Senate Prioritizes Short-Term Continuing Resolution to Avert Government Shutdown Ahead of August Recess

The U.S. Senate is preparing to consider a short-term continuing resolution (CR) this week, aiming to extend government funding beyond the September 30, 2026, deadline and prevent a government shutdown. This move comes as the House of Representatives has already passed its own preemptive CR and a budget resolution before departing for its August recess. Negotiations in the Senate are complicated by a proposed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rule on federal grantmaking and disagreements over President Trump's proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget, making full-year appropriations bills unlikely before the deadline.