September 1st

1000 MORE's weekly nonpartisan roundup of the most important happenings in federal government, written in a way that doesn't require a law degree to understand, with tools to take action

September 1, 2023

The Senate returns to D.C. next week. Here’s a rundown on what they need to accomplish by September 30th to avoid a government shutdown:

Senate’s Back
National Defense Authorization Act
Keeping Americans Flying
Food Program Funding
2024 Budget Progress

Senate's Back

This Tuesday, September 5th, the Senate returns to work on the Hill. The chamber can vote on all 12 of the budget bills and the FAA Reauthorization Act as soon as Tuesday. But they must wait for the House to return to begin negotiations on the National Defense Authorization Act in conference committee, and the Farm Bill negotiations are far from over.

Additional questions remain about whether Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will be able to lead his caucus during budget negotiations. After recovering from a fall that left him hospitalized in the spring, McConnell froze in front of the media for the second time this week.

Once both chambers come back, there are only 12 full working days left before the September 30th deadline.

National Defense Authorization Act

Both chambers passed different versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this summer. While the House bill contains conservative provisions like banning reimbursements of service member travel for abortion care, the Senate version is bipartisan.

When Congress returns from recess, the NDAA will go to a conference committee where members from both chambers can negotiate the contents of a final bill. If this bill doesn’t pass, military personnel would likely have to stay home without pay, and military programs would likely stall or come to a full stop.

You can read about the bill and take action

Keeping Americans Flying

The budget is not the only bill with a September 30th deadline. Congress also has to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration Act so that the airline industry can continue to operate in the U.S. There are two versions of the bill in Congress, one in each chamber:

FAA Reauthorization Act: The Senate can vote on the bill when they return from recess, which includes compensation mandates for canceled flights.
Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act: The House already passed their version of the bill, which does not include any passenger compensation.

Once the Senate passes their version of the bill, both chambers will have to meet in conference committee to negotiate a final bill. If this bill doesn’t pass, there could be significant disruptions to both commercial and private flights. You can use the links above to read about the bills and take action.

Food Program Funding

The Farm Bill funds agricultural programs through the country, alongside nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or EBT, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The bill is still in committee in both chambers, and there is little movement on it in either chamber.

We expect that Congress will have to pass a continuing resolution to keep programs in the bill funded until the bill can pass. If the bill doesn’t pass, SNAP and WIC benefits could be delayed, or stop completely, potentially leaving millions of Americans hungry. Have a view on this that you would like to share?

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