donald Trump's allies are pushing for the Save America Act, a voting restriction bill, to be attached to must-pass legislation.
The U.S. Congress returns to Capitol Hill facing a compressed summer work period complicated by the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham and the ongoing absence of Senator Mitch McConnell. This leaves the Republican caucus with a reduced majority, creating potential hurdles for Senate Majority Leader John Thune as he attempts to pass key legislation. These include major defense policy bills, a new Russia sanctions bill, the renewal of a lapsed foreign surveillance program, and the confirmation of several Trump nominees.
Graham's death leaves his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee temporarily vacant, while McConnell's absence from chairing the Senate Rules Committee could lead to partisan deadlock on nominations for the Election Assistance Commission. Both senators were considered crucial for advancing Republican priorities, including additional defense funding, tax cuts, and Donald Trump's backed voter restrictions, as well as reviving the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act program.
Trump's allies are reportedly pushing for his voting restriction demands, encapsulated in the Save America Act, to be attached to must-pass legislation to force Senate action. Democrats are looking to capitalize on these internal Republican divisions ahead of the November midterm elections, criticizing the focus on voting laws over economic issues.