House Republicans are aiming to approve a continuing resolution to fund the government early this week before departing for the August recess. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) plans to bring up a “clean” short-term funding bill that would keep federal agencies operating through Dec. 4, just after the Thanksgiving holiday. Holding the vote this early is unusual given the Sept. 30 deadline, but it reflects GOP leaders’ effort to jump-start the annual spending debate before the House adjourns for its summer recess. Lawmakers are not expected to finish the appropriations process before the November midterm elections.
Whether the 15-page stopgap measure can secure enough votes remains uncertain. The legislation does not include controversial policy provisions, including the SAVE America Act, an election-related measure that some conservative Republicans had pushed to attach to must-pass funding legislation. While House Democrats have not ruled out supporting the bill, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) cautioned Republicans against attempting to fund the government without bipartisan cooperation.
House Republicans are also expected to bring a budget reconciliation resolution to the floor that would pave the way for legislation providing up to $95 billion for defense and election security initiatives. Although the Republican-only measure cleared the House Budget Committee along party lines last week, its prospects going forward remain uncertain. Some fiscal conservatives have criticized the resolution for lacking spending offsets and have questioned whether any subsequent bill will fully incorporate the SAVE America Act.
Committee Activity This Week
On Monday, July 20, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a markup of 29 bills ranging from solutions to meet growing power demand while protecting ratepayers, to legislation that will safeguard Americans from the threat of illicit drugs, to policies that address price transparency in the health care system for both patients and employers. America’s Essential Hospitals provided feedback on both H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall act of 2026 and H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act of 2026 (LCMTA). The association has shared our continued concerns related to LCMTA with members of the Energy & Commerce Committee. Please contact Daniel Jones at djones@essentialhospitals.org with any questions or concerns related to this markup.
On Wednesday, July 22, at 10:00 AM ET the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will hold a markup on S. 2355, the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act. Leading up to the markup, America’s Essential Hospitals shared our significant concerns with the bill’s administrative burden on hospitals, especially those serving a safety net role in their communities. Please contact Julia Cecil at jcecil@essentialhospitals.org with any questions or concerns related to this markup.
The Senate is in session Monday through Friday, and the House is in session Monday through Thursday.
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