🗓️ What’s Up Next
Congress
Both chambers return to session on September 29th.
The PA General Assembly
The House returns for a voting day on September 29th, and the Senate returns for a non-voting session on October 3rd.
Want a deeper dive?
If there’s a topic you’re interested in our analysis of, feel free to drop us a line. We’ll be doing deeper dives on the big stuff as it happens, but we’re always happy to hear what you want to know.
The Congressional Breakdown
The legislature is out on a scheduled in-district week as September 30th looms ever closer. We’re breaking down what happened to the proposed seven-week stopgap bill, and what Pennsylvanians can expect as the federal government tees up for a shutdown.
The Failed Bill
The two-party system is never clearer than when a federal shutdown draws nigh. While in past years it was the Democratic Party that sought to avoid a shutdown by passing stopgap funding measures and refusing to cede ground on key issues, it’s the Republicans who are in charge of pushing through this time.
Here’s how it has played out: Senate Democrats submitted a counterproposal on Friday to link government funding through October 31st with key healthcare policies and limits on President Trump’s ability to withhold the money that Congress has already approved. Republicans are pushing what they call a “clean” seven-week continuing resolution to keep essential agencies funded while Congress irons out the rest of the details—but it didn’t shake out that way. The Senate rejected the House GOP’s stopgap bill in a 48-44 vote. Only one Democrat, John Fetterman (D-PA), voted for the bill. Notably, President Trump cancelled his meeting on Tuesday with top Democrats to discuss the stopgap bill.
Short of an emergency vote 48 hours before September 30th, a shutdown is likely. While the Senate is due to return September 29th, there’s few working hours for the vote that Majority Leader Thune plans to hold on the House-passed funding bill—which will likely have no changes. The Senate has three working days—September 29th, 30th, and October 1st, to pass a Continuing Resolution before they adjourn again until October 6th.
How it Impacts Pennsylvania: The people most affected by a government shutdown are federal employees who do not have what the law deems “essential” responsibilities. Under a 2019 law, however, furloughed employees are automatically entitled to back pay when the government resumes its usual work. Benefits like Social Security and Medicare will continue, but may be limited. The processing of applications for things like passports, small business loans, government benefits, and other social safety-net benefits will likely be delayed, and visitor centers and bathrooms at national parks will be shuttered.
If you’re interested in a full breakdown of what to expect and the government’s policies and procedures for shutdowns, Brookings.edu has a great explainer.
🔥 What We’re Watching
After an earlier contentious meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy, President Trump said Tuesday that NATO allies “should shoot down Russian aircraft encroaching on their airspace, and walked back earlier support for Russia to keep the Ukrainian territory it has won.”
RFK continues his upheaval of the healthcare system: the FDA plans to approve a new use for the generic drug leucovorin in the coming weeks to treat kids with “cerebral folate deficiency and autistic symptoms”. This comes after he’s suggested that the use of Tylenol during pregnancy has contributed to a rise in autism in children, though scientists say that “the most robust research does not link autism and acetaminophen use in pregnancy” and more testing would be needed. Experts warn more rigorous testing is necessary for the use of leucovorin.
Last week, we had our eye on a potential deal regarding the TikTok app and the drama that unfolded earlier this year. President Trump reportedly spoke with President Xi Jinping on a deal—but the app’s algorithm is considered “intellectual property” and a licensing arrangement could mean changes, or at least, not as much “safety” as some lawmakers are hoping for.
Hundreds of federal employees are being asked to return to work—after the Elon Musk-led DOGE cut their positions. The General Services Administration is just one of the agencies that is undoing the DOGE job cuts that left agencies understaffed and “broken”.
Did You Know? If you’ve ever traveled to Scotland and thought that its highlands look geographically similar to the Appalachian Mountains here in Pennsylvania, you’re not crazy. Before the continents shifted, the Central Pangean Mountains were likely as tall as the Himalayas—and connected what we now know as the Appalachian Mountains with parts of the Scottish Highlands, Scandinavia, Morocco, Ireland, and Greenland.
Till next time,