The Senate is entering a critical stretch as lawmakers work to complete a series of high-profile votes before leaving Washington for their month-long August recess.
While several major priorities appear to have enough support to move forward, one unresolved issue is complicating efforts to wrap up the chamber’s business.
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Republican and Democratic leaders are negotiating a path forward that would allow the Senate to quickly clear its remaining agenda.
However, an unrelated bipartisan proposal has emerged as an unexpected obstacle, threatening to delay an agreement on several of the chamber’s top priorities.
Senators were attempting to reach a deal that would allow them to pass a temporary government funding bill, confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, and complete several other pieces of legislation before departing for the August recess.
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According to lawmakers familiar with the negotiations, a bipartisan bill establishing federal rules for name, image and likeness compensation and recruiting in college athletics has become a sticking point in broader discussions over how to conclude the Senate’s work.
One senator reportedly described the NIL legislation as a “chokepoint” in negotiations, as lawmakers seek unanimous agreement on a package of measures to move quickly through the chamber.
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Despite that hurdle, the temporary government funding bill has advanced with broad bipartisan support during earlier procedural votes, suggesting it is likely to pass once Senate leaders reach an agreement on the remaining legislative schedule.
Another key item on the Senate’s agenda was the confirmation of Blanche, who was serving as acting attorney general.
Blanche’s nomination gained the support it needed on Friday after Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., announced on the Senate floor that he would vote in favor of confirming him.
Cassidy had been viewed as the final Republican holdout, making his decision a significant development for the nomination.
In his floor remarks, Cassidy acknowledged that his vote would likely draw criticism but said he had carefully weighed the decision before reaching his conclusion.
“I know I’ll receive criticism for this vote,” Cassidy said, while emphasizing that he believed he had fully considered the issue on behalf of his constituents.
With Cassidy’s support, Blanche’s confirmation happened in the early hours on Saturday.
Earlier Friday, the Senate also approved legislation imposing additional sanctions on Russia.
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The measure, named after its chief sponsor, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., passed by a bipartisan vote of 86-11.
The legislation represents one of the final major bills considered by the Senate before lawmakers leave Washington for the extended recess.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump spent Friday at the White House participating in policy meetings before attending a roundtable at the State Department.
Later in the day, the president was scheduled to travel to Bedminster, New Jersey.
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Senate leaders continue working toward an agreement that would allow lawmakers to complete their remaining priorities before adjournment, but negotiations over the college athletics legislation remain unresolved.
If an agreement is reached, senators could quickly approve the stopgap spending measure, confirm Blanche and complete their remaining legislative work before departing for the month-long recess, allowing Congress to return later this year with government funding and several other major policy debates still awaiting action, The Hill reported.
Senate investigators have obtained a copy of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued iPhone from his time at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a report first published by The Wall Street Journal.
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The phone was transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
It remains unclear what data investigators currently have access to or what information, if any, may ultimately be recovered from the device.
Johnson confirmed the transfer in a post on X, writing, “The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has obtained a copy of Dr. Fauci’s phone from HHS. Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week’s hearing.”
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
