Congress Returns from Summer Recess

By Laura Walling, Vice President of Government Affairs, Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

Congress has returned to DC after a lengthy summer break. Goodwill organizations from around the country hosted members of their Congressional delegations and key committee staff, allowing them to see the Goodwill mission in action. Those conversations with employees and program participants will inform decisions lawmakers have to make in the weeks and months ahead.

Congress must pass appropriations bills or a continuing resolution by September 30 to avoid a government shutdown. At the time of this writing, the Senate has only passed three of twelve appropriations bills while the House has passed three different bills. Vast differences between House and Senate proposals along with a shortened legislative calendar in September makes the chance of another continuing resolution more likely. Some would like the funding to continue though mid-November while the White House prefers it extends into early 2026.

Bipartisan support is needed for appropriations bills to pass the Senate to avoid a filibuster, therefore any agreement on appropriations bills or continuing resolutions could avoid significant cuts. But recent actions from the Administration imply they may pursue desired cuts after a bipartisan agreement is reached through impoundment, rescission bills, and rescissions at the end of the fiscal year.

Furthermore, several bills are due for reauthorization including the Farm Bill which includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. While the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was recently signed into law, Congress may have to pass some clean-up legislation and deal with tax programs not included in the bill which are set to expire at the end of the year, including the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

We’ll continue to keep our advocates informed of pertinent updates related to these areas.