The Senate adjourned for a five-week recess early Saturday morning after passing a bill to fund the federal government until December 11th and confirming Todd Blanche as Unites States attorney general. Senate Republicans also agreed to set aside — for the moment — President Donald J. Trump’s demand to approve another budget resolution to pave the way for tens of billions of dollars in new military spending and to pass the SAVE America Act. Passage of the continuing resolution to fund the government past the election takes a lot of pressure off senators in both parties ahead of the short September work period as both Democrats and Republicans were eager to avoid stumbling into yet another government shutdown before the midterm election. The stopgap funding measure passed 90 to 6, with only Senator Darline Graham (R-South Carolina) voting present. The funding bill was held up by an intense fight within the Senate GOP conference over a provision added at the behest of the White House to delay the implementation of a ban on intoxicating hemp-derived products that Congress enacted in November. Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) insisted on voting on an amendment to strip the hemp-related language out of the bill, but the Senate voted 61-32 to table it. The Senate later voted largely along party lines to narrowly confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general 50-49 with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and all Democrats voting against him.
The Senate stands adjourned and will convene for Pro Forma sessions only on the following dates and times:
Thursday, August 13th at 8:00 AM, Monday, August 17th at 1:30 PM, Thursday, August 20th at 11:30 AM, Monday, August 24th at 12:30 PM, Thursday, August 27th at 8:00 AM, Monday, August 31st at 11:30 AM, Tuesday, September 1st at 12:30 PM, Friday, September 4th at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, September 8th at 1:15 PM, and Thursday, September 10th at 3:00 PM.
When the Senate adjourns on Thursday, September 10th, it will next convene at 3:00 PM on Monday, September 14, 2026. Following Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of Morning Business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. At approximately 5:30 PM the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #902, Matthew R. Byrne, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio.
The House is expected to return for a brief session on Monday, August 31st. Both chambers will be back in session together on Monday, September 14th.
