As the Senate tries to leave for a monthlong recess, internal squabbles erupted in the Senate Republican Conference on Wednesday as GOP senators battled each other and the White House over a variety of issues, prompting Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) to warn that his colleagues face a potential legislative “train wreck.” Senate Budget Committee Chair Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) continues his relentless push for a vote on a budget resolution to begin moving a third reconciliation bill before the August recess which would allow Republicans to circumvent a Democratic filibuster, but it would also give Democrats the chance to force votes on an unlimited number of potentially embarrassing amendments. Johnson warned colleagues Wednesday that as many as 10 or 11 Senate committees could receive reconciliation instructions, which could make a wide array of amendments germane and viable for adoption at a simple-majority threshold.
Leader Thune also must navigate internal Republican disagreements over a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government until December 11th and a bill championed by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to reform the rules for compensating college athletes which would create new regulations for compensating college athletes for the use of their name, image and likeness. Leader Thune on Wednesday filed a cloture motion to advance the bill, but it faces an objection from Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) who warned the legislation could overturn state-enacted bans on transgender athletes participating in women’s sports.
At the same time, GOP senators battled with White House legislative staff at Wednesday’s lunch meeting over language the White House added to the CR that would delay the implementation of a ban on hemp-derived THC products such as delta-8 until December.
Finally, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 is still very much on the table for this week with a proposed agreement that includes a vote on an amendment from Senators Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) to tweak the bill’s tariff language and would also tee up a vote on an amendment from Senators Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) to scrap tariff provisions entirely.
For today, following Leader remarks, the Senate resumed consideration of the 74 nominations en bloc as provided for in Executive Calendar #6, S.Res.817, post-cloture.
Leader Thune has filed cloture on the following for potential action before the Senate leaves:
- Collins substitute #6732 to Cal. #320 H.R.6500, vehicle for Continuing Resolution.
- Cal. #320 H.R.6500, vehicle for the Continuing Resolution.
- Motion to proceed to Cal. #449, S.4668 Protect College Sports Act of 2026.
- Executive Calendar #914 Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be Attorney General.
