Next week the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are set to return from their August recess and will immediately begin debate on funding the federal government before current funding expires at the end of September. As AGC has previously reported, this is one of the last must pass items on the agenda ahead of the November elections.
A new policy debate emerges. House Republicans are looking to tie any proposal to fund the federal government, at current levels for six months, with legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in a federal election.
Can that actually pass? While this proposal to require proof of citizenship has passed the House of Representatives in the past, only 5 democrats supported it. As a result, it is likely dead-on arrival in the U.S. Senate, but looking like how negotiations on the funding debate will begin.
What Does This Mean for Federally Funded Construction Projects? The House is scheduled to be in session for three more weeks. As we have seen in the past year, Congress loves to go right up against the funding deadline before reaching a deal, so this is not unprecedented. However, we will keep you updated on the latest and update resources we have provided to you in the past if a shutdown looks likely.
For additional information, please contact Alex Etchen.