Must-do for Congress: Raise debt limit, pass spending bills

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Even members of his own party were quick to declare President Donald Trump’s budget plan dead on arrival in Congress last month. And in fact, lawmakers are facing a burst of overdue budget-related work this summer.

A look at what’s ahead:

DEBT DILEMMA

Atop the absolute must-do list is raising that borrowing cap or debt limit. Doing so would avert a disastrous, first default on U.S. obligations.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says Congress should vote to raise the debt limit before leaving Washington for its traditional August recess. Lawmakers once thought they had until the fall to act.

It would be the first increase of Trump’s presidency, and responsibility for passing it falls chiefly upon the Republicans who control Congress.

SPENDING DEADLOCK

Congress is way behind on the 12 annual spending bills covering the Pentagon and other federal agencies for the upcoming 2018 budget year.

Work on those measures, totaling more than $1.1 trillion, was supposed to begin last month, but Republicans have yet to even unite behind a plan of attack – much less execute it.

GOP leaders and the White House must sort through the demands of numerous competing factions, including defense hawks, defenders of domestic spending and tea- party lawmakers.

At the same time, they must deal with Democrats, who retain great leverage because their support is needed to advance the legislation.

Trump and his allies generally agree on a big increase for the military, but disagree on corresponding cuts to domestic programs and foreign aid. Democrats are opposed to Trump’s cuts.

BUDGET/TAX IMBROGLIO

After health care, the next priority for Republicans is overhauling the tax system. But to do that – at least without turning to Democrats for help – would first require the GOP to pass a blueprint known as a budget resolution. Congress cannot wrap up action on the 2018 plan, however, until efforts to repeal the Obama-era health law are complete.