The Senate adjourned for its annual five-week summer recess after a late-night flurry of activity that cleared some items but left several high-profile fights unresolved.
In a rapid overnight session, lawmakers passed a government funding package intended to prevent another shutdown, confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general, and rejected a standalone voter ID proposal. The quick maneuvering effectively pushed senators onto the campaign trail — but it also postponed or stalled several consequential measures.
What Was Left Behind
A number of major proposals failed to advance before the chamber recessed. Lawmakers were unable to move forward with additional Pentagon funding tied to the Iran war, bipartisan legislation to overhaul college athletics, or long-discussed efforts to regulate cryptocurrency. Lawmakers also did not complete work on an effort to enact parts of the SAVE America Act, former President Donald Trump's signature voting proposal.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks during a Senate Agriculture business meeting on August 6, 2026.
Republican leaders explored a workaround to the Senate filibuster by embedding incentives for states to adopt elements of the SAVE Act through federal grants in a budget vehicle — a strategy that could be passed on party lines. That blueprint, centered on defense spending, reportedly included authorization for as much as $20 billion in election-related grants, according to Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
"The most you'd spend is $20 billion on election integrity," Sen. Ron Johnson said while discussing the proposal.
Late Moves, Loud Frustrations
Senate Republicans hoped to advance the budget vehicle before departing, but last-minute disagreements and competing priorities prevented it. Ohio Sen. Jon Husted offered a late motion to require photo ID for voting; the measure failed. Utah Sen. Mike Lee, one of the strongest proponents of the SAVE Act in the Senate, repeatedly warned he would obstruct the schedule and keep colleagues in session if the legislation did not move forward. Despite those threats, no senator formally objected to adjourning before 5 a.m., and the chamber recessed.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged the difficulty of aligning lawmakers on a crowded docket, calling the situation a pileup of issues and downplaying more extreme characterizations of dysfunction.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) speaks during an "Only Citizens Vote" bus tour rally on passing the SAVE Act outside the U.S. Capitol on September 10, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Political Stakes Ahead
The decision to adjourn leaves lawmakers with limited time before the November midterms to resolve some of Congress’s most politically fraught battles. With control of the Senate potentially at stake, Republican senators are balancing campaign travel with the pressure to deliver legislative results.
Author: Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY congressional correspondent. Contact: [email protected]. Follow on X: @ZachSchermele.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: "The Senate eked out a summer break. But bigger fights are coming."
