Congress Is Going Home Early. Advocates Should Continue Their Work.

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

The House of Representative’s schedule is unusual this year. Typically, both chambers (House and Senate) spend the entire month of August in recess, returning after Labor Day. The House returned this week and passed a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded through December 11. The bill had already passed the Senate and the President signed it into law.

With funding debates pushed off until later this year, House Republican leaders canceled the final two weeks of their September session, cutting the legislative calendar short ahead of the November midterm elections. Lawmakers are expected to reconvene on Sept. 14 after next week’s Labor Day break and remain in session through Sept. 17. They will then be expected to leave Washington and remain out of session until mid-November.

Although the immediate funding crisis has been delayed, Congress has not completed its most important appropriations work.

When lawmakers return after the elections, to avoid a government shutdown they must either:

• Pass full-year FY2027 appropriations bills; or
• Approve another continuing resolution to extend funding beyond December 11.

Congress traditionally struggles to complete all twelve annual spending bills on time, and significant work remains before a final funding package can be enacted.

For organizations like Goodwill that rely on workforce development programs, community investments, and federal partnerships, those post-election funding decisions will shape priorities and resources for the coming year.

The next two months create a unique advocacy window. Members of Congress are attending community events, touring local organizations, meeting with constituents, and looking for opportunities to demonstrate impact in their districts. This creates an ideal opportunity for Goodwill advocates to engage.

Whether inviting a legislator to visit a career center, showcasing workforce training programs, highlighting community impact, or sharing stories of people served, advocates can help lawmakers see firsthand how federal and state policies affect local communities.

When Congress returns after the election, the voices and stories shared this fall can help shape the policy decisions that follow. However as nonprofit, nonpartisan charitable organizations, Goodwill organization should not endorse any candidates, engage in campaign activities or appear partisan. The same opportunities to learn about Goodwill should be extended to all candidates.